▷ What is windows defender 【we give you the keys】

Today we are going to talk about Microsoft software that perhaps has been criticized, like so many other company applications, in excess. We will talk about Windows Defender antivirus, although we should rather say Windows Security when we have the Windows October Update 2018 installed.

Index of contents

We are tired of hearing about hundreds of antivirus available on the internet. What's more, when we buy a computer in all probability it will not bring a licensed antivirus for a few months or a year. Or they will offer it to us for “a symbolic price” during our purchase. Is it really worth installing an antivirus? In this article we will see how Windows Defender behaves on our computer.

What is Windows Defender

The answer is almost clear. Windows Defender is virus detection software that was previously known as Microsoft Antispyware. This software has the functions of antivirus and antispyware and we will have it available in our operating system for free, even without a system license.

It is available from Windows Vista, although logically it has undergone important changes and improvements that, today make it a full-blown antivirus.

This software has similar capabilities to the applications that we can find for free on the market. It has active services in our system that detect threats and monitor the operation of the system in real time. In addition, it also has a ransonware protection option

Windows Defender Running

Windows Defender is automatically activated when you install Windows 10 and its access is always available from the task section on the desktop bar

If we click on its icon we will access its tools interface. Previously, it had its own control window, but now it is fully integrated into the system. The appearance it shows is similar to the Windows 10 setup application.

On this screen we have several interesting options:

• Antivirus and threat protection: This is the main window of the software. From here we will access the main options of the program. Firewall and network protection: In this option we find the already well-known Windows firewall. It represents the networks available on our team and the configuration options to allow applications, configure notifications and a section for advanced configuration of this.

• Application control and browser: through this utility Windows Defender analyzes in real time the applications that we download and try to install, as well as a security filter for the Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Store browser.

• Device security: from this window we can configure a protection to physical elements such as RAM memory so that viruses are not lodged in it.

• Family options: here is everything about parental control of the system.

For more information on setting up parental controls read our tutorial:

File detection and examination options

Let's see now what really interests us, which are the options available for the antivirus.

Threat history

Accessing this option we will be able to see the threats that Windows defend has found. To allow a threat if we know that it is not a virus, we simply have to click on the tab and choose the "Allow" option. The convenience to restore files to their original place is maximum, much more than other antivirus.

Run exam

The second option available is to perform a file scan for viruses. Like other antivirus, we can also do a quick exam and a more exhaustive one.

Updates

From the fourth option we can manually update Windows defender. Although it is not necessary since this is done automatically almost daily.

Protection against ransomware

Protection against ransomware- type viruses has recently been implemented. These viruses hijack your computer and require you to pay a small amount to unlock your computer. a whole scoundrel.

Well, through this option we can configure OneDrive as a backup tool to have our files safe against attacks of this type.

Antivirus settings

We have left this option for the latter since it is the one that surely interests us the most. If we access it, we will find interesting options such as disabling the antivirus, configuring folder access control and configuring exclusions so that Windows defender does not examine certain files.

In this sense, the options are very useful and allow us to customize which elements to analyze the software.

Disable Windows Defender

To disable Windows defender we will only have to enter this option " Antivirus and threat protection settings " and disable the " Real-time protection " option

We can also deactivate " Cloud-based protection " from this window

The way in which we can deactivate the antivirus is very simple and fast, without carrying out too many frills or access to elaborate options like other antivirus.

Advantages of Windows Defender

Once we have seen all its options, we will see what positive aspects we can get from this antivirus. And the first thing we must say is something obvious. Being a program integrated in the system we will not have any type of advertising and its notifications are not at all abusive in terms of recurrence. We practically don't find out it's there.

Another of its qualities is that it practically does not consume resources in the system. the two services that have assets consume around 90 MB. Taking into account that we have all the options of this activated.

Its updates are practically daily, so we will always have the virus database updated

Own experience and conclusion

In my case I have been using Windows defender since I first had Windows 10 from its first versions without using another third-party antivirus and I have never had to format or restore the computer due to a virus infection.

Windows defender is an antivirus that more than fulfills its mission as long as we know what we download from the internet and pay attention to its warnings. As with other antivirus programs, we may or may not follow their instructions to remove suspicious files. In this sense we have Defender or another antivirus if we ignore it we will end badly and then we will say that it was the antivirus's fault.

In summary, in my opinion it is a more than valid option if we are careful about what we download. We cannot blindly trust any antivirus for everyone. It is our responsibility to know what we download and from where.

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What antivirus do you use and what do you think about Windows Defender? Leave it to us in the comments. Remember: navigate with caution!