Security Gifts for the IT Person in Your Life (2026): Useful Picks, No Gimmicks

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People who work in IT and security tend to have strong opinions and a drawer full of conference swag. The gifts that land are the ones that quietly improve their own security, or the security of the people they end up doing free tech support for. Here is a short list of things they will actually use, plus a few free ideas that are worth more than any gadget.

Bottom line#

• Safest bet: a pair of hardware security keys. Almost every security person wants a spare.
• Best gift for the family tech-support person: a year of a family password manager plan for the household, so they stop resetting your passwords.
• Thoughtful and unusual: data broker removal for them or their parents.
• Avoid: “hacker” gadgets, anything that needs their passwords to set up, and novelty USB devices (many security people will not plug in a USB stick from anyone, even you).

The picks#

1. Hardware security keys (buy two)#

A hardware security key is a small device you plug in or tap to sign in. It is one of the strongest forms of multi-factor authentication because it is very hard to phish. The YubiKey 5 Series supports FIDO2 and passkeys along with older standards (Yubico), and it comes in versions for USB-A, USB-C and tap-to-phone NFC (Yubico).

Buy a pair: one for daily use and one as a backup stored somewhere safe. A USB-C model with NFC, such as the YubiKey 5C NFC, works with most current laptops and phones. Buy directly from the maker or an authorized seller, not a marketplace third party. Security people care about this.

2. A year of a password manager for the family#

If your IT person is also the family’s unpaid help desk, this one is really a gift to them. A family plan puts everyone’s passwords in one place with sharing, so “what’s the Wi-Fi password” and “I’m locked out again” mostly go away.

• 1Password has well-designed family sharing and recovery. Try 1Password →
• Keeper is a solid alternative with strong sharing controls. Try Keeper Security →

Tip: ask first which one they already use. Security people are loyal to their password manager, and the gift is paying for it, not switching them. Our password manager comparison covers the differences.

3. Encrypted cloud backup#

Ransomware, dead drives and lost laptops all end the same way if there is no backup. IDrive backs up multiple computers and phones under one account (IDrive) and lets you set a private encryption key so the provider cannot read the files (IDrive). That second point is the detail a security person will check. Try IDrive →

4. Data broker removal#

People-search sites publish home addresses, phone numbers and relatives’ names, and that data fuels a lot of scam calls. A removal service files opt-out requests for you and keeps repeating them.

Optery offers a free scan that shows where someone’s data appears, and paid plans that submit the removals for you (Optery). It is an especially kind gift for parents or older relatives, who get targeted most. Remove your data with Optery →

5. Private email and VPN#

Proton bundles encrypted email, a VPN and other privacy tools. It suits someone who already cares about privacy but has not paid for it themselves. Try Proton VPN →

6. A hands-on training lab subscription#

For someone early in a security career, time on a hands-on lab platform is more useful than another book. TryHackMe is beginner friendly, and Hack The Box suits people who already have the basics. Check which one they use before buying.

7. Small, unglamorous, useful#

• A laptop privacy screen for people who work on planes and in coffee shops.
• A webcam cover if their laptop does not have a built-in shutter.
• A good USB-C charger and cable they did not get at a conference.

Gifts to skip#

• Anything that asks for their passwords or accounts to set up. If you have to log in as them, it is not a gift.
• “Hacker” gadgets and novelty hacking tools. They are often of dubious legality to use and rarely what a working professional wants.
• USB sticks and other drives as stocking stuffers. Plugging in unknown USB devices is a classic attack, and a lot of security people simply will not.
• Smart home devices for someone who has not asked for them. Many security people keep these off their network on purpose.

Free gifts that are worth more#

• Turn on multi-factor authentication on your own email and bank accounts. Then tell them you did it. Genuinely, this is a gift.
• Freeze your credit at the three bureaus. It is free and stops a common kind of identity theft. Our guide to what to do after a data breach notice explains how.
• Let them set up a password manager for you, and then actually use it.

FAQ#

What’s a good security gift under a small budget?

A second hardware security key for someone who already has one, a laptop privacy screen, or a few months of a training lab subscription. All are useful and none require them to change how they work.

Is a VPN a good gift for a security professional?

Only if they don’t have one. Many security people already use a VPN through work or have a strong preference. A password manager or backup subscription is a safer bet.

Are hardware security keys hard to use?

No. After a one-time setup on each account, signing in is a tap or a touch. Most major services, including the big email providers, support them.

Sources

• Yubico: YubiKey 5 Series overview
• Yubico: YubiKey 5C NFC
• Yubico: Introducing the YubiKey 5 Series with NFC and FIDO2
• IDrive: Multiple device backup
• IDrive: Encryption
• Optery: What is an exposure report