That sounds like an issue with Antivirus/VPN-service software, not drivers. If some antivirus software breaks drivers, you should either contact support of that company or change to another service provider - if you need that service.
I assume, by VPN you mean private VPN, not an actual virtual private network connection to your workplace or such, but a "VPN" service.
I wonder if people know what VPN service does and what it doesn't do. If you use public wifi-hotspots, using VPN is important. If on the other hand you use your own internet connection, cable or wifi, or simply share your smart phones internet to your laptop, there really is no need for VPN outside totalitarian nations and they don't really hide you as you were already hidden behind your ISP anyway... Unless your ISP is very sketchy, but you VPN service provider isnt?
If you are worried about security:
- Keep everything updated including firmware updates to modem, router, television, iot-devices. Update your phone, tablet and computer.
- When buying any device, consider which company made it and which country the company is from. How much do you trust nations who still have concentration camps in 2020+? Same goes to some social media services many parents allow their kids use...
- Use two-factor authentication everywhere possible
- Use a reliable (made by company you know and can trust) password manager. You can't remember enough password, nor passwords that are complicated enough - and NO, you can't use the same password in different services nor should use for instance Facebook credentials to sing in to some other service.
Password managers are pretty much the only option and you'll get used to using one after a while. Actually makes life easier.
- Use antivirus or similar service to warn if you are about to surf to an unrecommended site. If you need to go into one (don't), but if you still have to, either use Live-Linux, a sandbox (google what those are if you don't know) or a virtual machine (again.. google if..). Either use the antivirus software in Windows or a paid one. I would skip 3rd party free ones as every busines has to make money somehow, either by selling something to you or information about you...
- You need to have one user account with administrative rights and one for each user. No one should use the admin account. Having to type in a password or pin-code to be able to install anything to a machine offers an extra layer of protection and prevents mistakes from happening.
- If you have less tech savvy friends or relatives, add links to important services they use to bookmarks/favorites toolbar and teach them to use only those instead of random links they get from email or see on the internet. Why not use those yourself too.
- Avoid installing any software by unknown companies, especially to any Android device, but others too.
After these basics, you can sometimes improve things further if you use VPN in situations where it matters and by using a (reliable) service which tracks your credentials and warns you when some site or service you use has been breached and your data leaked.
In short: Think what devices you buy and services you use. Keep things updated. Don't install things you can't trust. Use security suite with antivirus, password manager, web page reputation filter and credentials monitoring. If you use public wifis, VPN should be on the list too.
