microsoft defender

For years the reflex was simple: buy a third‑party antivirus suite and assume you were safer — but the calculus has shifted. A growing number of users and reviewers now say you can reasonably ditch paid antivirus software and rely on the built‑in protections in Windows Security (Microsoft...

Enable Controlled Folder Access & Whitelist Apps to Protect Against Ransomware (Win10/11) Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 15 minutes Introduction Ransomware encrypts or locks your files and demands payment to restore them. Controlled Folder Access (CFA) is a built‑in Windows Defender...

Consumer Reports has formally urged Microsoft to extend free support for Windows 10, warning that tens — possibly hundreds — of millions of still-working PCs will be left exposed when mainstream updates and security patches stop on October 14, 2025. The advocacy group’s letter to Microsoft’s CEO...

Windows’ built‑in antivirus has quietly become the practical choice for millions of users, and the recent pushback against paid suites is no accident — the free Windows security stack now combines deep OS integration, modern cloud and AI detections, and targeted anti‑ransomware controls that...

Window could not start the Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection service on Local Computer Error 1067. The process terminated unexpectedly.

Not long ago, running a Windows PC without a paid third‑party antivirus felt like leaving your front door open — today, that advice is overdue for a rethink because Windows’ built‑in protections are both better and far more capable than most people realize. Background Windows has a long...

TÜV SÜD’s decision to fold Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Security Copilot into its global security operations marks a clear bet on AI-augmented defense: the German testing, inspection, and certification giant reports faster investigations, consistent reporting, and a rapid ramp-up for junior...

Three persistent beliefs about Windows security still shape user behavior in 2025 — that you must pay for antivirus, that Microsoft Defender is a catch‑all shield, and that staying on Windows 10 is safe for years to come — and each of these myths is now misleading in ways that materially affect...

Microsoft's countdown to the end of Windows 10 support has moved from calendar date to a consumer-facing prompt: a 60‑day warning that leaves millions of PCs with a clear deadline and a narrow set of paths forward to stay protected, migrate to Windows 11, or pay to extend security updates for a...

The six Windows security myths that resurfaced in a recent roundup are more than clickbait—they reflect persistent misunderstandings about how modern Windows actually defends users, where its limits lie, and when spending money or changing workflows will genuinely improve safety. The original...

Lenovo owners get a surprisingly clear message from the latest roundup: you have excellent antivirus choices whether you want a free, lightweight defender or a fully loaded, multi‑device security suite — and the tradeoffs are predictable: top detection and extra privacy features cost money; free...

Installing antivirus on a new Windows laptop before you do anything else online is one of the simplest, highest-impact steps you can take to protect your files, accounts, and privacy from day one. Modern threats—from commodity malware and sneaky spyware to targeted ransomware and phishing—are...

A potent wave of ransomware attacks has uncovered a cunning new strategy in cybercrime: hackers are leveraging a legitimate Intel CPU tuning driver to disable Windows 11’s built-in antivirus, leaving systems dangerously exposed. The Akira ransomware, already notorious for its aggressive...

Microsoft has unveiled its new AI-powered Phishing Triage Agent within Microsoft Defender, now available in public preview, marking a significant evolution in the way organizations approach email threat detection and response. As cyber threats continue to escalate in complexity and volume...

A surge of cyber threats and security debates this week highlights both the escalating sophistication of digital attacks and the evolving strategies defenders employ to stay ahead. From researchers demonstrating how Google’s Gemini AI can be hijacked via innocent-looking calendar invites to...

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, email remains a primary vector for attacks such as phishing, malware, and business email compromise (BEC). To bolster defenses, organizations often deploy a combination of native security solutions and third-party tools. Microsoft Defender for...

As Windows 10 approaches its end-of-life, many users with older hardware face challenges upgrading to Windows 11 due to stringent system requirements. Flyby11, a tool developed to bypass these restrictions, has recently been rebranded as Flyoobe, introducing new features aimed at enhancing the...

In today’s hyper-connected world, the escalation in cyber-attacks is relentlessly testing enterprise resilience. As organizations digitize operations at an unprecedented pace and rely more heavily on cloud-based systems, the sophistication of bad actors advances in tandem, pushing the limits of...

When setting up a new Windows 11 PC, most users expect a high baseline of security, assuming Microsoft’s relentless evolution of the Windows Security suite keeps them safe out of the box. Yet, beneath the familiar surface, Windows 11 brings critical features not immediately apparent to even...

In July 2025, Microsoft disclosed a critical zero-day vulnerability in its on-premises SharePoint Server, identified as CVE-2025-53770. This flaw, with a CVSS score of 9.8, allows unauthenticated remote code execution, enabling attackers to gain full control over affected servers. The...