Cybersecurity and Privacy Research Lab
The internet was meant to be open and free. Let’s make it so.
Our goal
At NordVPN’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Research Lab, we aim to move the world closer to Tim Berners Lee’s vision of an open and free internet. To empower internet users to fight for their digital rights, access to information, privacy, and protection of their personal data. To make our expertise their best ally in this fight.
That’s why we put together a team of professional researchers. They analyze online threats and privacy risks to learn about problems, understand them, and find the right tools and methods to eliminate them.
What we do
Educate
We draw attention to cybersecurity and digital rights violations. Our aim is to show people the different ways their digital rights are or might be violated.
Share
We created an open-access online hub where data is presented in a way that’s easy to understand and apply in the real world.
Protect
Understanding the problem is only a part of the solution. Then it’s time to act. We give people the tools and knowledge they need to protect their digital rights.
Our research
What would you delete from the internet?
Our research team asked people what they would erase from the internet if given a chance. From intimate messages to streaming platforms — people want to delete many things. Find out what they are.
Who’s tracking you?
We surveyed 7800 people to find out how they feel about online tracking. Spoiler alert: 80% are worried about it. Find out what people from different countries think about online privacy risks.
How thieves get payment card data
Our analysis uses data provided by independent researchers to see just how widespread payment card data theft can be. Find out how thieves can get card details without ever even stealing them.
Are cookies a privacy risk?
You might know that your lifestyle can impact your cybersecurity. But have you ever thought how much? Six people shared their real browsing data with our researchers. They collected 3,958 cookies in just two days. Learn what that means to people’s cybersecurity and what you can do to minimize cookies in your daily browsing.
IoT device security
We collected survey data of over 7,000 participants to figure out why only around 25% of people secure their IoT devices. Why didn’t users take precautions when introducing a new IoT device to their homes? Whose responsibility is it to secure these devices?
Laws on encryption backdoors
Many democratic governments want to implement encryption backdoors. They claim that criminals hide behind encryption to protect themselves from persecution. While the need for effective law enforcement is understandable, there is no such thing as a secure backdoor. Instead, it’s a deliberate vulnerability that anyone can discover.
Device sharing and privacy
What risks do you face when you allow others to use your devices? Do your family members monitor your actions online? How safe is your private data when you use a work laptop at home? Learn why your personal devices are not as personal as you may think.
National Privacy Test
We launched the National Privacy Test to give internet users a chance to assess their cybersec knowledge and spot areas for improvement. In the test report, users can find country rankings by score as well as average scores in different categories and demographics.
Parental monitoring apps
We analyzed the top 4 parental monitoring apps, their popularity trends, how they work, and what problems the increased usage of these apps might create.
Wannabe hackers
Regular internet users have started looking for the best ways to hack something. We analyzed top Google search results to find which countries have the most wannabe hackers and what (or who) they targeted the most.
Bypassing internet restrictions
What restricted content do internet users from different countries want to unblock the most? Government censorship, copyright laws, and local restrictions force people to look for a workaround – learn what online platforms they wanted to unblock most often.
Cyber Risk Index
We collected and analyzed data from 50 countries to determine their vulnerability to cybercrime. We wanted to find out what factors put internet users at greater cyber risk and how likely people from different parts of the world are to become victims of cybercrime.
Read about us
Ongoing projects
We are constantly looking for new angles and important issues that need more in-depth analysis. Our researchers currently focus on cybersecurity topics that affect NordVPN users the most:
- Web privacy
- Cyber risks in business
- Security of smart devices
- Privacy and security technology
- Users’ attitudes and behaviors
Our researchers
NordVPN’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Research Lab is a team of five professionals with many years of experience in research and data analysis. They are experts in their field, working daily to deliver results worth sharing with the world. From the initial plan to final insights – our researchers take on real digital threats and look for the best ways to banish them once and for all.
