Yes, Windows Defender does scan for rootkits. A rootkit is a type of malicious software that is used to gain access to and control computer systems. It is often used to exploit security vulnerabilities in order to gain privileged access to systems, allowing attackers to go undetected as they execute their malicious activities.
Rootkits are particularly dangerous because they are hard to detect. They can be spread by many different means, including through email attachments and malicious links. Once installed, they can remain undetected while logging keystrokes, stealing credentials and personal data, or installing additional malicious programs.
Windows Defender is Microsoft’s built-in security solution for Windows. It is designed to provide continuous protection from the latest threats, including rootkits. It has several layers of protection, including real time scanning, on-demand scanning, and heuristic analysis.
Real time scanning is done continuously in the background to protect against rapidly evolving threats. Anytime a file is accessed, downloaded, or modified, Windows Defender will scan it for malicious content. This ensures that any malicious files or rootkits are detected as soon as possible and can be removed before any damage is done.
On-demand scanning can also be set up to run on a regular basis. This allows users to run full system scans to check for any malicious files or rootkits at any time. This can be helpful in detecting dormant rootkits before they take effect, ensuring the user’s system is always secure.
Windows Defender also includes heuristic analysis which is an advanced protection feature. This feature uses machine learning algorithms to detect suspicious behavior. This means Windows Defender can detect even unknown malware that hasn’t been seen before.
Overall, Windows Defender provides strong protection against malicious software, including rootkits. It has multiple layers of protection including real time scanning, on-demand scanning, and heuristic analysis. It is designed to detect malicious software before it has a chance to take effect, making it an effective solution for keeping Windows systems safe.