Question Disable 3rd party AV registration in windows security center

[l0rdraiden]

Is there a way to disable the registration of a installed AV in windows security center.
For example malwarebytes has a setting to not register their AV in security center so you could have WD and malwarebytes at the same time.
It's possible to do this for those AV that doesn't have that seeting? maybe a GPO or a registry key change?

 

[Bot]

Sorry I couldn't contact the ChatGPT think tank

 

[roger_m]

You should be able to do it using wbemtest. However, I'm not sure if once an antivirus has been deregistered, it will register itself again.

Removal of Endpoint Security

Even after uninstalling Endpoint Security 11.6 it will still remain in Windows Security Center, as seen attached. Both through Security Center, manually and the removal tool. Any tool which can remove everything completely? The folders aren't even there... Tried multiple PCs. wmic /namespace:\\ro...

forum.kaspersky.com

 

[Dave Russo]

If you can not find this option for your Av, Microsoft has periodic scanning option ,which doesn't. Interfere with other security

 

[lokamoka820]

That's not how it is supposed to work. A third party AV should register itself as the active AV, and that turns Defender into Passive mode. That's why there is usually no problem running third party AV and Defender at the same time.

 

[bazang]

Is there a way to disable the registration of a installed AV in windows security center.
For example malwarebytes has a setting to not register their AV in security center so you could have WD and malwarebytes at the same time.
It's possible to do this for those AV that doesn't have that seeting? maybe a GPO or a registry key change?

The reason that most AVs do not add the non-registration setting into their product is because they don't want anyone doing exactly what you want to do. Furthermore, I am uncertain on this as I cannot find the infos, but IIRC some protection features will not work or not work correctly\fully unless the product is registered in Windows Security Center. Again, I am unsure of this dependency.

Those AV might not exist well side-by-side with Windows Defender.

It is not the act of registering a product within Windows Security Center that matters. What matters are all the things that the AV publisher must do to be able to register the product that is important (at least in Microsoft's eyes). There's a long list of hoops that the publishers have to jump through and, like most things Microsoft, that journey is an expensive and time consuming one.

Microsoft requires AV publishers to be a member of the Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI). One of the requirements is that the product be independently tested and certified every 12 months. It is for this reason that most AV publishers participate in the various AV Comparatives and AV Test certifications. Microsoft only allows AV publishers that are certified and accredited to become Microsoft Partners and thereby eligible to register their product on Windows.

Microsoft Virus Initiative - Unified security operations

The Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI) helps organizations that make antivirus or antimalware products integrate with Windows and share telemetry with Microsoft.

learn.microsoft.com

If you can not find this option for your Av, Microsoft has periodic scanning option ,which doesn't. Interfere with other security

That is what Microsoft says, but if you contact all the major AV publishers their support will state "<AV_Publisher_Name> does not support Windows Defender Periodic Scanning. It is not best practice to run two AV side-by-side even if periodic."

Some products will keep disabling Microsoft Defender Periodic Scanning. This is by design and expected behavior.