Windows Defender is a Windows-based antivirus software created by Microsoft to protect personal computers, laptops, tablets, and other devices from various online threats. It is first released alongside Windows Vista and is included in every iteration of the Windows operating system to this day. It provides basic protection against viruses, worms, spyware, and other malicious software. Windows Defender also includes real-time protection, meaning it will detect and block malicious software before it can begin to harm your device.
Windows Defender can provide a good level of protection against many common online threats. It is capable of detecting and blocking malicious software, such as viruses, worms, Trojans, and ransomware. It can also detect and remove potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) that may have been unwittingly downloaded onto your device. Additionally, Windows Defender can detect and block phishing attacks, preventing malicious websites from stealing sensitive information from your device.
However, Windows Defender does have some limitations. It is not capable of blocking certain types of threats, such as rootkits and advanced persistent threats (APTs). Furthermore, Windows Defender is only able to detect known threats; it is not able to identify unknown threats. This means that it may not be able to detect newly created malware or the latest variants of existing malware. Additionally, it’s worth noting that Windows Defender cannot prevent your device from becoming infected if you manually download malicious software.
Therefore, if you would like to protect your device from all possible threats, we recommend installing a third-party security suite with full real-time protection features. Security suites usually include more comprehensive levels of protection, such as proactive technologies that can detect and block unknown threats, as well as further features such as parental controls and a secure online banking firewall.
In conclusion, while Windows Defender can provide a good level of protection against many common online threats, it is limited in terms of the threats it can detect and block. Therefore, if you require full protection for your device, we recommend investing in a third-party security suite with additional features such as proactive threat detection and real-time protection.