Windows Defender is an anti-virus and anti-malware program developed by Microsoft, which is integrated into all the latest Windows operating systems. It protects users from malicious software, such as viruses, worms, Trojans, rootkits, spyware, and other unwanted software. Windows Defender can detect and remove a wide variety of threats, including:
1. Viruses – These are malicious programs designed to spread quickly and cause damage to your computer and other devices. Windows Defender detects and removes all types of viruses, such as boot sector, macro, and file infectors.
2. Worms – These are malicious programs that spread quickly and use up computer memory and network bandwidth in order to replicate and propagate. Windows Defender can detect and remove various worms, such as mass-mailing worms and network worms.
3. Trojans – These are malicious programs that masquerade as legitimate applications and hide their true purpose until they have been installed on a system. Windows Defender can detect and remove Trojans, such as keyloggers and backdoors.
4. Rootkits – These are malicious programs that are designed to gain access to a computer without the user’s knowledge. Windows Defender can detect and remove hidden rootkits, including kernel-level rootkits.
5. Spyware – These are malicious programs that are designed to monitor and track the activities of a computer user. Windows Defender can detect and remove various spyware, such as adware, tracking cookies, and browser hijackers.
6. Adware – These are programs that are designed to display advertisements without the user’s knowledge or consent. Windows Defender can detect and remove various adware programs.
7. Ransomware – These are malicious programs that are designed to encrypt files and demand a ransom in order to restore access to the files. Windows Defender can detect and remove various ransomware variants.
8. Phishing – These are malicious websites, emails, and other forms of communication that are designed to trick users into revealing confidential information. Windows Defender can detect and block websites, emails, and other communication containing phishing content.
9. Exploits – These are malicious programs that take advantage of security vulnerabilities in order to gain access to a computer system. Windows Defender can detect and remove exploits, such as buffer overflows, directory traversals, and remote code execution attacks.
10. Botnets – These are networks of infected computers that are used to conduct various malicious activities, such as sending spam emails or launching distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Windows Defender can detect and remove bots, botnets, and other related malicious software.