Windows Pro: Alter or Microsoft Defender for the “zero tolerance” level

If you are a user of Windows Pro, you may have noticed that Microsoft Defender, the built-in antivirus and anti-malware software, has different levels of protection. By default, it is set to "high," meaning it will block most known threats and warn you about suspicious files or activities. However, if you want to increase your security and prevent any possible infections, you can change Microsoft Defender to the "zero tolerance" level. This means that it will block anything that you or Microsoft don't explicitly trust.

In this blog post, we will show you how to change Microsoft Defender to the “zero tolerance” level and where there are benefits and disadvantages of doing this. Note that this option is only available for Windows Pro users, not for Windows Home users.

How to change Microsoft Defender to the “zero tolerance” level?

To change Microsoft Defender to the “zero tolerance” level, you must access the Group Policy Editor, a tool that allows you to define advanced settings for Windows. To do this, follow these steps:

– Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

– Type gpedit.msc and click OK. Isso will open the Group Policy Editor.

> > > > – Go to Computer Configuration Administrative Models Windows Components Verification of Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

– Click twice on the policy called “Configure detection of potentially unwanted applications”.

– Select “On” and then select “Lock” from the suspension menu.

– Click on Apply and on OK.

– Restart the computer so that the alterations take effect.

Microsoft Defender has now moved to the “zero tolerance” level. This means that it will block any application that is not authorized by Microsoft or that you have not explicitly allowed. It will also block any file that has a low reputation or is detected as potentially unwanted.

Benefits and disadvantages of moving Microsoft Defender to the “zero tolerance” level

Changing Microsoft Defender to the “zero tolerance” level can present some benefits and drawbacks to your safety and performance. Here are some of them:

Benefits:

– You will have the highest level of protection against malware, viruses, ransomware, spyware, adware and other threats.

– You will reduce the risk of downloading or running malicious or unwanted software from unknown sources.

– This will prevent you from making unauthorized alterations to the configuration or system files.

Disadvantages:

– You may have some false positives, which means that Microsoft Defender may block some legitimate or harmless applications or files.

– There may be some compatibility problems with software that is not approved by Microsoft or that has a low reputation rating.

– It may be necessary to manually allow some applications or files that you trust or need to use.

How to allow a locked application or file with Microsoft Defender

If you move Microsoft Defender to the “zero tolerance” level, you may be able to find some situations where Microsoft Defender is blocking an application or file that you trust or need. In this case, you can enable it manually by following these steps:

– Open the Windows Security application by clicking the shield icon in the task bar or looking for the Start menu.

– Click on Protection against viruses and infections.

– Click on Protection History.

– Locate the application or file that Microsoft Defender blocked and click Allow.

– Confirm your choice by clicking Yes.

Now you have allowed the application or locked file with Microsoft Defender. You can repeat this process to check other applications or files that you wish to allow.

Conclusion

Moving Microsoft Defender to the “zero tolerance” level may be a good option for Windows Pro users who want to increase their security and avoid any possible infection. However, there are also some disadvantages, such as false positives, compatibility issues, and manual attributions. Therefore, you should weigh the pros and cons before making that decision and be prepared to face some inconveniences.

We hope this blog post has been useful to you. If you have any doubts or comments, leave a comment below. Obrigado porcê ter lido!

If you are using Windows, you will have powerful antivirus software built into your system: Microsoft Defender. This tool protects your computer against malware attacks by verifying files and programs in real time. Also, it is automatically updated with the latest virus definitions.

However, maybe you didn't know that Microsoft Defender has many hidden features that can improve your security and give you more control over how it works. For example, you can adjust the level of protection on the cloud to make the Defender more or less sensitive to possible damage. This can help you avoid false positives or detect more suspicious files.

To access this resource, you must open the Windows Security application in the Start menu or in the notification area. Next, click on Protection against viruses and diseases and role to download Manage settings in Configurations of protection against viruses and diseases. Here you will see a section called Protection provided for new. Click on the link that says Select protection level on this page and select four options:

– Deactivated: this option deactivates the protection based on new information and reduces your safety. We do not recommend this option, unless you have a specific reason to do this.

– Basic – This is the option to send basic information about verified files to Microsoft to help detect and block malware.

– Pressed: This option sends more information about files verified to Microsoft, such as file names, file paths, and file content. This can improve your protection and help Microsoft analyze new issues more quickly.

– High: this option sends the same information as the Primorada option, but also blocks all files that Microsoft does not know are safe. This can prevent the execution of unknown malware on your system, but it can also block some legitimate files that have not yet been recognized by Microsoft.

You will be able to choose an option that meets your needs and preferences. If you do not have certainty, you can use the Basic or Tentar Enhanced option to obtain more security. You will always be able to change the settings later if you encounter a problem.

Note: The best antivirus software for Windows 11

Microsoft Defender is a reliable and convenient antivirus software for Windows users, but it may not be enough for everyone. If you want more resources, such as ransomware protection, country controls, VPN, firewall, or data manager, you may want to consider third-party antivirus software. There are many options available on the market, but some are better than others. To help you choose the best antivirus software for Windows 11, we analyze and compare the best products based on performance, features, ease of use and price. You can read our detailed guide here: [link to blog post]