Windows Defender is an antivirus program developed by Microsoft for Windows-based computers, initially released in 2006. It is able to detect, quarantine and remove malicious software, such as viruses, worms and Trojans. In recent years, the antivirus has been expanded to include protection against ransomware, a type of malicious software that encrypts computer files and requires the payment of a ransom in order to regain access.
Ransomware works by taking control of a user’s computer or files and holding them hostage through encryption. Encryption prevents the user from being able to open or access their files, creating a feeling of urgency to pay the ransom in order to regain access. Common ransomware includes CryptoLocker, WannaCry, Bad Rabbit, and Dharma.
Fortunately, Windows Defender is capable of providing protection against ransomware. It does this by scanning for suspicious files, programs, and processes associated with ransomware. The antivirus also makes use of heuristics to detect new or unknown ransomware, which allows it to better respond to the latest threats. Furthermore, it can quarantine malicious files and processes before they are able to do any harm.
Windows Defender also utilizes a feature called Exploit Protection for extra protection against ransomware. This is designed to protect against attack vectors used by hackers to take advantage of vulnerable applications and code. Exploit Protection blocks actions within applications or code, such as writing data to executable memory areas or using certain techniques to escape sandboxing.
In addition to its own capabilities, Windows Defender can be configured to run alongside additional security software, such as firewalls and antivirus programs, to provide additional protection against ransomware. This can help to ensure critical components of the system are more strongly protected against threats.
Finally, Windows Defender provides users with the ability to set up regular backups of their valuable data. This is important because ransomware can sometimes be difficult to remove and may require the data to be restored from a backup in order to regain access. Having regularly scheduled backups can make it easier to recover from a ransomware infection.
In short, Windows Defender is capable of providing effective protection against ransomware. It is able to detect, quarantine, and remove malicious files and processes, and can be configured to run alongside additional security software for extra protection. Additionally, Windows Defender can be used to set up regular backups of data, allowing users to easily recover from a ransomware infection.