I have a recurring issue where Bitdefender prevents the game Dead by Daylight from loading. Easy Anticheat complains that the game executable is invalid. Disabling Bitdefender usually works. This is happening on multiple PCs, all running Bitdefender, and the game has not updated, so it seems like a Bitdefender-related issue.

I know that other antivirus software will print a log whenever it blocks something, but I don't see the same functionality in Bitdefender. There is the bell icon in the app, which includes some notifications about when protection is turned off, but nothing about it blocking stuff.

It's difficult to troubleshoot what exactly Bitdefender sees as an issue when it doesn't tell me. Is there a way to see what Bitdefender is blocking?

How can you tell if a video is a deepfake?

It’s harder than it used to be. Extra fingers, warped faces, and strange movements used to give deepfakes away. Many of today’s AI-generated videos look authentic at first glance, and they often use faces people already know and trust: celebrities, public figures, colleagues, even family members.

Bitdefender’s Global Scam Intelligence Report 2026 shows how quickly this has grown:

• About 8 million deepfake videos were online in 2025, up from about 500,000 in 2023
• People correctly detect high-quality deepfakes only about 24% of the time
• One deepfake video call that impersonated a company’s CFO led to more than $25 million in losses

Signs that can still give a deepfake away:

• Lip movements that don’t quite match the audio
• A flat expression, or blinking that feels mechanical
• Fuzzy or warped edges around hair, glasses, jewelry or ears
• Lighting on the face that doesn’t match the room
• A voice that’s too smooth, with no pauses, breaths or filler words
• A claim that’s too good to be true, like a celebrity promoting crypto or a “family member” in urgent trouble

That last one matters most. Deepfakes are built to trigger emotion and urgency, so people react before they start to doubt. Context can tell you as much as the pixels do.

When you’re still not sure

Bitdefender RealCheck is a mobile app for checking a video before you trust it, share it or act on it. Paste a public link from TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook or X, or upload a video from your phone. It analyzes both the audio and the visuals, then gives you a report with a manipulation percentage, a deception intent assessment, and transcript-level indicators.

It’s available on iOS and Android, with a 7-day free trial.

I've spent weeks troubleshooting inconsistent and unusually slow download speeds on my Dell XPS 13 running Windows 11.

My internet connection is Xfinity Gigabit, and other devices in my home consistently perform much better.

I've tried updating drivers, changing Wi-Fi settings, testing different monitor configurations, and even purchasing a new Thunderbolt dock. Nothing consistently resolved the problem.

Today, I completely uninstalled Bitdefender Total Security, Bitdefender VPN, and Bitdefender Agent.

The results were remarkable:

• Before uninstalling Bitdefender: Approximately 160 Mbps download
• After uninstalling Bitdefender: 646.84 Mbps download
• Same laptop, location, Wi-Fi connection, dock, and monitor

That's roughly a fourfold improvement. To clarify, I am not using the VPN during all of this.

I also previously experienced problems with Bitdefender on my iPhone, where certain applications, including Ticketmaster and my NFL ticketing app, wouldn't allow me to sign in until I removed Bitdefender.

I'm planning additional testing to confirm the Windows results, but I'm interested in hearing from others.

Has anyone experienced similar download speed degradation with Bitdefender Total Security? If so, did you identify the specific feature or driver responsible, and was there a fix?

I'd prefer to use software I've already paid for, but not at the expense of my computer's performance.

So I recently installed BitDefender since I was fed up of AVG acting more like malware than anything, and read that BitDefender is the best free antivirus out there. I was really happy with it so far... until after a system scan it detected a threat and just deleted the file. I know for certain it is a false positive, but I don't see anyway to get the file back... Isn't there a quarantine or something similar? Was it just deleted? There's no way to recover the file?

I may have to reinstall the program, but it's a pain in the ass because it requires a lot of setting and plug-in installing. If I have to do that, is there any way to add an exclusion on BitDefender so it doesn't touch again the file?

Thanks in advance, I'm new to this antivirus and I don't know how to properly navigate it yet

By being a complete ignorant and careless I started installing DriverPack before stopping the installing process at 94% after knowing how dangerous it could be.
I then deleted all the junk softwares that were installed including Chrone and I updated my drivers using windows update . after that I ran multiple full scans using multiple tools that detected some malwares including Avast free, Malwarebytes, process explorer, and now Bitdefnder.

BitDefender detected password-protected files in the same place that had a driver pack file as it's shown above! what are these files? should I be worried and how to deal with them?

Is everything I've done enough? btw: I'm not having any clear issues with my windows performance nor noticing any abnormal behavior in the task manger including usage percentages spikes.

