Windows Defender and Smart Screen can help block viruses and harmful malware, but there’s a whole other class of nuisance programs you might want to block as well.
Known as potentially unwanted applications/programs, a PUA (or PUP) is a type of app that, while not technically a virus or malware, still can cause your machine to run slowly, display ads, or install other unwanted software. A PUA might hog your computer to mine crypto-currency, send out spam to others, track your usage and violate your privacy, or just annoy you with fake alerts asking you to purchase a fake antivirus to solve the fake problem.
Fortunately, these nuisances can be detected or outright blocked — you just have to turn the option on.
1. Enabling PUA Protection in Microsoft Edge
To block potentially unwanted apps in the Chromium-based Microsoft Edge, open Settings and go to the Privacy, Search, and Services section. From there, scroll down to Security and turn on the checkbox.
2. Enabling Enhanced Security in Edge
While you’re there, scroll down just a tiny bit further and turn on Enhanced Security in Edge, which helps protect you when you’re visiting untrusted websites by blocking potential attack vectors.
3. Enabling PUA Protection in Microsoft Windows
To block potentially unwanted apps from running on your computer, enable the protection with this short command.
- Search for Windows PowerShell and run it as administrator.
- Type Set-MpPreference -PUAProtection Enabled and press Enter.
Testing It
If you’d like to make sure either of the above features are working, you can visit the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint demo website at demo.wd.microsoft.com and see it in action using industry-standard test payloads. These aren’t real viruses but the whole industry has agreed to detect them as if they were so they can be used to make sure your protection is correctly detecting them.
Further Reading
For more info, check out Block potentially unwanted applications with Microsoft Defender Antivirus. You can also see Use PowerShell cmdlets to configure and run Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Defender Antivirus cmdlets.
