Web User - UK (2019-10-02)

Windows Defender’s security dashboard incl udes
antivirus, malware protection and more

Use Defender’s offl ine scan

for stubborn infections

Disabling real-time

protection canleave you

exposed to malware

48 2 - 15 October 2019

Access the tools
Launch Defender, either by
opening the Start menu, typing
defenderand clicking ‘Windows
Security’ or by expanding the taskbar’s
hiddenicons (click the upward-pointing
arrow to the right) and clicking the
shieldicon. Windows overlays this ic on
with a yellow warnin g triangle if
Defender detects anythingthat needs
your attention.
Opening Defenderwill display a
dashboard for controlling applications’
rights and restrictions, Windows’ built-in
firewa ll, antivirus protection and more.
To make it easier to navigate, maximise
the window so the sidebar menuis
permanently extended(with names
beside the icons) or click the thre e-line

button in the top-left corner to reveal

the menu’s contents.

Scanfor viruses

Click ‘Virus & thre at protection’

and look under ‘Virus and thre at

protection settings’ for a button labelled

‘Turn on’. If it’s there, click it, so you’re

protected. Now click either the ‘Quick

scan’ button orthe ‘Scan options’ link

below ‘Current thre ats’. The former

speaks for itself, but ‘Scan options’ lets

you choose from full, customand offline

scans. ‘Full scan’ checksall the files and

folders on your hard drive, which could

take more than an hour, whil e ‘Cus tom

scan’ lets you limit the folders it

examines. ‘Windows Defender Offline

scan’ is designed to deal with malware

that’s so deeply embedded in Windows

it can’t be removed whil e the operating

system is running. Selecting this reboots

your PC in a stripped-down securi ty

environment. Because Windows isn’t

active, your system files will be unlocked

and visi ble to the scanner.

Make anexception

Antivirus softwaresometimes

alerts you to a ‘false positive’

• something that it th inks could be
  a thre at,
  but which
  is actually
  benign.
  In such
  instances,
  simply mark
  the ‘threat’
  as safe and
  Defender
  will ig nore it
  in future.
  If you
  accidentally
  clicked this
  and meant
  to quarantine
  the thre at
  instea d, you
  can undo your action by clicking the
  ‘Allowed thre ats’ link nearthe top of th e
  ‘Virus & thre at protection’ page. Now
  select the thre at you mistakenly
  permitted and click ‘Don’t allow’.

Windows Defender has matured into a surprisingly powerful and

comprehensive security suite. Nik Rawlinson explores its

essential features and best hidden options

O

ver the course ofWindows 10 ’s recentupdates,

Microsofthaspaid alot ofattention toimproving

and expanding the operatingsystem’s built-in

security tools. However, it can’t seemtomake upits mind

whattocall them. Originally referred toasWindows

Defender, the namefor the Windows 10 ’s securitytools

changedtoWindowsDefender SecuritySuite following

the CreatorsUpdate, and theynowappear togo underthe

genericbanner ofWindowsSecurity. You’ll stillfindthe

name Defender usedinvarious officialquarters, however,

sothat’s whatwe’re sticking withhere.

Despite stiff competition frombig-namefreeand

paid-for rivals,Defenderfrequentlyranks highlyin

antivirus labstests and isusedbymorethanhalf ofall

Windowsusers –and it’s easytosee why.It’s free, simple

touse and –because it’s a nativeWindowscomponent –

the softwareisunobtrusiveand lightweightcomparedto

othersecuritytools.