Having security programs installed is essential to be protected and not suffer cyber attacks. Among all the options available, Windows Defender We can say that it is the most common in teams with Microsoft systems. Now, do we use it correctly? In this article we are going to give a series of guidelines to use it as well as possible and that security is protected at all times.

Tips for using Windows Defender well

We can say that Windows Defender is not a antivirus as are other of the many that are available. I mean, it will act to detect and eliminate malware, but it goes beyond that. It is a very complete tool that is integrated into the security of the operating system and here we can also include account protection or application control, for example.

Update the antivirus

The first and basic thing to be able to use Windows Defender correctly is that it is successfully updated. It is useless to have an antivirus, whatever it may be, obsolete and without the latest versions available. It is a process that is carried out automatically, but it does not hurt to check that it is really updated.

For this you have to go to Home, you enter Windows Security and click on Protection against antivirus and threats. There you will see the function of Virus and Threat Protection Updates. Just click on Protection Updates and you will see the security intelligence version as well as the last time it was updated.

You can manually click on the Find updates. It will automatically start searching for possible new versions. However, unless there has been an error it is something that will be done periodically alone.

Update Windows Defender

Configure protection

This point is very important, since a bad configuration could leave your team unprotected. What you are going to do is configure different protection sections of Windows Defender so that it avoids the entry of malware. This is going to be key to always maintain security.

You have to go to Home and enter Windows Security. Once there you have to click on Anti-virus Protection and against threats. There you will find different settings that you should always have enabled. If they are not, you simply have to check the corresponding box.

Set up Windows Defender protection

You must make sure you have the following enabled:

Protection in real time
Cloud-based protection
Against alterations
Activate core insulation
A feature that comes off by default is that of core isolation. It is very useful to have it enabled to achieve maximum protection. This is an option to provide an additional barrier against malware and other cyber attacks. What it does is isolate the processes of the operating system and the device.

To activate it you have to go to Start, you enter Windows Security, you click on Device Security and you select Core Isolation. Click and you will see a painting as shown in the image below. You simply enable this feature and it will be available from then on.

Core insulation

Reputation-based protection

We can say that a large part of the computer attacks come through malicious apps. For example a program that you download from an insecure site, software that has been modified to steal data, etc. Therefore, it is especially important to be protected against any application you install.

This feature is also disabled by default. To enable it you have to go to the Windows Defender settings and access Application Control and browser. Once there you simply have to hit Activate. Thereafter, Microsoft's antivirus will protect against potentially unwanted applications, files, and web pages.

Reputation-based protection

Activate Windows firewall

Microsoft Defender is not just a conventional antivirus and one of the reasons is because it also has a integrated firewall. This is very useful to protect the system from unwanted access through the network. It can help prevent computer attacks, it allows blocking applications so that they do not have Internet access, etc.

To activate it you have to go to the Windows Defender configuration and this time you enter Firewall and network protection. You will see three options: domain network, private network and public network. It is interesting that the firewall is activated in all of them. You can click on each of them and activate or deactivate this function.

Activate Windows firewall

Ransomware protection

There is no doubt that ransomware is one of the most important security threats that we can find on the net. It is a type of malware that aims to encrypt our files and systems and request a financial rescue in exchange to be able to access them again.

Windows Defender has a function that helps improve protection against ransomware. However, the access control to folders is disabled by default. You can activate it if you go to Windows Security, Antivirus and threat protection and there you enter Ransomware protection and you enable the function.

Ransomware protection

Protects Windows beyond Microsoft Defender

You should be aware that using Microsoft Defender is very important to security, but that does not in itself guarantee being fully protected. It is essential to take certain measures and apply some advice to minimize the risk of some type of attack. Therefore, after having correctly configured the Windows antivirus, we also want to give some more security recommendations.

Updates the team

Something essential and that cannot be missing is having Windows updated correctly. This will avoid vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers. In fact, many types of viruses and malware generally affect due to uncorrected security flaws, so we can greatly reduce the risk.

To update Windows you have to go to Home, you enter Configuration and access Windows Update. It will automatically show you possible files pending updating. It is something you should do periodically, to always have the latest versions available.

Update Windows 11

Use only secure applications

Another important question is to use only programs that are reliable and safe. You must download them from official sites and avoid doing it from third party pages or through links that may be a scam and that contain malware that infects the computer. Hackers can sneak in apps that pretend to be legitimate but are actually a scam.

You should also apply this when installing any plugin. For example extensions for the browser or for any application you have installed in Windows. Beyond having Microsoft Defender installed or not, you can make the mistake of installing a fake program and you should avoid that.

Protect your network and other devices

Windows Defender will focus on protecting the security of your system. However, you may have problems with the network you connect to or with any other device you are going to connect to the computer, such as a USB stick. Therefore, it is essential that you maintain security in all cases.

You must protect your Wi-Fi network and thus avoid intruders that affect performance and safety. Always use a good key for the wireless network, a good current encryption ( avoids obsolete ones, such as WEP or WPA and use WPA-2 or WPA-3 ) and also a good password to enter the router settings.

But also, the same protection that you use for the computer must apply to any other device. Protects storage memories, mobile devices, printers ... All this can affect, in one way or another, the security of Windows.

Avoid making mistakes

But if there is something essential to be protected and not have problems, it is avoiding mistakes and maintaining the common sense. We can say that most cyber attacks are going to need the victim to fall into some kind of trap and that affects security. Hackers can launch baits for that purpose and be able to steal data, passwords, or cause malfunction.

A very common mistake is downloading files that reach us by email without knowing if they are really reliable or not. This is a fairly common route of entry for malware. It is also a mistake to log in to unprotected public Wi-Fi networks or trust pages that may be a fraud.

In short, as you have seen Windows Defender is a key piece to maintain your security. We have explained how you can configure it correctly to maximize protection. However, you have also seen that it is not enough just to have an antivirus and that you must avoid certain errors and optimize security.