NordVPN now helps users protect themselves from vulnerable apps

The vulnerability detection feature checks Windows computers for vulnerable applications and notifies users about their security flaws so preventive measures can be taken.

"The vulnerability detection feature automatically checks the applications for known security flaws that hackers may exploit to gain unauthorised access to device and sensitive information. If vulnerability detection identifies an open-to-attack app on a computer, it immediately send user a notification so he can take action to protect data and device," says Vykintas Maknickas, Head of Product Strategy at NordVPN.

In order to detect whether any applications on a device are susceptible to hacking, the feature checks the database of apps with their app versions and the known vulnerabilities that affect those apps. Once the tool detects one or more of these vulnerable apps on the device, it automatically sends an alert to the user. At this point, the vulnerability detection feature checks around 150 million applications daily and detects vulnerabilities in about 100 thousand applications used by Windows users.

After receiving a vulnerability detection alert about a software security loophole, a user should update the susceptible app immediately. If there's no update notification, cybersecurity experts advise to visit the developer's website and search for the latest version of the app. A user should be wary of possible cyber dangers if the software developer doesn't offer security patches to fix the vulnerability.

This easy-to-use vulnerability detection feature is included in every NordVPN subscription. Users can activate vulnerability detection without additional cost by following the guide. This feature is available starting with NordVPN version 7.15 and requires Windows 10 or newer operating system versions.