In addition to keeping your Windows installation secure, Microsoft Defender, the de facto antivirus embedded in Windows, can also detect unsecured WiFi networks. The catch? You need a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription.
The new functionality extends the Defender privacy protection feature, also called Defender VPN, which debuted in September 2023. It essentially helps protect you on public WiFi or untrusted networks by encrypting and routing internet traffic through Microsoft servers and a VPN. Moving forward, Defender VPN will automatically alert users if they’re exposed to attacks on a WiFi network and can be configured to enable automatically for better safety.
These alerts are available on all supported platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS. However, the feature is limited to the US, UK, Germany, and Canada. Redmond claims it’ll soon add ten additional countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
The detections work using “Defender heuristics that examine multiple characteristics of a Wi-Fi hotspot to determine if it is suspicious.” Setup is as simple as downloading the Defender app and logging in with your Microsoft account with a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription.
While being protected from unsecured networks is great news, the feature isn’t without its catches. Firstly, being restricted to a Microsoft 365 subscription means a significant chunk of Windows users will miss out on the benefits. Additionally, Defender VPN also sends anonymised service data to its servers, including the duration and bandwidth of VPN used and WiFi hotspot names that were flagged as malicious for threat research.
The company claims the data is only sent after user consent and doesn’t include browsing data, history, personal details, or the device’s physical location. As they say, there’s no free lunch.
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