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Last year, the world was shocked by the emergence of the WannaCry ransomware. Ransomware is a piece of malware that will lock files on your computer. If you want to decrypt the file, you have to pay the attacker.
Even so, ransomware victims are not advised to pay the ransom because it is not necessarily the case that the attacker will unlock the encryption.
How to Prevent Ransomware on Windows 10
One way to prevent ransomware is to perform regular data backups. That way, even if your files are locked, you still have backup data.
However, you can actually use features in Windows Defender to prevent your computer from becoming infected with ransomware, as Addictive Tips mentions.
One thing you should keep in mind is to make sure you have Windows Defender turned on. Also, Windows Defender is only available on Windows 10.
Here’s how to protect your computer using Windows Defender.
- Go To Settings
- Select Update & Security
- Click the Windows Defender tab on the right
- Click “Open Windows Defender Security Center.”
- Select Virus & Threat protection
- Go to the Virus & threat protection Settings section
- Enable “Controlled folder access.”
How does it work?
When Controlled folder access is active, Windows Defender will prohibit applications from storing files in folders that they are not allowed to access.
This might make you worry that a security app won’t run smoothly. Luckily, controlled folder access comes with a whitelist feature, allowing you to add apps that can access folders in the secured list.
If you want additional protection, you can also add an antivirus as well. Remember, one is just enough. So, better start looking for a great antivirus with internet security to make you safer when browsing online. Although antivirus isn’t a must (since Windows already has Windows Defender), having one quality antivirus wouldn’t hurt much. Find the best one that can offer the best services at a great price.
How to Prevent Ransomware on Windows 11
Microsoft recommends users who are already using Windows 11 enable the Tamper Protection feature in the Microsoft Defender section. Tamper Protection has built-in features designed to protect users from ransomware and is provided free of charge.
As part of improving the security configuration, the Tamper Protection feature can protect users from third parties who frequently change security settings on the system, especially during the application installation process.
Reporting from Digitaltrends, Microsoft recommends this feature for businesses who have migrated to Windows 11, but they also recommend it for everyone.
The Tamper Protection feature was first released in 2019 and is available on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2022/2019/2016.
Microsoft mentioned in their official statement that bad actors would try to turn off the security features when a cyberattack is running. They do this to make it easier to breach the access data while infecting the devices with malware. The malware is then used to steal the user data, including the devices and other private identities. In order to prevent this, Microsoft has prepared Tempered Protection.
Tamper Protection will lock the default settings in Microsoft Defender and ensure that they cannot be changed during the installation process. These settings include:
– Turn off the threat and virus protection
– Turn off real-time protection
– Turn off behavior monitoring
– Turn off anti-virus
– Turn off Cloud delivery protection
– Removed security intelligence updates
The Tamper Protection feature is available as part of the security system in Windows 11.
Windows 11 itself is the latest operating system from Microsoft to replace Windows 10, which was released in 2015. Windows 11 offers a number of updates both in features and user experience.
If you have the older version of Windows, it’s always better to update it, especially if you have the official version. Besides making the system more stable, the newer Windows versions will always have something new, like Tempered Protection, which is really useful.
Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.
