Advice Request Why Do You Use Windows Defender Antivirus?

[Ink]

For Part 1: Windows 10 - Why Do You Use Windows 10?
Self-explained thread title.

Windows Defender Antivirus is:

• Invades Your Privacy
• Sends All Data to Microsoft Servers
• Very Weak Protection
• Slows Down My PC
• Scans All My 1000 Downloaded Files
• Low Detection Rate
• Easily Bypassed
• No Real Firewall
• Uses All My RAM (Memory)
• Broken White-listing Settings
• Lack of Customization
• Cannot Be Trusted
• ..

Comment below.

 

[Moonhorse]

I understand bashing windows 10 (last thread), but bashing windows defender is going bit far ( thread wide) but thats just my opinion

On topic:
- its built-in feature in os; well integrated, no need to install 3rd party
- antivirus wide its enough for me

 

[RoboMan]

• Understands Windows arquitecture the best
• Doesn't ruin Windows Updates
• Is improved in every build
• Includes vulnerability protection
• Attack surface reduction
• Can completely integrate into SRP policies and can be configured in order to default-deny
• Is widely used, meaning fast signature recognition
• Leo from TPSC doesn't like it so I now love it

 

[Windows_Security]

WD has lots of features, you just have to enable them. Exploit protection can also harden or stop build-in script engines. With a default deny SRP allowing admins to bypass, there is no better and lighter protection (at least on our PC's). Only on my (travel) ASUS 2-in-1 with Intel Atom Z3740 low end processor, I have excluded Program Files and Windows folders to scan to reduce system impact.

For me WD plus Hard Configurator and WD configurator sort of made all other security software redundant (I only have Kaspesky free VPN on my Asus 2-in-1 when booking stuff while travellingl)

 

[Andy Ful]

The answer is simple for most of the average home users, because WD on Windows 10 is one of the best free AVs.

1. You do not need to install it.
2. It can protect you, as good as any free good AV.
3. You do not need to fight with broken Windows Updates.
4. You do not worry if it will work properly after the next Windows Update.
5. It has a better anti script/macro protection than most free AVs.
6. The known WD performance issues are usually invisible for the average users, except some (not common) hardware/software configurations.
7. No nags and adware notifications.
8. Advanced firewall is usually not needed in the home environment.
9. You can trust M$ as much as other AV vendors, and sometimes more. Furthermore, M$ knows you already because you use M$ Windows.
10. It cannot be easily bypassed on Windows ver. 1903 (upcoming). No one bothered to bypass it on the home user computers.

The answer can be simple also for the advanced users (in the free AV category):

1. You can configure advanced WD features (ASR rules, Network Protection, Controlled Folder Access, etc.) via PowerShell or using ConfigureDefender tool. You cannot do it, for example, when using Kaspersky free or BitDefender free.
2. You can quickly turn OFF/ON the protection when doing computer management tasks (file copying/comparing/compressing/decompressing etc.).
3. You can use folders to store executables. Why to keep all of them in one folder?
4. You can harden Windows Firewall and home router.

So, is WD the best solution for everyone? No, and there does not exist such a solution.
Should every one stick with WD? No, and the answer would be the same with Kaspersky or another good AV.

 

[uduoix]

I hope Microsoft will fix false positive issue. This is the only negative thing in WD.

 

[stefanos]

Why i not Use Windows Defender Antivirus
Heavy at all and Start the video from 8 minutes

 

[Andy Ful]

If one likes to use AV for testing malware, then WD is not a convenient solution. Everything related to detect and remove the malware takes a long time. Also, the WD Security Center is inconvenient for such tasks. But, it is not an issue for applying WD as a protection, when using the computer for the standard tasks.

 

[Nestor]

Why i not Use Windows Defender Antivirus
Heavy at all and Start the video from 8 minutes

Improved a lot the last two years,still don't trust it.

 

[Andy Ful]

Improved a lot the last two years,still don't trust it.

That is normal with TRUST. WD improved for 3 years. The rest improved for many years.

But, I think that it is the time for accepting WD on Windows 10 as a protection comparable with other free AVs. I do not know the objective facts which could suggest that WD protection for home users is worse than with any good free AV. This is also true that I do not see why WD should be better in the home environment than any good free AV.

 

[Deletedmessiah]

Two actual issues would be lack of customization of settings which Andy's tool can solve. Another, the main one is eating CPU. People say its because it scans downloaded files when opening folders even if they are staying dormant and aren't executed. @Andy Ful does Configure defender have setting to disable this and make WD perform better?

 

[Andy Ful]

… it scans downloaded files when opening folders even if they are staying dormant and aren't executed. @Andy Ful does Configure defender have setting to disable this and make WD perform better?

I am afraid that it does not.

 

[Kuttz]

I understand bashing windows 10 (last thread), but bashing windows defender is going bit far ( thread wide) but thats just my opinion

On topic:
- its built-in feature in os; well integrated, no need to install 3rd party
- antivirus wide its enough for me

Well integrated ? Sometime WD can't remove its own detection Don't assume things dude.

 

[legendcampos]

In my opinion I find it useless in the default configuration I believe that the SmartScreen protects more than it, the advanced protect well but there is much CPU usage. For Newbie user would recommend some third party protection of the type install and forget.

 

[Andy Ful]

Well integrated ? Sometime WD can't remove its own detection Don't assume things dude.

It is probably WD application (rare) issue. Why do you think that it should be related to system integration?

 

[stefanos]

If one likes to use AV for testing malware, then WD is not a convenient solution. Everything related to detect and remove the malware takes a long time. Also, the WD Security Center is inconvenient for such tasks. But, it is not an issue for applying WD as a protection, when using the computer for the standard tasks.

With Kaspersky free or Bitdefender free or Avast free or Forticlient or Sophos free you can not download anything from Malcode database because of web filters.For the most normal home users the security extensions is something unknown to they take the extra protection for defender

 

[Dave Russo]

I really like using Windows Defender with SecureAplus, or Voodoshield, match made in Heaven

 

[Andy Ful]

...the advanced protect well but there is much CPU usage….

There can be abnormal CPU usage on some computers, but normally the CPU usage is very low. Here is mine at this moment (0% CPU for WD):

 

[Andy Ful]

With Kaspersky free or Bitdefender free or Avast free or Forticlient or Sophos free you can not download anything from Malcode database because of web filters.For the most normal home users the security extensions is something unknown to they take the extra protection for defender

Why the most normal home user should visit the Malcode databases?
He does not have to install any extension because Edge, Google Chrome and Firefox have it preinstalled.

 

[legendcampos]

There can be abnormal CPU usage on some computers, but normally the CPU usage is very low. Here is mine at this moment (0% CPU for WD):

I Tested with your program that configures Windows Defender that is very good, I enabled high settings and noticed spikes of 100% CPU when I opened a browser for example, while in Avast spent around 60% CPU. My processor is a bit old is a phenom X6