NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NordVPN, the world's leading consumer cybersecurity company, presented bystanders with a cybersecurity wake-up call in Times Square yesterday with its innovative "Talk to a hacker" experience.

As part of the company’s “an antivirus is only half-protection” campaign, this interactive billboard installation invited New Yorkers and visitors to engage in live conversations with ethical hackers – revealing the alarming gaps in digital security that traditional antivirus software often overlooks.

"Such widespread misunderstanding about online protection is exactly why we created this campaign," said Toma Sabaliauskiene, CMO at NordVPN. "Americans are walking around with a dangerous false sense of security. It's like installing a sophisticated alarm system on your front door while leaving all your windows wide open. Our Times Square experience demonstrated this vulnerability live and up close."

Hackers revealed Americans’ interests, addresses, and even passwords

The Times Square stunt came as a response to a NordVPN survey showing that 73% of Americans mistakenly believe their antivirus software protects them from identity theft, guarantees online privacy, and secures their data on public Wi-Fi networks. Visitors and passersby learned firsthand that half-protection means no protection, by being shown how exposed they are online.

The hackers' generated reports about the stunt’s participants revealed personal details, including passwords, phone numbers, home addresses, Social Security numbers, and sometimes even the make and model of the car they drive. The ethical hackers were also able to identify participants' interests and most-used usernames as well as name their favorite bands.

The hackers informed many participants about what kind of malware their devices had been infected with and when as well as what personal information they could find from previously used (and breached) dating platforms, gaming or fitness websites, and health apps.

"The participants’ reactions were powerful – we saw genuine shock on people’s faces as they realized just how exposed they really were. Many were visibly stunned to learn that their current software had been giving them a false sense of security all along. That moment of surprise and realization is exactly what this campaign needed to deliver," said Sabaliauskiene.

More than half of Americans rely on antivirus software to stay safe online

The misplaced trust of antivirus capabilities leaves millions exposed, especially considering that nearly 40% of people use public Wi-Fi, and only half take any protective measures when doing so. The risks are far from hypothetical: half of Americans have already discovered that their personal data was leaked, 43% were notified by an official party, while 21% discovered themselves.

Data indicates that contact information, such as an email address, phone number, or home address, was leaked most often. Meanwhile, people are most concerned about Social Security numbers (71% of Americans) and credit card details (62%) being leaked.

“While people rightly worry about Social Security numbers and credit card details, a leak of contact details is often the critical first domino to fall. This data acts as a primary tool for attackers to conduct highly targeted phishing attempts or sophisticated social engineering scams, ultimately leading to the very financial and identity theft people fear the most,” a cybersecurity expert warns.

Making invisible threats visible

The "Talk to a hacker" billboard in the heart of Times Square allowed participants to engage with three white hat hackers: Marijus Briedis (CTO at NordVPN), Adrianus Warmenhoven (cybersecurity advisor at NordVPN), and Liron Segev (aka TheTechieGuy, tech educator, YouTuber).

Those who couldn't participate in person can still benefit from the campaign by visiting nordvpn.com/half to access a dedicated campaign page. There they can use NordVPN's Dark Web Monitor tool to check if their personal data is already exposed on the dark web, explore new US-wide survey insights on cybersecurity myths, and learn how to strengthen their online protection.

Press materials

For high-resolution images, video content, infographics, and additional information about the Times Square installation, please access our press kit at http://nordvpn.com/half/.

ABOUT NORDVPN

NordVPN is the world’s most advanced VPN service provider, chosen by millions of internet users worldwide. The service offers features such as dedicated IP, Double VPN, and Onion Over VPN servers, which help to enhance online privacy with zero tracking. One of NordVPN’s key features is Threat Protection Pro™, a tool that blocks malicious websites, trackers, and ads and scans downloads for malware. Known for its user-friendly design, NordVPN offers some of the best prices on the market and covers 165 locations across 127 countries worldwide. For more information, visit nordvpn.com.

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Source: NordVPN