Phishing emails and malicious links continue to be one of the most effective ways cybercriminal compromise users. Attackers rely on urgency, fear, or curiosity to push people into clicking links that lead to credential theft, malware downloads, or account takeovers.
To counter this, NordVPN has expanded its Threat Protection Pro suite with a new email focused security feature. The update is designed to identify and flag harmful links directly inside a user’s inbox, before any interaction occurs.
According to NordVPN, the goal is to stop phishing attempts at the moment they become visible rather than relying on users to recognize scams themselves.
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How the new email protection works
The email protection feature activates automatically when an email is opened in a supported web browser on Windows or macOS. As soon as the message loads, every visible link is scanned and checked against an updated database of malicious domains.
If a link is identified as dangerous, a visual warning appears next to it in the form of a red shield icon. Hovering over the icon displays a short explanation of the risk, such as phishing or malware delivery.
In addition, a banner appears at the top of the email summarizing all detected threats within the message. This allows users to assess risk without clicking individual links.
NordVPN states the system operates continuously in the background and does not require users to change their email habits or install separate plugins.
Designed to block scams before they succeed
The company says the feature specifically targets common phishing tactics that pressure users into acting quickly. These include fake account warnings, payment issues, delivery problems, and security alerts designed to override cautious behavior.
According to Domininkas Virbickas, product director at NordVPN, the goal is to prevent damage before it happens rather than reacting after credentials are stolen or malware is installed.
The feature builds on NordVPN’s earlier phishing protection tools, which have already received independent certifications for effectiveness in blocking malicious domains.
Privacy safeguards built into the system
NordVPN emphasizes that the email protection feature does not read email content. Only URLs are analyzed, and no access to inbox accounts is required.
Whenever possible, link scanning is performed locally on the user’s device. In cases where reputation checks require server-side analysis, only minimal metadata is transmitted, limited to the link itself.
The company states that no email text, attachments, or personal conversations are collected, stored, or analyzed as part of the process.
Users also retain full control over the feature and can enable or disable email protection at any time through the Threat Protection Pro settings.
Part of a broader security expansion
The email protection rollout follows several recent updates to NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro suite. These include tools for blocking spam calls, preventing session hijacking, and improving malicious site detection.
With phishing attacks increasingly targeting inboxes rather than browsers alone, NordVPN positions this update as a necessary shift toward layered protection that operates wherever users interact with links.
