LEGAL • LAST UPDATED: APRIL 2026
Transparency is one of our core principles. This page explains exactly how our affiliate relationships work, how they affect our content, and what it means for you as a reader. We believe you deserve to know.
THE STRAIGHT TRUTH
Digital Security Lab is a free resource. We do not charge subscription fees, require registration, or sell your data. To sustain our operations and keep our research free, we participate in affiliate marketing programmes.
In plain English: if you click a link on our site and purchase a product, we may receive a small commission from the seller — at absolutely no extra cost to you. In many cases, our affiliate partnerships allow us to secure exclusive discounted rates that are lower than what you’d find on the product’s own website.
HOW IT WORKS
We believe in complete transparency about our business model. Here is a full breakdown of how affiliate marketing works on this site.
When you click a product link on our site, a tracking code in the URL tells the seller's system that you came from Digital Security Lab. If you complete a purchase, we receive a predetermined commission — typically a percentage of the sale price.
Zero. Our affiliate commissions come from the seller's marketing budget, not from a markup on your purchase price. In fact, our exclusive partner links often give you a lower price than you'd get by going directly to the seller's website.
Our affiliate relationships do not influence which products we recommend or how we review them. We only recommend products we have personally tested and genuinely believe provide real value. A product either meets our standards or we don't mention it — regardless of commission rates.
Before recommending any product, our team installs and uses it on real devices in real-world scenarios. We test performance, ease of use, customer support responsiveness, and value for money. We look for products we would recommend to a close friend or family member.
Affiliate links on our site may redirect through tracking URLs (such as those beginning with url.totalav.com or similar). These links take you to the product page and allow the seller to record our referral. All product recommendations that use such links are subject to this disclosure.
Our primary affiliate partner is TotalAV, a cybersecurity company providing antivirus, VPN, and identity protection services. We have verified their products personally and believe they provide genuine value at the price points available through our partner links.
Digital Security Lab complies with the Federal Trade Commission’s guidelines on endorsements and testimonials (16 CFR Part 255). This disclosure is made in accordance with those guidelines, which require that material connections between content creators and product sellers be clearly disclosed to readers.
We make every effort to ensure our product recommendations are accurate and up-to-date. However, product features, pricing, and availability can change. Always verify current pricing and features directly with the seller before making a purchase decision. Our guides and reviews reflect our testing and research at the time of publication.
You are never obligated to use our affiliate links. If you prefer to research and purchase products independently, we fully support that decision. Our guides are designed to provide educational value regardless of whether you use our links. If you do choose to use our links, we thank you — your support allows us to keep our research free for everyone.
If you have any questions about our affiliate relationships, our testing process, or any specific recommendation on this site, please reach out to us through our social channels or the contact information provided on our homepage. We are committed to answering honestly.
Every guide, every recommendation, every word on this site is governed by our three principles: Independent Research, Zero-Fluff, and Pro-User Focus.
© 2026 Digital Security Lab · Independent Research · Privacy Policy · Terms of Service · Affiliate Disclosure
Digital Security Lab is an independent research site. We may receive affiliate commissions if you purchase through our partner links, at no extra cost to you. This allows us to keep all guides free. We only recommend products we have personally tested and verified.