Microsoft Security Improvements

 Article for: Everyone 

	Difficulty: Easy 

	Importance: Useful to moderately improve security 

It is important to have layered security. The later versions of Windows 10 offers two new security features. One I recommend for nearly everyone. The other is a good option if you believe you have a virus.

Windows Security Scans

If you go to:

Start
Settings
Update and Security
Windows Security
Virus and threat protection
Scroll to the very bottom
Windows Defender Antivirus options
Enable Periodic scanning

Periodic scanning will check your computer when it is not busy. It has not interfered with my work in any way I can detect. This just gives us another unobtrusive automatic check for infections.

Just turn on periodic scanning.

Once you enable scanning, you will have a new set of options and more information.

You will get information about Current threats, Scans, Allowed threats and Protection history. I recommend selecting The Quick scan. The protection history is where you'll find the results of scans.

In case of Big Trouble

If you think miscreants infected you, despite your anti-virus, Microsoft offers the Offline scan. So, you follow the steps above and choose:

Scan options
Then Offline Scan

While the Quick scan is nice for having it occasionally pop in and check for problems when the computer isn't busy, the Offline scan is for when you suspect you are infected and in trouble. If a virus were to get past your protections, it could conceal itself from your anti-virus. This is what the Offline scan checks for. Before running it, close all your programs.

The Offline scan reboots your computer into a special recovery environment. Windows does not run normally or load the normal programs, so probably, the Virus wouldn't get loaded and be able to protect itself. Then Microsoft goes after any infection it can find. This is a good way to get deep infections that normal methods can't remove.

You should also run your normal anti-virus in a deep scan mode as Microsoft is only looking for the deep stuff with this method.

You also can scan other drives or do a deep scan, but I believe your normal Antivirus is better for these functions.

Date: December 2019

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

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Home Forms About Current Newsletter subscribe Search All Articles Browse by Category Security Internet Mobile Business Hardware Fun		Microsoft Security Improvements Article for: Everyone Difficulty: Easy Importance: Useful to moderately improve security It is important to have layered security. The later versions of Windows 10 offers two new security features. One I recommend for nearly everyone. The other is a good option if you believe you have a virus. Windows Security Scans If you go to: Start Settings Update and Security Windows Security Virus and threat protection Scroll to the very bottom Windows Defender Antivirus options Enable Periodic scanning Periodic scanning will check your computer when it is not busy. It has not interfered with my work in any way I can detect. This just gives us another unobtrusive automatic check for infections. Just turn on periodic scanning. Once you enable scanning, you will have a new set of options and more information. You will get information about Current threats, Scans, Allowed threats and Protection history. I recommend selecting The Quick scan. The protection history is where you'll find the results of scans. In case of Big Trouble If you think miscreants infected you, despite your anti-virus, Microsoft offers the Offline scan. So, you follow the steps above and choose: Scan options Then Offline Scan While the Quick scan is nice for having it occasionally pop in and check for problems when the computer isn't busy, the Offline scan is for when you suspect you are infected and in trouble. If a virus were to get past your protections, it could conceal itself from your anti-virus. This is what the Offline scan checks for. Before running it, close all your programs. The Offline scan reboots your computer into a special recovery environment. Windows does not run normally or load the normal programs, so probably, the Virus wouldn't get loaded and be able to protect itself. Then Microsoft goes after any infection it can find. This is a good way to get deep infections that normal methods can't remove. You should also run your normal anti-virus in a deep scan mode as Microsoft is only looking for the deep stuff with this method. You also can scan other drives or do a deep scan, but I believe your normal Antivirus is better for these functions. Date: December 2019 This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
		I attempt to provide reliable information, but make no warranty as to the accuracy or safety of these articles. I disclaim all legal responsibility for what following these instructions may do. Follow my advice at your own risk