Advice Request How to change Windows Defender Antivirus cloud-protection level on Windows 10

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enaph

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You can use a stronger protection level with Windows Defender Antivirus, and in this guide, we'll tell you how to do it on the Windows 10 Creators Update.



Windows 10 offers the Windows Defender Antivirus as the default security and anti-malware solution to protect your computer and files against the ongoing growth of threats, including viruses, rootkits, spyware, and other types of malware -- and even those nasty ransomware.

Alongside the new features and improvements included with the Windows Defender Security Center, on the Windows 10 Creators Update (version 1703), the antivirus continues to evolve with new enhancements, such as the ability to manually change the cloud-protection level for your devices.

While out-of-the-box, the antivirus already offers robust threat detection, you can now select a higher level of protection to allow Windows Defender Antivirus to be more proactive scanning and detecting suspicious files, which helps Windows 10 users and organizations to keep their PCs more secure.

Full article here: How to change Windows Defender Antivirus cloud-protection level on Windows 10
 
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Deleted Member 3a5v73x

Has anyone tested this yet? Does it actually improve protection or just report more info to Microsoft with no direct benefit?
Not for me atleast, identical malware detection results as system without these tweaks applied in VM. I am disabling them for now on my host. I don't see (anymore) benefit of using these tweaks for WD, only just to report Microsoft more info of my files and origin.
 

DeepWeb

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Not for me atleast, identical malware detection results as system without these tweaks applied in VM. I am disabling them for now on my host. I don't see (anymore) benefit of using these tweaks for WD, only just to report Microsoft more info of my files and origin.
Thank you. Really appreciate it. I guess I go back to defaults.
 

SHvFl

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Not for me atleast, identical malware detection results as system without these tweaks applied in VM. I am disabling them for now on my host. I don't see (anymore) benefit of using these tweaks for WD, only just to report Microsoft more info of my files and origin.
You are giving nothing extra. By default windows 10 is set to advanced membership regardless of what you select.
 
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Deleted Member 3a5v73x

You are giving nothing extra. By default windows 10 is set to advanced membership regardless of what you select.
Hmm, I see it's disabled by Default/Not Configured :eek:

"If you disable or do not configure this setting, you will not join Microsoft MAPS."

"Advanced membership, in addition to basic information, will send more information to Microsoft about malicious software, spyware, and potentially unwanted software, including the location of the software, file names, how the software operates, and how it has impacted your computer."

"In some instances, personal information might unintentionally be sent to Microsoft."

wdmaps.PNG wdmaps1.jpg
 

DeepWeb

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I went ahead and disabled MAPS and file submission and only left the registry tweak to enable PUP detection. Tested the fake malware file from Microsoft to check if cloud protection works. Still works just fine.

Configure and test Windows Defender Antivirus network connections

My tentative conclusion: You don't need this tweak. All it does is send data to Microsoft. Not only that. For some reason it slows down Windows Defender because of the Block-at-first-Sight feature. Make sure to delete the registry key "SpyNet".
 

SHvFl

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Hmm, I see it's disabled by Default/Not Configured :eek:

"If you disable or do not configure this setting, you will not join Microsoft MAPS."

"Advanced membership, in addition to basic information, will send more information to Microsoft about malicious software, spyware, and potentially unwanted software, including the location of the software, file names, how the software operates, and how it has impacted your computer."

"In some instances, personal information might unintentionally be sent to Microsoft."

View attachment 159514 View attachment 159515
It's the cloud based protection you see in the windows defender gui page(except if you also disable that then i don't see why you use defender). The group policy things are shared between windows versions and a relic of the past hence why it's confusing.
 
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