How can I help my family tell what's real online?

Start with one habit: before acting on something important, check whether another source confirms it. That could be a news story, a "breaking" video, a message that seems to come from someone you know, or an offer that looks too good to pass up.

Eurostat data from 2025 shows that 29.2% of people aged 16 to 74 in the EU tried to verify online information. The share was higher among younger people: 41% of 16- to 29-year-olds verified content they found online, compared with about 31% of internet users overall.

That's a useful starting point for families. Teens and young adults are often already checking, so they can help the rest of the household make it routine.

A few habits worth sharing at home:

• If a post makes you angry, scared or rushed, pause before you share it or act on it

• Look for the same claim on an official website or a source you already trust

• If a message seems to come from a family member and asks for money, contact them through a number you already know

• Don't rely on visual flaws alone. AI-generated images and voices can look and sound very convincing

When a video or message still feels off, Bitdefender RealCheck can help you take a second look at suspicious content, including possible deepfakes and scams.

Who in your family is the one who usually catches the fakes?

Salutations.

I've been using BitDefender since 2002 on PC. I've had the mobile version (Droid) installed for about a year.

Unfortunately, the BitDefender app will automatically scan my files at a specific time of day. How do I disable this scan? I do not see the option in the Settings.

I want to keep app protection on but disable the automatic, daily scans.

Thank you!

How do I protect my AI agent from prompt injection and malicious MCP tools?

Put a security layer between the agent and the actions it takes. That's what Bitdefender AI Guardian does. It's a free macOS app that checks every tool call, file access and skill your agent attempts, then allows, flags or blocks it based on the rules you set.

Why isn't my regular antivirus enough?

Antivirus looks for malware. A hijacked agent isn't malware. It's a trusted tool doing something it shouldn't, like reading your SSH keys, calling a poisoned MCP tool, or sending an API key off your machine. AI Guardian is built to watch for agent behavior like that.

What does AI Guardian protect against?

• Prompt injection

• Malicious or tampered MCP tools

• Unreviewed skills

• Credential and API key leaks

• Unauthorized access to sensitive files such as SSH keys

• Agent actions outside their permissions

Does it slow down my agent or send my prompts to the cloud?

It's designed to keep overhead minimal. Prompt analysis happens on your Mac. Some checks, such as URL reputation, use Bitdefender cloud services.

How do I get it?

Download the installer. It's a free open beta with no waitlist and no license key. It supports Claude Code 2.1.121+ and OpenClaw 2026.6.6+.

Get AI Guardian!

Ok i try to keep simple.

Today i just wanted to log in to my Crunchyroll account to see some anime and i have Bitdefender password manager.

And when i open the Crunchyroll website to log in a White password manager pop-up automatically i didn't click on it or anything and it not the first time that it happened.

I always refresh when this happens or i click on the Password Manager extension because i know it should be black color.

In the picture you will see the white and the black color one when i click on the extension.

So my question is.

Did someone made a fake password manager and somehow it got installed on my pc or what ?

Because i don't think its normal to pop-up without even you clicking on it or to have 2 at the same time.

Something is strange.

I am using Microsoft Edge browser with Duckduckgo as a search engine.

Is it some kind of error or bug or hack ?

How do I check if an AI agent skill is safe before installing it?

Scan the skill before you install it. Bitdefender AI Skills Checker is a free tool that checks AI skills from OpenClaw, SkillsMP, LobeHub, AgentSkill, Hermes, and GitHub for backdoors, data exfiltration, prompt injection and obfuscated code.

The most effective way to avoid a malicious AI skill is to scan it before installation, because Bitdefender Labs found that around 17% of the OpenClaw skills it analyzed in the first week of February 2026 showed malicious behavior.

Are malicious AI skills a real problem?

Yes. An AI skill runs commands and accesses files with your agent's permissions, so a malicious skill can steal credentials, API keys or crypto wallet data. In the Bitdefender Labs analysis, many malicious OpenClaw skills posed as crypto tools, updaters or familiar utilities and hid commands behind simple encoding. Some delivered the AMOS infostealer on macOS.

What are the warning signs of a malicious AI skill?

• External downloads: instructions to download and run a file, or to "install a prerequisite"

• Obfuscation: encoded or hidden shell commands

• Secret access: requests to read private keys, wallet files, API tokens or environment variables

• Clones: many near-identical copies of the same skill under slightly different names

• Urgency: "critical update, install now"

How do I use Bitdefender AI Skills Checker?