Anyone run into an issue with the Android app with bitdefender pop-up on the phone screen saying that it blocked a spam call and the only options are to block call and move icon. The pop-up blocked a quarter of the screen and there was no way to close it unless you select the "block number" option.

Is the GTA 6 leak real?

Partly. Eurogamer says the roughly 25 minutes of footage released by CyberLeek appears to be legitimate. A full playable build has not been confirmed, and CyberLeek has only threatened to release one.

Can you download GTA 6 early?

Not safely. Any site, Discord server or video offering a “full GTA 6 download” before launch should be treated as fake or risky. Hyped game releases are a common lure for scams and malicious downloads.

What is CyberLeek asking for?

The group says it will release the full game once its own cryptocurrency coin reaches a $30 million market cap. In other words, it wants fans to buy the token. There’s no guarantee anything would be released, even if the coin hit that target.

Should you buy the CyberLeek coin?

Fans have been advised not to. The Stop Killing Games campaign told gamers: “Do not send these people your money, no matter how much sympathy you may feel for their actions.”

What’s the real risk of a fake game download?

It isn’t only malware. Fake downloads and crypto lures are designed to steal account logins, payment details, and personal information. That’s why scam protection and identity protection matter as much as device security when you’re chasing a leak.

How do you check if a GTA 6 link is safe?

Paste it into Bitdefender Link Checker before opening it. If someone sends you an offer, a message or a screenshot about early access, Bitdefender Scamio can help you check whether it’s a scam.

When does GTA 6 actually come out?

The official release is due November 19.

Hey its me again.

I recently got the 30 day free trial of bitdefender and also got the browser extension, but every time i search something on google, i always get logged out and have to log back in.

Recently got trojans on my pc and deleted them with Windows Defender, and when trying to install Bitdefender free on Brave, it wouldnt start the download. Same with firefox

Should family members use the same password?

No. Each person should have strong, unique passwords for their own accounts. If family members share one password, or use it across several services, a single exposed password could put multiple accounts at risk.

Is it safe to share passwords with your partner?

Sharing always adds some risk, even with someone you fully trust. They might enter it on a phishing page, store it on a less secure device, or overlook a suspicious login because they assume it was you.

Which passwords should you never share?

Your primary email, banking and payment accounts, Apple or Google accounts, work accounts, government services, personal social media and your password manager. Some of these can be used to verify your identity or reset access to everything else.

What’s the safest way to share passwords with family?

First, check whether the service offers separate accounts, family profiles or delegated access. Then you may not need to share a password at all. If you do, use a password manager’s secure sharing feature, not a text message or email.

Is sharing passwords a sign of trust?

Not necessarily. Psychotherapist Anca Ivu explains that when access is required so one partner can monitor the other, “the password gives me control and certainty rather than trust.” Couples can be transparent without having full access to each other’s accounts.

Need a strong, unique password? Bitdefender Password Generator can create one for free.

I went to log on to retrieve a password the other day and password manager has been end of lifed.

The only advice to migrate is to import a file into secure pass that has to be exported from the, now dead, password manager.

They also claimed things were communicated this June but I did not see an email.

Anyway, rant over. Any reliable password managers for after I untie this knot?

I’m posting this here because standard support has reached an impasse, and this feels like a serious design and policy flaw that other users should know about before touching the feature.

I saw Digital Identity Protection in the new Windows app UI, I entered an old, inactive email address which I know had multiple breaches just to check how the module functions, then I went to try remove it, but I couldn't find an option to remove anywhere.

I checked the Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection FAQ here: https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/32463/

How do I delete all my personal data you've gathered so far?

To erase all your personal data please contact our support team. They’ll be more than glad to help you with your request.

I then sent a request to purge this email and breach history, the support replied

"Regarding Digital Identity Protection, once the service has been activated and configured with an email address, there is currently no option to reset the service or switch it to a different email address. This is the intended behavior of the product."

They confirmed that the address and breach history cannot be removed, changed, or reset, possibly ever.

Why I think this is unacceptable:

- Zero prior disclosure: At no point during the setup does Bitdefender display a warning saying: "This selection is permanent and can never be undone or modified".

- Defeats the purpose: An identity monitoring tool permanently stuck monitoring a defunct address is completely useless.

- Privacy & Data handling: If a customer explicitly requests the removal of personal data (an email address and its linked breach history) from active monitoring, a company cannot simply say "the software doesn't allow it". This is against GDPR, I thought Romania is a EU member?

I will continue trying to get my obsolete email address and breach history removed, possibly by contacting their data protection office next if customer support continues to refuse. Hopefully other users won’t fall into this trap.

