This Big Microsoft Edge Change Might Render Your Antivirus Ineffective

Microsoft has decided to implement the Manifest V3 changes of Google in its Chromium-based Edge browser’s extensions system. On the other hand, many significant browsers have completely neglected Google’s Manifest V3 changes, but after announcing it in October 2018, Microsoft has now decided to implement it.

The Manifest V3 of Google is a certain set of changes used in Microsoft’s Chromium-based open-source Edge browser. Also, these changes will apply to the Web Extensions API. This will straightforwardly update the working method of the browser extensions on the Edge browser.

Google, under the Manifest V3, stated that they did it to improve the performance and security of the extensions and to give users more control over the extensions.

Soon after Google announced the proposed changes under Manifest V3, the extension developers immediately backfired concerning that the updates of the Manifest V3 had several other changes that can make the antivirus and other parental control software, ad blockers, and other privacy-focused extensions void.

Also, a vast number of users and even the browser makers backlashed due to this decision. They saw that Google’s move to have a more effective grip on the ad blockers was effectively hurting their primary business, Online Advertising.

However, other browsers like Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi announced to ignore the Manifest V3 updates to let their users continue the use of ad blockers.

Implementation of the Manifest V3 Changes

Google took a step back for some of the changes had planned on how Chromium would be handling the extensions. The reason for this back off was the criticism it faced over Manifest V3.

However, those changes have now started to roll out in Google’s Chrome browser. It has started making the ad blocker developers worried about their products, which won’t work effectively after these changes start to appear on the browser’s stable versions.

Google has planned to bring the preview/alpha changes of the Manifest V3 to the stable version of Chrome this year after it began last year in October.

Now you will also be able to see these changes in Microsoft’s Chromium-based Edge browser, where they are currently operating in beta and stable versions.

Even though the developers of the ad blockers are still worried about their products due to these changes, Microsoft has reassured the extension developers that these changes will not affect the ad blockers operating on the browser. The software giant has asked the extension developer to rest assured by stating this statement in its blog post:

“We believe that these changes will not compromise the capabilities of your extension or reduce the potential that the extension ecosystem has. These changes should reduce the time taken to review each submission, and improve certification turnaround time, thus reducing the overall cost of developing and maintaining extensions. We recognize the value of content blocking extensions and appreciate the role they play in honoring user’s choice by blocking advertisements and enhancing privacy by blocking cookies, and we want developers to continue to offer these capabilities.”

Conclusion

So, this was all about the Manifest V3 changes that Microsoft has bought up in its all-new Chromium-based Edge browser. Even though Microsoft has assured that these changes won’t minimize the extension ecosystem’s potential, the extension developers are still concerned about these changes.

Source:-   This Big Microsoft Edge Change Might Render Your Antivirus Ineffective

 

Steps to Exclude Files and Folders from Windows Defender

Windows Defender is an in-built antivirus component that comes with Windows 10. Along with its security features, Windows Defender also allows you to add exclusions for files and folders to prevent scanning. Once you start using this feature, it will significantly improve the performance of your PC and make space for other tasks.

Steps to exclude files and folders from Windows Defender:

• Click on the Windows key once.
• Type “Security” and open the Windows Security.
• Then, click on the “Virus and threat protection” and click on “Manage Settings.”
• In Settings, select the “Exclusions” option and add the files and folders you want to exclude.
• After that, click on “Add or remove exclusions.”
• Now, tap on “Add an exclusion” and choose what you want to exclude from Windows Defender. The File option allows you to exclude a specific file. The Folder option lets you exclude a complete folder from scanning. In the File Type option, you can mention the file extensions you want to exclude from scanning. Last but not least, the “Process” option allows you to exclude background tasks and processes from scanning.

How to remove exclusions?

If you want to remove any exclusions on files and folders, then click on the file you want to remove and click on the “Remove” option, and it will remove your file from exclusions.

Conclusion

Windows Defender is one of the most efficient components of Windows 10 to protect your PC from online threats. Windows Defender is completely free to use. If you do not want to spend a hefty amount on antivirus software, then Windows Defender is a perfect choice to protect your PC. It effectively tackles malware and spyware. Windows Defender also acts like a decluttering app for your Windows. As the same company develops Windows Defender, it acquires significantly less amount of space in your PC. Third-party antivirus software comes with heavy set up configurations, but Windows Defender is very simple to set up and comes with a user-friendly interface. Another benefit of Windows Defender is that it does not come with irritating pop-ups you generally face with third-party software. Keeping in mind the benefits as mentioned above you get with Defender; you can also exclude files and folders from scanning. You can follow the steps mentioned above to exclude files and folders. But keep in mind that files you exclude from scanning may contain threats and they can make your device vulnerable.

