Yes, Windows Defender can scan external hard drives and USB drives. This is an important feature as it can help protect your computer by detecting and removing malicious programs from any type of storage device that is connected to your computer.
When you used an external hard drive or a USB drive, Windows Defender will automatically start scanning for malicious programs as soon as you plug in the device. It does this by comparing the contents of the device against a huge database of known malware definitions. If any malicious programs are found, Windows Defender will block it from being installed on your computer and will provide you with information about the threat.
Even if the external storage device is password-protected, Windows Defender will still be able to detect malicious programs. This is because the program specifically looks for malicious code, so it doesn’t matter if the file is protected or not.
The program also has additional features that help protect your system from potential threats. For example, Windows Defender scans all downloads and attachments, even those from safe websites, just to make sure they don’t contain malicious programs. The program also watches out for suspicious behavior and will alert you if it notices something suspicious.
In addition to scanning external hard drives and USB drives, Windows Defender also includes real-time protection. This means the program will keep scanning your computer in the background, even when you are not actively using it. This way, it can detect and remove malware before it has a chance to do any damage.
Overall, Windows Defender is a powerful security program that can help keep your computer safe from any type of malicious program. It can detect and remove malicious software from external hard drives and USB drives as well as provide you with real-time protection to keep your system secure.