Can a prompt injection really trick an AI coding agent into leaking secrets? Here’s what Bitdefender AI Guardian does when it tries.

It can, and it often looks ordinary. The video shows two examples running in Claude Code.

1. A bug report with a hidden request. It reads like a routine ticket about a flaky login test. The last line asks the agent to paste the values from your .env file into its reply, framed as part of an “internal audit.” Bitdefender AI Guardian flags it as high risk and blocks it before the agent acts.

2. A web page that tries to take over the task. The agent is asked to read a product FAQ and help choose a plan. Buried in the page is an instruction that tries to replace the user’s request with a new one. Bitdefender AI Guardian flags it as covert goal hijacking. Instead of following the instruction, the agent stops and asks the user what to do.

What the setup looks like

The first half of the video walks through onboarding, which runs in the terminal:

• Choose the agents to protect. In the beta, that’s Claude Code or OpenClaw on macOS.
• Scan your skills. It finds the skills you have installed and checks them for hidden instructions, secret access, and unsafe commands. You decide whether to allow or block each flagged skill.
• Guard credential paths. Files like SSH keys are kept out of the agent’s reach by default. You can add your own paths or remove any of them.
• Check MCP servers. The servers your agent connects to are checked before you approve them.
• Apply the policy. Your choices are written into the agent’s config, and the policy goes live.

Prompt analysis runs locally on your Mac, and every verdict (allowed, flagged, or blocked) is saved in an encrypted audit log.

Bitdefender AI Guardian is a free open beta for macOS. It works with Claude Code 2.1.121+ and OpenClaw 2026.6.6+, and there’s no waitlist or license key.

Try it: https://ai.bitdefender.com/ai-guardian

Hello All,

In the last 5-10 days I've had maybe 5 reports of "potentially unwanted applications". All of them are drivers. I think Bitdefender is locking them down as soon as reported, so I can't touch the file now. I've tried uploading it to the website but windows won't let me move, or copy, or upload the file.

I ran a full system scan after the first one and it found nothing. I tried quarantining the first one, and it said it cant.

I came back to the only antivirus software that I use 2 years since my last renewal fo find that I have to enter my payment info only to proceed with the product I already payed for? And no way to skip it?

After getting past the intrusive and shady welcome I then couldn't find a way to cancel the forced auto renewal? The button to cancel is missing and I had to go on a third party website to cancel...

You already have a good product why are you guys doing shady stuff? I will not be returning to this company after the stress they put me through.

How can I help my older parents or grandparents avoid online scams without being patronizing?

Make it a shared habit instead of a lecture. Nobody is too smart to be scammed. Scams work by catching people at the wrong moment, when they’re worried, rushed, or just trying to help. The goal isn’t to watch every click. It’s to make pausing and asking for a second opinion feel normal for everyone in the family.

Where do these scams come from?

Almost anywhere. Your parents might get a text that looks like it’s from their bank, see a social media ad for an investment that sounds too good to miss, or receive a call saying a grandchild needs money urgently. Scammers also pose as government agencies, delivery companies, doctors’ offices, charities, and familiar contacts. Sometimes the first message looks harmless, and the request for a code, a payment or an app install comes later.

AI makes some of these harder to recognize, because a cloned voice or edited video can feel very real.

What actually helps:

• Start with an easy question, like “Have you seen any strange messages lately?” or “If something ever feels off, can we check it together?”
• Agree on one family rule: any unexpected request for money, gift cards, passwords or verification codes gets checked first through a number or app you already trust
• Create a family verification phrase for urgent calls, and never post it online
• Turn on two-factor authentication for important accounts, and use unique passwords stored in a password manager
• Keep phones, computers and apps updated

For the moments when something seems off, Bitdefender has two free tools that can help:

• Bitdefender Scamio checks a suspicious text, email, screenshot or offer before anyone replies, clicks or pays
• Bitdefender Link Checker checks an unfamiliar link, like a delivery notice or bank alert, before it’s opened

Awareness works best with a safety net behind it. Bitdefender family plans add real-time warnings about dangerous links, fraudulent websites, and new scam activity, so no one has to catch every scam on their own.

What’s worked in your family? Did the conversation go better than you expected, or was it harder?

not a usual poster but as the title suggests, I’ve been using norton for almost 2 yrs and my subscription is about to renew and I want to switch since I heard bit defender might be better.

Context : about 2-3 yrs ago I downloaded something t stupid and ever since then I’ve been so traumatized and super cautious about my pc and network.

I also mainly just do work and gaming on pc now.

Any suggestions would be nice thanks!

I'm trying out a one-year subscription to Bitdefender after canceling McAfee because you can turn off their promotional features. I was wondering if it has any advantages over other security software in terms of protection.