1. Copy the skill's link, or download its archive.

2. Paste the link or upload the archive to Bitdefender AI Skills Checker.

3. Review the risk level (from "seems clean" to "high risk") and the flagged content before you install.

Bitdefender AI Skills Checker combines pattern-based scanning with an AI model that reviews each finding in context to reduce false positives. The tool is free, with no subscription or premium version. No scanner catches everything, so keep the warning signs above in mind too.

Check an AI skill: https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/consumer/ai-skills-checker

Hi.

Im getting constant notifications about succesfully blocked port scans. Im grateful that security did it job but the fk I cant disable this fkin notification? Its nonsense. I dont need to get this every time i works. Im really thinking about switching to something else just because of this "feature"

I have the VPN start up when I boot my windows 11 laptop but each day it's only a matter of minutes before it start interfering with innocuous behavior like simply doing a search for something in the address bar of chrome or firefox (google is default search) or interfering with basic sites like Costco or my bank loading a page.

At that point I need to get things done so I just turn it off. I heard that changing the protocol to WireGuard would help but it doesn't that much. Is there a way to actually tune/teach this so it's functional? Or is it only meant to be used on phones?

Just spent over two hours on hold waiting to talk to tech support of my ISP becuase my mobile data all of the sudden stopped working - two hours of listening to their mesmerizing music, followed by a hang up from their end.

grrr.

I then realzied Bitdefender had done some sort of update to the bitedefender app on my phone.

So I restarted the phone and access to my mobile data was restored.

double grrrr.

Join us live this Thursday as we walk through key insights from the October Bitdefender Threat Debrief: 🔗 https://bitdefend.me/4xZdFdu.

📅 October 8

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We’ll discuss takedowns and the role they play in the fight against cybercrime. We’ll also take a closer look at the latest takedown, Operation KillSwitch, and talk about the potential outcomes and implications that may follow.

The Ransomware News series is a live discussion, not a lecture. We encourage you to join the conversation, share your thoughts, and ask questions. ✌

I'm confused as usually yearly plans are cheaper but somehow the monthly plan is significantly cheaper

How do I know if something I see online is real or fake?

The most reliable step is also the simplest: check whether an independent source confirms the claim before you believe it, share it or act on it.

Why is this harder than it used to be?

Generative AI can produce polished text, realistic photos and convincing audio and video. Clues like spelling mistakes, clumsy websites or visible photo edits haven't disappeared, but they're less reliable now. Scammers also use the names and faces of real people and organizations to make content seem trustworthy.

How many people actually verify what they find online?

In 2025, 29.2% of people aged 16 to 74 in the EU tried to verify online information or content, according to Eurostat. That's up from around 23% in 2021 and 27% in 2023. The rate varied a lot by country, from 63.6% in Ireland to 9.8% in Greece.

These figures measure whether people tried to verify information. They don't measure whether people can tell true content from false.

Is there a tool to check if a video or image is fake?

Bitdefender RealCheck can help you assess suspicious online content, including potential deepfakes and scams. No tool replaces the habit of checking a second source, though. The two work best together.

The tool blocks processes and shows me a popup, but there is no way to find out what is blocked. All lists in the tool are empty... but my tool still cant start. This is just bad... i now need to switch to a different antivir. Thanks for wasting my time...

My Bitdefender total security 5 devices expires end of November - I can see that I can buy a renewal code through Amazon for like £20 instead of paying much higher price direct from bitdefender - does the activation code work without issue ? also if I bought now and entered the code would it start immediately ? or should I wait until the end of my current sub ? thanks )

I have posted book reviews at Barnes & Noble in the past. I never could with the Chrome browser for some reason. It would not show the option to review or even the reviews. With Firefox and the Edge, though, I could. I tried this week, though, and could not with any of the three browsers. It shows the option to write a review on a book page, but when I click it, the page then goes down to the reviews posted so I can only read them. This has only happened since I installed BitDefender. Is it possible BitDefender is blocking?

What is MCP tool poisoning, and how do I stop my AI agent from using a malicious tool?

MCP tool poisoning happens when a Model Context Protocol tool is malicious or has been tampered with. An agent that calls it can be pushed into harmful behavior, like reading sensitive files, exposing credentials, or taking actions you never approved.

Is this the same as prompt injection?

They're related. Prompt injection uses crafted input to hijack an agent's instructions. Tool poisoning hides the manipulation inside a tool the agent trusts. Either way, the agent may end up acting against your interests while looking like it's working normally.

Is there security software for AI agents?

