windows defender why you need it on your PC

windows defender, do i need it?

Windows Defender protects PCs from adware, spyware, and viruses. It operates quickly and uses few system resources allowing you to continue with other tasks while a scan is running. The application can help protect your computer from many of the rogue programs you may come across online or download via email. How you obtain Defender depends on the version of Windows you have. If you have Windows Vista or Windows 7, you can download the Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) suite directly from Microsoft. Although it is called by a different name Security Essentials and Defender are very similar; both programs are free, basic security suites for Windows, built by Microsoft. While MSE is for Windows Vista and 7, anyone running Windows 8, 8.1, or 10 already has Windows Defender built-in. To check if it's active, Windows 8 and 8.1 users should look at the "System and Security" section of the Control Panel, while Windows 10 users will find Windows Defender in the Settings app under Update & Security > Windows Defender. As this is a general guide, we won't get into the specific differences between all the various iterations of Defender/MSE for different versions of Windows. The one notable difference to know is that MSE does not protect against advanced threats like bootkits and rootkits, while Defender on Windows 8 and up does. The basic idea behind Defender is that it's a no-nonsense security suite offering real-time protection against a variety of threats. The interface itself is very basic with three or four tabs (depending on your version of Windows) at the very top. Most users will never have much need to go beyond the Home tab that contains the controls to run a malware scan, as well as an at-a-glance status report for your PC. If you're ever worried about a virus, however, know that the Update tab is where you can update the software's antivirus and malware definitions. Although it updates automatically, it is always a good idea to update Defender manually before running a manual scan. By default, Defender runs what's known as a "quick scan" where the program looks in the most likely places that malware would be hiding. If you want Defender to look everywhere, select the full scan option but know that scan will take far longer to complete. Microsoft's simplistic, no-nonsense approach to security makes it a nice alternative to third-party security suites that come with an increasing number of features. Third-party solutions also tend to regularly bug you to run a scan, read a weekly security report, or ask you to take some sort of security check to make sure you are doing everything you can to remain secure. Windows Defender, by comparison, only needs to be activated and that's it. Most of the time you'll only notice Defender when it protects your PC against a potential threat. Other than that it won't bug you very often. The one thing to know, however, is that while Defender is a capable security solution it is not considered the absolute best option and does not perform as well as some third-party security suites in independent tests.
The Bottom Line
Windows Defender is a capable, free solution that protects your Windows computer from adware, spyware, and viruses. The security suite works with all currently supported versions of Windows, but is downloaded as Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows Vista and 7. Microsoft Security Essentials (Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Pros:
1. Free.
2. Competently protects your computer.
; 3. Real-time protection.
Cons:
1. In independent tests, Defender does not perform as well as third-party solutions.
2. MSE lacks malware protection against advanced threats such as bootkits and rootkits for Windows Vista and 7 users.

Share on Google Plus Share

About Unknown

chilaka maximus.