If you were looking for some program and found it on a site called FileHippo, then you might have asked yourself: Is FileHippo safe?
What is FileHippo?
FileHippo (filehippo.com) is a 3rd party website used to download various software for Windows. It includes some of the world’s most popular applications on its site, including CCleaner, Chrome, and Skype, to name a few.
FileHippo says that on its website, “all software is 100% spyware and virus free.” They also note that they “do not take software submissions from publishers. The site is user focused, we analyse the software market daily for popular software to add.” In addition, FileHippo uses SSL encryption to ensure your connection to the site is safe and secure.
How FileHippo keeps its site safe
So what does all this mean?
FileHippo pulls the software from the official publisher or developer rather than having them submit it to them. After doing so, they scan it to ensure it does not contain any spyware, adware, or viruses. Then FileHippo makes sure that you download over HTTPS, a protocol that protects the integrity and confidentiality of data between the user’s computer and the site.
You can tell which websites have HTTPS and SSL encryption by clicking the little padlock you see in your browser by the website address.
Downloading programs on FileHippo safely
Now that being said: downloading software on FileHippo can be misleading or confusing. After you click download for the software you want to download, you are greeted with another screen prompting you to download another application. If you aren’t paying attention, you could download and install something completely different from what you wanted.
Note the large green “download now” button and the much smaller text asking if you’d like to “continue” with the initially selected application that you wanted to download. Many software sites are like this – plenty are much worse by insisting that the program be installed with their proprietary download software.
A remarkable feature that FileHippo offers is the ability to download an older version of the program you’re looking for. So in the event, some update for whatever reason doesn’t suit you, you can quickly go back to the previous version.
If you’re still iffy about FileHippo, most of the time, you can go to the software developer’s website for any updates or older versions.