Want to take advantage of the newest Windows Security features to help protect your PC? You'll find the latest information about Windows Security here.
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month #BeCyberSafe
All throughout October Microsoft will be joining the effort to help people #BeCyberSafe and posting new articles and tips at our Security home page.
Our next article will show you how to protect yourself, your family, and your business from common online scams and attacks.
Protect yourself from phishing
Phishing (pronounced "fishing") attacks are among the most common attacks we see. Learn more about phishing in this short video:
Updated protection from malware
We’ve improved the cloud-based protection and automatic sample submission features included in Windows 10 so that Windows Security can respond to new threats faster. In most cases, Windows Security uses cloud-based protection to detect and block threats the very first time it encounters them. In some cases, Windows Security will use the cloud to analyze the suspicious program. This analysis helps Windows Security learn about new threats, so it can respond with protection much faster than on earlier versions of Windows.
How do I know if I’m protected?
By running Windows Security with cloud-delivered protection and automatic sample submission turned on, you can rest assured that you’re receiving the very highest level of protection from the latest threats. That’s it!
To confirm that you have those turned on, go to Settings > Updates and Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Manage settings. There you'll see the settings for Cloud-delivered protection and Automatic sample submission.
Offline scan
Run an offline scan to find and remove malware that can’t be found with a normal scan. To run an offline scan in Windows Security, select Virus & threat protection, and then under Current threats, select Scan options > Windows Defender Offline scan > Scan now.
Avoid potentially unwanted applications
Potentially unwanted applications (PUA) are a category of software that aren't malware, but that may do some things that you'd rather they not do - such as install other applications you didn't ask for, pop unexpected ads at you, or cause your machine to run slowly. With the Windows 10 May 2020 update we've added a feature to scan apps you run or download and warn you if they're potentially unwanted.
It's turned off by default. To turn it on go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > App & browser control > Reputation-based protection settings.
For more information see Protect your PC from potentially unwanted applications
For more tips and information
Visit our Microsoft security help and learning page for more tips and information, including videos and training!
Want more videos? Visit the Microsoft Security channel on YouTube.