Windows Defender Features

Windows Defender is a brand name for a series of Windows 10 features designed to help prevent, detect, and respond to malware and advanced threats. Beginning with Windows 10 version 1709, a variety of existing and new features will be branded with the Windows Defender name. (Dark shaded items above require additional licenses.)

Different Windows Defender tools target different attack timelines and stages. Generally, tools focus on either pre- or post-breach or help focus on a stage, such as protection, detection, and response:

• Defender AV offers protection from malware such as viruses, worms, and Trojans
• Defender SmartScreen warns about known Web sites and downloads that distribute or contain malware
• Defender Exploit Guard extends Windows 10’s Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) features with attack surface reduction (ASR) blocking capabilities
• Defender Application Guard forces applications to run in a protected environment to limit any damage
• Defender Device