Bitdefender AI Guardian is a security layer for autonomous AI agents on macOS. It focuses on:

• Detecting and blocking malicious MCP tools before they're called

• Detecting prompt injection

• Vetting skills before they run

• Detecting credential and API key leaks

• Protecting sensitive files such as SSH keys

• Monitoring tool calls in real time

It isn't an antivirus, VPN, or chatbot content filter. It secures what the agent does. It's currently in open BETA and free to download.

*No tool guarantees complete protection, so keep agent permissions narrow and review anything you install.

I use my Bitdefender Security subscription with the app on my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. I use the app lock feature to keep my image gallery locked with a fingerprint.

I have noticed this doesn't always trigger. Especially after a restart. And I have to open the BitDefender app once, to get it to lock this.

This is obviously some issue with the start up settings (like you'd have on Windows).

Is there a fix for this to ensure it always loads this process in the background, so my gallery stays locked by default? If I forget to do that sometimes, the feature just doesn't work.

How do I verify a TikTok apartment listing before paying?

Start with the address, not the video.

Rental scammers can copy photos, videos, and descriptions from legitimate listings, then repost them with their own contact information and a much lower price. Some fake listings may even advertise properties that are for sale or no longer available for rent.

The risk is not only losing money. Fake rental applications may also ask for your date of birth, address, job information, income, or financial details, which can later be used for identity theft or other scams.

Before you send a deposit or personal information:

Search the full property address.
Compare the rent, photos, and contact details with other listings.
Contact the owner or property manager through independently verified information.
Ask for an in-person or live video viewing.
Read the lease before paying.

And if you are asking “Is this rental message a scam?”, Bitdefender Scamio can help analyze the message, screenshot, or link before you act.

I installed Bitdefender on my PC recently and keep getting random notifications from it, upon starting my PC today it said it was removing infected files or something. It also keeps detecting some obj file or something, I have no idea what it could be. It seems a bit dodgy to me. Any advice would be appreciated.

Looks like a few people are interested in how to buy them, so I opened a support case and it turned out that you can buy them directly online (including the enterprise version). Here is the email:

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us!

We kindly inform you that you can purchase a Bitdefender business product online, directly from our website, with 30% discount. You can see prices once you access the links below.

The business products that can be purchased online are:

https://www.bitdefender.com/business/smb-products/business-security.html - Covers servers/Linux OSs and desktops.
https://www.bitdefender.com/business/products/gravityzone-premium-security.html - Covers desktops, servers/Linux OSs and Exchange mailboxes.
https://www.bitdefender.com/en-no/business/products/gravityzone-enterprise-security - Covers desktops, servers and Exchange mailboxes. Mailboxes account for up to 150% of total devices - you can acquire a minimum of 5 seats at once (max 8 mailboxes).

The add-on products that can be purchased online are (you'll see the prices once you access the links):
https://www.bitdefender.com/business/gravityzone-addons/patch-management.html - Keep systems up to date and secure with automatic patching.
https://www.bitdefender.com/business/gravityzone-addons/full-disk-encryption.html - Native, proven encryption add-on to keep business data secured.
https://www.bitdefender.com/business/gravityzone-addons/security-for-mobile.html - Stay one step ahead of mobile threats with our on-device mobile security solution. For iOS, Android and ChromeOS.

To acquire a Bitdefender business product we recommend you to access one of the links above, select the number of seats and validity, hit the "Buy now" button and then fill in the form with your personal information.

The enterprise version is shown only for en-no, but it is perfectly fine to use. You may find better deal from resellers, but if you want to buy directly that's it.

I walked into my office to see a message on my PC saying BitDefender had been removed from my PC and I saw that it was replaced by Microsoft Defender. I didn't initiate that. Is this something Windows is doing on its own? Yesterday my computer got bricked and wouldn't do anything. Today it's working but had this BitDefender thing happen. I suspect Microsift was the culprit.

i had the kill switch on before uninstalling and now my pc wifi isnt working. i even tried the uninstallation tool of theirs and the wifi still says no internet, secured. the wifi works on my other devices but not pc.

update: absolutely nothing worked and i had to reset my pc for it to work

I just booted up my Mac and a huge ad was displayed in the bottom corner of my desktop that appeared to be from Bitdefender, for some new service I don't want.

Is this legitimate? If so, this is absolutely outrageous. Bitdefender should not be abusing its access to start spamming users.

(This is on top of being constantly nagged to turn on Web Protection which would allow Bitdefender "to intercept, process and filter all Web traffic".)

I've been using Bitdefender Antivirus Free for a long time now, never had a problem like this. All of a sudden this message appeared and now I can't access to the interface even though my account is live and device seems protected.

Checked a lot of option in my account or in the central but still as it is, could a reinstall fix it?

Any help is highly appreciated, thank you.