Windows says "unknown publisher". Here is what that means

If you download Vukalink today and run it, Windows may show a blue panel reading "Windows protected your PC", with the publisher listed as unknown. You deserve to know why before you click anything.

What the warning is

That panel comes from a Windows feature called SmartScreen. It judges downloads largely by reputation: who signed the file, and how many people have already run it. A new program from a new company, without a code-signing certificate, has no reputation yet. SmartScreen says so. It is not reporting that it found anything harmful. It is reporting that it does not know us.

The cure is a code-signing certificate, which ties each release to a verified company name. We do not have one yet. It is on our list, and when we have it this article will be updated.

How to check the file yourself

In the meantime, you do not have to take our word for anything. Every release has a SHA-256 fingerprint, published on our download page. A fingerprint is a long string of letters and digits calculated from the file. Change a single byte and the fingerprint changes completely.

To check your download, open PowerShell in the folder where the file is and type:

Get-FileHash .\Vukalink-Setup-1.1.19.exe

Compare the result with the one on our site. If they match, the file on your computer is the file we published. If they do not, delete it and tell us.

Then, on the SmartScreen panel, choose More info and Run anyway.

After the first install

Updates are stricter than that first download. The program accepts an update only when it carries our signature and its fingerprint matches the signed record. Anything else is refused without asking you. So the careful check is needed once.

Why we are telling you this

Remote access software asks for a great deal of trust. A company that hides an awkward fact on day one has already answered the question of whether it will be straight with you later. We prefer to start as we mean to go on.