Personal computers used to be the domain of hobbyists, who had no problem rolling up their sleeves and diving into debuggers to figure out why something wasn't working as expected. Also: Yes, you can ...

It’s imperative to keep Microsoft Defender up to date even when Windows Update isn’t working. Here are several methods to manually update Defender. Microsoft Defender is the built-in anti-malware ...

If your Windows Security closes immediately after opening – or crashes on your Windows 11/10 computer, follow these troubleshooting steps to fix the issue: Using any antivirus, you can scan your ...

To disable Microsoft Defender on Windows 11, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection, click Manage Settings, and toggle off ...

When you launch Windows Security on Windows 11, you may see a message You’re using other antivirus providers. This prevents you from activating the Real-time protection of Windows Defender against ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Davey Winder is a veteran cybersecurity writer, hacker and analyst. There are a number of antivirus, anti-malware, and internet ...

[This article was originally published in September 2015. It has been extensively revised and updated since then. The most recent revision was August 29, 2016.] In June 2016, a month before the free ...

We explore how Windows Security and Microsoft Defender protect your Windows 11 computer and why you might want to consider an alternative. Dianna Gunn built her first WordPress website in 2008. Since ...

Update, March 31, 2025: This story, originally published March 29, has been updated with an explanation of LOLBINS as well as further technical information regarding the Windows Defender Application ...

Q: Are Windows Defender warnings that pop up with a phone number legit? A: Microsoft’s built-in security tool has improved over the years, and it still blocks plenty of everyday threats. But the ...

When Microsoft Defender is mentioned, most users think of the antivirus software included in Windows (currently called Windows Security). On the one hand, this is correct, as the antivirus engine ...

Scammers are using fake Windows Defender pop-ups with real looking phone numbers to trick users. These fraudulent warnings are not from Microsoft and aim to gain remote access to your computer. A ...