Download of the Day: Wifi Protector ~ lotfi

Wi-Fi hotspots are everywhere and make surfing the web whilst you're out and about a doddle yet there are inherent risks that come with this and Wifi Protector is one program that can provide you with an impenetrable layer against it.

Why you need it

It can be easy when using Wi-Fi hotspots to put up a wall of vigilance and use just a handful of websites when all you want to do is check your emails safely and securely. That's exactly where Wifi Protector can help.

Wifi Protector is a lightweight program that can be told to turn on automatically and provide custom layers of protection against privacy, hacking, viruses and malware with a built-in VPN available as part of the bargain.

The interface presents all the options as an easy to navigate window that allows you to pick the network you want to connect to from a choice of the Wi-Fi hotspots nearby and the protection can even be applied to your home network.

It has two main functions available free of charge that are its advanced privacy protection and instant alerts every time someone tries to hack your system. The privacy protection works by hiding your IP address and routes all of your online traffic through a series of secure servers. This apparently puts your information out of reach of basically everyone including people on the same network, ISPs and even the government.

Hacking alerts, meanwhile, shows a detailed list of every device connected to the same Wi-Fi network as yourself and it monitors everything passing over the network to alert you when a device tries to initiate an attack of any description. There is also a limited VPN option included in the free version that goes even further to protect your privacy.

Those willing to fork out up to $79 (around £53, or AU$104) per year for the paid version get unlimited VPN connection time, antivirus and anti-malware protection, a choice of VPN country, faster servers, a history cleanser, email support and no ads.

Protecting yourself whilst using public Wi-Fi hotspots is only going to become more critical in the years to come and Wifi Protector will make sure you stay safe at all times.

Key features

Works on: Windows 7 and 8.1

Price: Free or $79 (around £53, or AU$104) per year

Advanced anti-hacker protection: Wifi Protector scans the network you're connected to for all other devices before presenting them in a list and then informing you every time someone tries to hack your device.

Privacy protection: Your IP address is hidden by Wifi Protector and then all online traffic is routed through a number of secure servers to protect it from ISPs, other network users and even the government.

Built-in VPN: Protection can be stepped by turning on the VPN to route your connection through another country.