The Internet can be a bit hostile at times, which is why it pays to keep some security tools in your arsenal just in case. The chances of being hacked from drive-by website action is definitely increasing, but if you take care you should be able to avoid the worst risks.

A neat way to add a extra layer of protection while browsing is to use one of the growing number of secure DNS services, which can help you avoid the worst of the malware and phishing risks, and that’s where DNS Jumper comes into play. This small freeware program lets you replace your default ISP DNS server with any of a number of alternatives, depending on your need.

Doing this can give a number of other benefits too. Different DNS servers offer different access speeds, which can speed up your surfing considerably if your ISP default is sluggish. Using a different DNS server can also help you to reach websites which have been blocked for whatever reason, and they can protect against porn and other undesirable content if you’re a parent with concerns.

Selecting a new server is a simple matter. Just choose the one you want from the drop down list and press the Apply DNS button. That’s it. There’s also a very nice Find a Fast DNS feature which lets you select the fastest response server at the time. At any point you can revert to your ISP server by selecting the Default in the drop down from Choose a DNS Server. It’s clean, quick and works nicely. We’re definitely adding this to the toolbox for long term use.