Neue Sicherheitspakete?

Hello,

Yes, Bitdefender launched a new portfolio recently and here's everything you need to know about it.

As a leading provider in cybersecurity, Bitdefender’s mission is to cover the complete digital footprint of its customers. We have been on a transition away from covering device-centric malware, to a more comprehensive approach - one that delivers protection for the user’s entire digital life. This began with the introduction of Bitdefender Premium Security - the company’s first package to include an additional (VPN) service on top of the traditional antimalware. This was soon followed by more complex packages, as the technical arena and the user needs evolved.

Fast forward to present, with the introduction of the new portfolio, we are hastening the pace of this change in thinking; from end point protection to privacy and digital identity protection, Bitdefender is hyper focused on protecting the user in all aspects of the digital experience.

The main changes versus the previous portfolio are the following:

• Plans will be available for purchase (as Individual/Family packages) as follows: Bitdefender Total Security, Bitdefender Premium Security, Bitdefender Ultimate Security and Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus.  
• All Individual Plans include 1 account & 5 devices. 
• All Family Plans include 5 accounts & 25 devices. 
• Family Plans are shareable subscriptions. Customers that purchase a family plan are free to share it with 4 other individuals. The is no quota of devices per account member. 
• The new Bitdefender Total Security (for individual) includes Bitdefender Password Manager, unlike the current iteration. 
• The new Bitdefender Premium Security includes complete protection for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, together with Bitdefender VPN (unlimited traffic) and Bitdefender Password Manager, mirroring the current Bitdefender Premium Security in terms of services included.

The biggest addition is the inclusion of Scam Copilot - Bitdefender’s AI-powered platform that detects and fights scams. 

• In addition to Bitdefender Premium Security, Bitdefender Ultimate Security now includes Digital Identity Protection.
• In addition to Bitdefender Ultimate Security, Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus includes now Identity Theft Protection.
• Parental Control capabilities will be available in Family plans ONLY.   

As Bitdefender’s focus shifts from device-centric protection to digital life protection better addressing today’s evolving threats - we maintain our priority on delivering industry leading protection and a superior overall experience with our products and services. The rollout started on October 1, 2024 and the new plans will gradually replace existing ones. Given Bitdefender's large client base and multiple touchpoints with users, this process will span through next year.

Also, Bitdefender Antivirus Plus Multiplatform just went live on all regions replacing the current Bitdefender Antivirus Plus:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/108530/

Regards,

Alex

Yes, Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus won't be available worldwide. The included Identity Theft Protection feature requires a valid Social Security number, so it’s available for U.S. citizens only. While purchase outside of the U.S. is not restricted, the aim is to limit potential inconveniences for users outside of the U.S. who are unable to use this plan to its entirety.

In regard to the multiple accounts option available with the Family plans, I think this was necessary to have, especially since the Premium Security package, for example, had Password Manager included by default for individual use only, despite the fact it can protect up to 10 devices, thus users who required password management for multiple accounts had to buy a shared plan separately. The ability to have multi-users with a Password Manager subscription was requested several times on our forum in the past and not only, so the first natural step was to develop this feature as a standalone option, as requested by the users (see Password Manager product page) to secure password storage for up to 4 people, then the natural evolution was to include it in the Family plans.

Of course, individual plans for the consumer solutions still offer one account and up to 5 multiplatform devices for protection, and I think the majority of users don't normally own more than 5 devices, but when it comes to a broader use, the Family plans have been created to satisfy the requirements of multiple users in the same household, since they can cover an increased number of devices, and also offer additional tools to protect all aspects of the digital life. Previously, slots could be added only by purchasing additional subscriptions, for example if you had a suite that could cover up to 10 devices and needed 3 more slots, you would have to buy a separate subscription/license and run it in parallel with the existing one, and while this seemed like a good option, in some cases you would have different expiration dates and multiple subscriptions to manage in your Central account. Having the ability to cover additional devices didn't always mean that other requirements such as Password Protection, VPN and Identity Protection could be satisfied under the same umbrella, for multiple users. This is where the family plans enter the scene and offer the most complete protection to date, and it seemed only natural to have the Parental Control offered with these plans.

Yes, Total Security is still at the core of the consumer security packages, all of them are based on it and they are essentially a combination of multiple features and services.

The most notable improvements for the consumer solutions portfolio, apart from the plan changes are Cryptomining protection, Email Protection and the latest Scam Copilot. Parental Control has also been revised and upgraded. Furthermore, the VPN was migrated to a new provider for improved performance, and the Password Manager will be upgraded to a new version soon, and this will be much more than a "facelift". 🙂

Here's the guide to Bitdefender Family Plans:

https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/94159/

I hope I was able to answer your questions.

Regards,

Alex

Hi @wheatfoxrabbit and you are most welcome.

• Does that mean that I won't have 5 licenses in the Central Account or that 5 individual Central Accounts won't be created? - I assume you currently have 10 licenses available, since you are using Premium Security, correct? In this case, your subscription / license won't be changed. At this stage, the new portfolio applies for new purchases only. So, you will still have a single Central account with 10 slots available for protection, as before.
  
• With Email Protection I give access to my account. Is that safe? You will then be able to read everything. - For email protection features, the service can access the web, supported email providers such as Gmail, Outlook, to scan the contents of the mailbox (incoming e-mails, links and attachments) and provide a safety verdict to prevent the user from accessing dangerous ones and other third-party content. When enabling Email Protection, the app requires user consent to process this data, but these systems are standardized according to the industry regulations (doc2, gdpr, etc.). Of course, should you require detailed clarifications about the functionality of this feature as well as about the collection and processing of data with the scope to provide Bitdefender services to you, you can send your request at privacy@bitdefender.com or dpo@bitdefender.com anytime.
  
• It won't be necessary to cancel your current license / subscription and order the new one. As mentioned above, the new portfolio is currently available for new purchases only, so new or existing customers who place a new order on the official Bitdefender website. Existing customers who already use a Bitdefender solution and renew their protection automatically are not enrolled in the new plans. If there will be any changes for the ongoing subscriptions in the future, they will be announced in good time.

Regards,

Alex