Guide to Improve Security Shield in Microsoft Defender

Windows 10 users might be aware of the Microsoft Defender or Windows Defender – an in-built security tool that protects your device from malware. It silently works in the background and unleashes real-time security agents that check for changes in several areas of your system to find out the issues caused by spyware. It is powerful enough to remove ActiveX software, and it also has integrated support for the Microsoft SpyNet that helps you report spyware and other susceptible changes. All of its powerful features always work in the background to improve the security on your device. But you can take this security one step higher and save your desktop using the methods given below:

Remove Hidden Malware

Windows Defender automatically performs a Quick Scan on your system every day to check if there are any threats in your folders. But you can choose to do it manually by going to the Settings. Then, click on Update & Security and select Windows Security. Then, click on Virus & Threat Protection and tap on Quick Scan.

You can also choose to do a Full Scan by clicking on the Scan options. Doing so will ensure that all the programs and files on your PC get checked. If you want to check only a few files and folders, then click on Custom Scan. If you believe that the scan has failed to find the errors you suspected, then click on Microsoft Defender Offline Scan to find it hard to detect files. Don’t forget to take the backup of essential files and documents as these procedures might remove your files and restart the device to eliminate the errors.

If any error is detected while scanning, your PC’s screen will blackout, and you’ll be prompted to remove the errors. Your device will boot back to normal once the procedure gets completed.

Protection Against Ransomware

You don’t want to run into the threat of getting ransomware on your device as it will block your access to the files and might even threaten to publish the stored data. Ransomware makes the victim pay for giving them access to their files, but there is no assurity if that will happen. At times, the decryption fails to work and causes you to experience some major problems.

By default, Microsoft Defender’s ransomware protection is turned off so that you can access legitimate programs. But you can enable this protection measure to ensure that you don’t get threatened by ransomware. To use this method, follow these steps:

1. Go to Virus & Threat Protection screen and navigate to Ransomware Protection.
2. Click on Manage Ransomware Protection.
3. Turn on the toggle under the Controlled Folder Access to keep your data (e.g., Pictures, videos, folders, documents, etc.) safe.
4. To increase the protection, go to Protected Folders and click on ‘Add A Protection Folder.’
5. You can choose to allow some programs to access the files by clicking on ‘Allow an App Through Controlled Folder Access.’

Automatically Block Malware

As we mentioned, your device gets real-time protection against malware via Microsoft Defender. It also uses its updated virus definition to scan and block any unknown threat appearing on your device. It also offers a Cloud-Delivered Protection feature that protects the device against threats and uploads details about Microsoft’s suspicious files to check if they are safe for your system.

Usually, these features are enabled by default, but you should always check if these have been turned off, so ensure that you don’t let any malware fixate on your device. Sometimes, security programs for different purposes disable these settings automatically. So, ensure that you check these settings and enable the necessary features. You can make the settings using the steps mentioned below:

1. Go to Virus & Threat Protection and click on Manage Settings.
2. Under the same setting section, switch on the toggle for Cloud-Delivered Protection.
3. Turn on the toggle for Automatic Sample Submission to submit the analysis of the suspicious files to Microsoft.

You can rely on Microsoft to protect your privacy, and in case they detect any dangerous file on your desktop, they will block it on your PC and other Microsoft Defender users’ systems. They focus on securing the whole community.

Configure Defender’s Firewall Settings

Windows or Microsoft Defender Firewall can protect you as long as you keep the useful toggles on securing your system. Go to Windows Security and click on Firewall & Network Protection to ensure that the toggles for Domain, Private, and Public options are turned on. You can navigate to the Advanced Settings to customize the rules and regulations of the security settings. From the Advanced Settings, choose Inbound Rules (for controlling the data in your PC) or Outbound Rules (for managing data transfer). You can also choose to block some ports using the following steps:

1. From the Advanced Settings, select Inbound Rules and click on New Rule given on the right-hand sidebar.
2. From the New Inbound Rule Wizard, click on Port and tap on Next.
3. In the box given for Specific Local Ports, insert ’21’ and click on Next.
4. Now, select Block the Connection, and click twice on Next.
5. Add a name for the new rule, and click on Finish to apply the changes.
6. If you are unsatisfied with the new rule you created or experienced any problems, click on it and select Disable Rule or Delete.

These methods will help you make the most out of Microsoft Defender and get the best security levels on your desktop.

Source:-   Guide to Improve Security Shield in Microsoft Defender