Skip to main content

Microsoft recommends you turn on this important Windows 11 security feature

Ransomware is an ever-increasing threat, and that’s why Microsoft is strongly recommending you turn on its new security feature in Windows 11. As TechRadar reports, the tech giant is encouraging users to activate Tamper Protection in Microsoft Defender.

Tamper Protection has a number of features designed to protect you from ransomware, and it all comes for free as part of Windows 11.

Laptop sitting on a desk showing Windows 11's built-in Microsoft Teams experience
Microsoft

As part of the final version of its security configuration, Microsoft recommends using the Tamper Protection feature to stop third-parties from tampering with your security settings, particularly during installs.

Recommended Videos

Microsoft is recommending this for businesse transferring to Windows 11, but it’s recommended for everyone. The feature was originally released in 2019 and is available for Windows 10 and Windows Server 2022/2019/2016.

In Microsoft’s own words:

“During some kinds of cyber attacks, bad actors try to disable security features, such as antivirus protection, on your machines. Bad actors like to disable your security features to get easier access to your data, to install malware, or to otherwise exploit your data, identity, and devices. Tamper protection helps prevent these kinds of things from occurring.”

Tamper Protection will lock down the default settings for Microsoft Defender and make sure they are not changed during the installation process. These settings include:

  • Disabling virus and threat protection
  • Disabling real-time protection
  • Turning off behavior monitoring
  • Disabling antivirus
  • Disabling cloud-delivered protection
  • Removing security intelligence updates

If you’re wondering what ransomware is, it’s a unique form of malware that locks up a user’s system and will only release the data when the user has forked over some cash for it. Ransomware first started gaining traction in 2013, and the problem has only grown since then.

Ransomware is particularly tough because it is resistant to system resets and even hard drive swaps. While antivirus companies have developed solutions to counter ransomware, the best way to combat it is by not getting it in the first place.

If you plan on upgrading to Windows 11, this will be an important step to follow. Businesses aren’t the only targets of ransomware attacks.

Caleb Clark
Caleb Clark is a full-time writer that primarily covers consumer tech and gaming. He also writes frequently on Medium about…
Windows 11 Recall finally arrives, but with one new problem
Recall screenshot.

The Windows 11 Recall feature has been troublesome since its announcement. Now that the feature is available in a testing capacity, it is still causing users some issues.

Tech reviewers testing the feature have observed that Recall will now fail to save the snapshots that allow the function to work. CNBC noted that it may take “several minutes” for a snapshot to save, which may leave delays in the AI processing. Tom Warren of The Verge, noted on Bluesky that snapshots were not saving at all in his experience.

Read more
Windows 11 remains the driver of growth in PCs, not AI
The Surface Laptop shown in front of a Copilot+ sign.

There's been a lot of talk about AI PCs this year, but has it actually delivered on its promise? A new analysis from TrendForce says the significant boost in laptop sales in 2024 has more to do with Windows 11 updates than it does with fancy new AI features.

"The impact of AI-integrated notebooks on the overall market remains limited for now," the report states. "However, AI features are expected to naturally integrate into notebook specifications as brands gradually incorporate them, resulting in a steady rise in the penetration rates of AI notebooks."

Read more
Microsoft warns that the latest Windows 11 update may crash PC games now
Gaming PC on a desk.

Microsoft has once again temporarily halted the rollout of its latest major Windows 11 update, also known as 24H2. This time it is for systems running select Ubisoft games following widespread user reports of crashes and performance issues. The affected titles include Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Assassin's Creed Origins, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Star Wars Outlaws, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

Common complaints include black screens, freezing, and unresponsiveness during gameplay or while loading these titles. "I just bought a new gaming laptop with RTX 4080, Intel i9 14900hx. I can't play the game (Origins) even for 5 minutes because it crashes to a black screen, with audio, and the only way to close it is from task manager. Impossible to play," one user shared on Reddit. Others reported similar frustrations, citing the persistent error “NTDLL.dll” that renders their games unplayable.

Read more