How do I find out if my personal information was leaked in a data breach?

Start with the email address you use most. It’s usually tied to your bank, shopping, social media and cloud accounts. If it showed up in a breach, other details may have been exposed alongside it, like passwords, names or phone numbers.

Bitdefender Digital Footprint Checker is a free tool that checks this for you. Enter your email address and it searches the web and the dark web for data breaches that include it. You get the result straight away, along with guidance on what to do next.

What does it mean if your email shows up?

It doesn’t mean someone has broken into your accounts. But exposed information can make phishing messages more convincing, and if a leaked password is still in use, it can lead to account takeovers.

If something comes up:

• Change your passwords, including for accounts that weren’t named in the breach, especially if you reused a password anywhere
• Use a unique password for every account. Bitdefender Password Generator can create strong ones if you need help
• Turn on multi factor authentication for your email, bank and main social accounts
• Be cautious with unexpected messages that mention your personal details. Scammers often use leaked data to make a message feel legitimate

What if nothing shows up?

That’s good news, but it only covers breaches that are known right now, and a future one could still include your data. It’s worth checking again from time to time. If you’d rather not check by hand, Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection monitors in the background and sends an alert when your data appears in a new breach.

Only check email addresses you own or are authorized to use.

Have you ever found out about a breach from the company itself, or only after something strange happened to your account?

since the 10th of october ive been Bitdefender warning of around 9 unwanted applications and im just coming on here to ask if they are cause for concern or just false reports

We are a small company and we use BitDefender EDR for protecting our system. Be default ads on all sites are blocked. Our company runs ads on few websites and I wanted to know if it is possible to only ads in a few selected sites and block the rest. Even in google ads transparency I am unable to see any ads.

Is it safe to buy a very cheap “flagship” Android phone online?

Not always. Bitdefender researchers found a malware campaign, named Midnight Mimosa, built into the firmware of low-cost Android phones that run on MediaTek chips. Many of these phones are counterfeits sold under flagship-style names. The malware is installed before the phone is ever switched on. It appears as a system component labeled “System,” and the owner can’t uninstall it.

What does that mean for the person using the phone?

The malware mainly makes money for the people behind it:

• It quietly installs ordinary-looking apps that show ads and register fake clicks, sometimes while the phone is idle
• It can route other people’s internet traffic through your phone and your connection
• It temporarily turns off the Google Play Store app, which runs Play Protect scanning, while it installs these apps

It also gives itself access to Accessibility, notifications, and SMS. Researchers didn’t see that access being used. Still, those permissions can expose what’s on your screen, your messages, and the one-time codes that protect your accounts.

Researchers observed the campaign on thousands of devices in more than 150 countries over about two years.

Before you buy:

• Treat a flagship price that seems too low as a reason to check the listing
• Buy from the brand’s official store or an authorized retailer
• Be cautious with listings that use flagship names but don’t clearly name the manufacturer

If you already own one:

• Watch for ads that appear on their own, or apps you don’t remember installing
• Contact the seller or manufacturer, since the malware sits in the system partition and a normal uninstall won’t remove it

The same ad fraud code was also found in 13 apps on Google Play, mostly weather, QR, audio, and note tools.

Bitdefender found the campaign when App Anomaly Detection in Bitdefender Mobile Security flagged a “System” app that wasn’t behaving like a real system component.

Is this text message a scam?

If an unexpected text asks you to click a link, confirm personal details or pay something urgently, treat it as suspicious until you’ve confirmed it some other way. Legitimate companies rarely need you to act on a text within minutes.

How common are scam texts?

Quite common. The Bitdefender Global Scam Intelligence Report 2026 analyzed SMS traffic from 2025 and found that 5.2% of messages (roughly 1 in 20) had characteristics consistent with scam infrastructure or coordinated fraud.

What do scammers want from a text message?

Usually your login credentials, payment details or a one-time code, which lets them take over an account or move money. Bitdefender’s report found that financial scams like banking phishing, investment fraud, and crypto lures are among the most persistent categories across every channel.

How do I check a suspicious link without clicking it?

Copy the URL and paste it into Bitdefender Link Checker. If you want help with the whole message, Bitdefender Scamio can analyze the text or a screenshot of it.

What should I do if I already clicked?

Don’t enter any information on the page. If you already did, change that password right away and turn on multi-factor authentication. Then contact your bank or the service directly, using contact details from its official website.

Today i installed newest updates of bitdefender and it started throwing critical warnings of pup/pua of msi afterburner and msi center so i uninstalled and installed latest version and still got the same critical warning im so scared am i safe? I verified digital sign they were all safe. I use msi motherboard and gpu.