Source:-   Exclude Files and Folders from Windows Defender

 

How to Fix 100% CPU Usage in Windows 10

It is horrifying to turn on a PC only to face severe slowdown and loud-running fans. On facing this, mostly everyone turns to press Ctrl + Shift + Escape, and comes across with another scary information that your CPU usage is at 100%! Well, worry no more. As one, this is a common problem that is not difficult to solve. And two, this article is all you need to fix 100% CPU usage Windows 10. 

Check Your Power Supply

A faulty power supply can lead to undervolting. Wherein, your CPU starts preserving power and functions only at a fraction of its full power. This results in manifesting 100% CPU usage on Windows 10.

This problem is quite easy to solve on a laptop. All you have to do is, unplug your laptop from the power cable, then navigate to the battery icon at the bottom right corner of your Windows 10 desktop. Clicking on the battery icon will direct you to the Battery Settings. In the list of options that appear, select Power & Sleep Settings, then Additional power settings followed by High Performance. This should bring your CPU usage back to normal. You can also check the CPU usage in the task manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc altogether. In case your desktop is facing the same problem, it might be more complicated to fix because this time, you will need to physically remove the PSU from your PC and test a different one.

Disable Superfetch (or Windows Search)

Superfetch is a constant background process that observes which apps you use the most and pre-fetches them for you so they load quicker. Generally, Superfetch doesn’t cause any problems with Windows, but sometimes it acts rude with older devices.

You can check if it’s Superfetch that is hogging your CPU by navigating to the Task Manager and clicking “More details” followed by “CPU.” In the screen that appears, check if Superfetch or any other service is using a lot of CPU. If you do find something like that,   right-click on it followed by “End Process.”

Reset Your Power Plan

Experimental tweaks in Windows’ power options can severely affect your PC performance with an overloaded CPU usage. To check if all the power options are set to where they should be, navigate to the Start search bar. Then type “power plan” and click on the option named “Choose a power plan.” On the page that appears, check if you are on “High performance” or “Power Saver.” If yes, then switch to “Balanced.”

Disable Third-Party Antivirus Software

Although it doesn’t hurt to add an extra layer of security with antivirus software. But Windows 10s on-board security software, Windows Defender is more than enough to keep your PC safe from virus attacks. Third-party antivirus software on Windows 10 will do nothing but put unnecessary strain on your CPU.

So, even if you are not sure about Windows Defender, consider disabling your third-party antivirus software just to check if it helps your CPU usage or not. If it does, then you know that it is this added antivirus software that is causing troubles. Then you might as well want to uninstall it, considering Windows Defender has got you covered.

Hope this article proved to be helpful.

Source:-  How to Fix 100% CPU Usage in Windows 10

 

Here’s How You Can Schedule a Scan in Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 10

The Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans your computer system regularly to make it free from malware and viruses. And for the better functioning of all your devices, it is essential to scan them from time to time. Microsoft Defender Antivirus works pretty well to protect your PC from all the viruses. It scans your computer when you are not using it. And if you want, you can also manually scan your computer system. Or you can schedule a scan as per your requirements. Many people do not know how to schedule a scan for their PC. If you are also one of them and want to know how to schedule a scan in Microsoft Defender Antivirus, then you have arrived at the right page. Anyone can easily schedule a scan on their Windows 10 computer. And this article will let you know how to do so.

In the following article, we have mentioned the technique that will help you to schedule a scan in Microsoft Defender Antivirus on your Windows 10 desktop. So, to get to the method, please go through the complete article.

