There's a distinction between "protection" security software such as antiviruses and VPNs which indeed is an industry filled with scams and conmen, and utility

There's a distinction between "protection" security software such as antiviruses and VPNs which indeed is an industry filled with scams and conmen, and utility security software such as password managers. Most of the big name password managers are very good. The only one I'd recommend avoiding is lastpass, and even so they're not that bad, just strictly worse than the others. Emphasis on big name. 1Password, Bitwarden, keepassx(c), and whatever microsoft's was called.