Can antivirus also protect you against identity theft?

Identity theft occurs more often than many people realise. Criminals exploit your personal information to make purchases, open bank accounts, or even sign contracts in your name. The consequences can be serious—both financially and administratively. More people are now wondering whether antivirus software can help.

The answer is: yes, if you opt for an identity protection package. Certain security suites—like Norton 360 Advanced and McAfee+ Advanced Individual—go beyond virus-blocking. They include extra tools aimed at preventing and detecting identity theft.

What exactly is identity theft?

Identity theft occurs when your personal details—like name, address, date of birth, passwords or national ID number—are misused by others. This often happens after a data breach, via phishing, or when your data is intercepted over an unsecured connection.

How does antivirus help in that case?

Traditional antivirus software protects against malware such as viruses and spyware. But the latest security suites do more. They provide active protection against the methods used in identity theft—such as phishing detection, secure password vaults, and advanced monitoring of your personal data.

What do Norton 360 Advanced and McAfee+ Advanced Individual offer?

Both Norton 360 Advanced and McAfee+ Advanced Individual are comprehensive security suites with dedicated identity protection. Here’s what they include:

1. Dark Web Monitoring

Your personal info is continuously scanned across the dark web. If items like your email, phone number or passport details are found, you receive an alert so you can take immediate action.

2. Identity Restoration Support

If suspicious activity occurs, experts are ready to help—whether it’s damage recovery or contacting authorities. You’re not on your own.

3. Secure VPN

Both packages include a VPN that encrypts your internet connection—especially important when using public Wi‑Fi. This prevents criminals from intercepting your data undetected.

4. Password Manager

Each suite includes a password manager to securely store all your strong, unique passwords so you only need to remember one master password. This reduces the risk of account breaches tied to identity fraud.

What do you gain in practice?

By choosing an antivirus package with identity protection:

• You get real‑time alerts if your data appears in suspicious places.
• You can respond faster to possible misuse.
• You receive active help in recovering from identity fraud.
• You make it harder for criminals via encrypted connections and strong passwords.

Not all antivirus packages offer this protection

Many basic packages provide virus protection but no identity monitoring. So look carefully at the features. View all antivirus packages with identity protection here.

What can you do beyond using good software?

Antivirus is important, but your own behaviour matters too. Be cautious with suspicious emails, don’t share sensitive data lightly, and use strong passwords. Enable two‑factor authentication wherever possible. Combined with a robust security suite, you significantly reduce the risk of identity theft.