The Method to Schedule a Scan in Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 10

To schedule a Microsoft Defender Antivirus scan on your Windows 10 PC, you will need to follow the procedure that we have mentioned in this article. This task is easy to accomplish and includes some simple steps that you should follow. So, here’s what you need to do to proceed with the method:

• Firstly, open the Run command on your computer by pressing the “Windows + R” keys. In the search box, type “taskschd.msc” and hit the search button to open the Task Scheduler.
• After this, you will have to expand the Task Scheduler Library and then go to Microsoft > Windows folder given in the left pane of the Task Scheduler.
• And now, select the “Windows Defender” folder.
• Next, you need to double click the “Windows Defender Scheduled Scan Task” that you can see in the middle pane of the Task Scheduler.
• Go to the “Triggers” tab and then select the “New” option.
• And now, create a new trigger by selecting the option of “On a Schedule” given in the “Begin the Task” drop-down menu.
• Select the time for the scan as per your preferences and then click on “Ok”. 
• If you want to delete any scheduled task, you can do that by clicking on it and selecting the option of “Delete”.
• And now, select the “Conditions” tab or select the “Power” settings. And finally, complete the task by clicking on the “Ok” option.
• Once you are done with the procedure, close the Task Scheduler window.

So, now, you know how to schedule a scan in Microsoft Defender Antivirus on your Windows 10 computer. Take some time and follow the procedure to ensure the protection of your PC. And visit our website to read more articles like this.

Source:-  Microsoft Defender Antivirus on Windows 10

 

How to Get Rid of Viruses From Android

The chances of getting affected by a virus or malicious software are relatively less in Android as compared to a Windows laptop. However, sometimes malicious apps can be found on the Play Store, and chances are that you may install them unknowingly. These viruses or malicious apps can cause a significant dent in your phone’s performance. Here we are mentioning how you can identify these viruses and get rid of them from your Android.

How to Know If Your Phone Has Viruses

There is no specific aspect to look into for identifying if your phone has a virus. However, there are certain signs that your phone may show hinting towards a possible malicious app or file. For instance, you may notice that your phone has suddenly become slower in performance, you may find in-app purchases that you don’t remember doing yourself, you may notice unrecognized apps installed in your device. If you are facing some of these signs, don’t worry, getting rid of viruses from your Android device is reasonably straightforward.

Removing Unrecognized Files or Apps

You can make use of the Safe Mode provider in Android to uninstall the unrecognized app or file. Follow the steps as mentioned below;

1. You need to press and hold the Power button followed by pressing and holding the Power Off button. You will get the option to boot into Safe Mode, click OK.

Alternatively, you can also power off the device as usual and then press and hold the Power button until you see the manufacturer’s logo. As soon as you see the manufacturer’s logo, press the Volume Down button along with the Power button until you’re booted into Safe Mode.

2. Once you reach the safe mode, you need to head over to the settings and then go to apps.

3. Carefully scroll through the list of apps and look for any app that you don’t recognize. If you find any such app, click on it and then select the Uninstall button to get rid of those apps from your device.

4. If you are unable to directly uninstall the apps as the Uninstall button is responsive to clicks, it can mean that the app has device administration access. You can remove the device administration access by going to the security settings and selecting the option called Device Administrators, make sure you remove this app from the administrator-list.

5. You can simply press and hold the power button again to boot into the normal mode and exit the safe mode.

Factory Reset Your Device

If you fail to remove the virus from the above method, you can always factory reset your device to bring it back to a fresh state. Make sure you’ve backed up your data before performing a factory reset as doing so will wipe out all the data from your device.

1. Once you are done with your backup, hold the power button, and then power-off your device.

2. Now you will need to boot into the recovery mode, for doing so you need to press the Volume Down and the power button simultaneously when the phone is switched off.

3. You can use the volume up and Volume down button for navigation in the recovery mode, find the option called Wipe Data, and then tap on it. You will be asked for confirmation if you want to proceed with wiping all the data, select yes to continue.

4. This will completely format your local storage. Now reboot your device and then recover your data from the created backup.

Staying Cautious

Prevention is always better than cure. It is best to follow such practices that reduce the chance of your Android getting infected with a virus or malware. You should always keep your phone’s software up to date. Head over to the Play Store and make sure that Google Play Protect is turned on. The Play Protect is a Google service that automatically scans for malicious files in your Android apps. You should avoid using clone apps as much as possible; these apps are most likely to contain viruses. As an additional security measure, you can also install antivirus apps for adding an extra layer of security to your device. And the most important point is to avoid installing apps from outside the Google Play Store in the form of third party APKs. Follow these tips to have a safe and sound Android experience.

Source:-  Remove Viruses From Android