Windows 10: Windows Defender finds threats but can't restart

Windows Defender finds threats but can't restart and when I restart the PC on my own it doesn't change anything.

:)

 

Windows defender false positive - forced to allow threat

Windows defender has started to identify C:\Windows\System32\mshta.exe as a threat [normally reported as a Trojan Powessere.G]. I use mshta.exe to run an hta custom MsgBox - I have been hoping to keep using my current CustomMsgBox tool [batch file calling a vbs-hta file] until later this year when I hope to have had enough time to replace it with a PowerShell alternative.

Windows defender's notification lets me "allow the threat" but that seems to me to be a bigger security hole than is necessary - it will now ignore a potentially real intrusion when all I want to run is a genuine Windows component. My immediate problem is fixed but I would prefer to fix the false positive using the exclusions list.

I cleared the 'Allowed threats history' so I could use the exclusions list instead. I added C:\Windows\System32\mshta.exe to the file exclusions list and I checked that it had taken properly by checking the exclusions list both in the UI & in the Registry. But the exclusion made no difference, it continued to detect and block the exe.

I have repeated the attempt several times [by clearing the allowed threats list & exclusions list beforehand] and the results are the same every time
- allowing the threat works,
- using the exclusions list has no effect.

I studied the relevant tutorial but have not spotted an error in what I have been doing - Add or Remove Windows Defender Exclusions

Does anybody with experience of using the exclusions list to counter false positives have any suggestions for me?

Denis

 

Suppress "Windows Defender Antivirus did not find any threats..." notification on Windows 10

You can turn off Enhanced Notifications for Windows Defender:

1. Press Windows + i.
   
2. Click Update & Security.
   
3. From the Update & security sidebar, click Windows Defender.
   
4. Scroll to the Enhanced notifications section and select No.
   

If you do not see Enhanced notifications as an option (likely because you are running Windows 10 15042 or newer), include the following additional steps:

1. Click Open Windows Defender Security Center.
   
2. Click Virus & threat protection.
   
3. Scroll down and click Change notification settings.
   
4. Turn off Receive recent activity and scan results.
   

This will turn of successful updates and only notify you critical events.

 

How come the windows defender find no threats and another free scanner find much threats?

I saw that you created another thread (i
juse no seperate anti virus stil defender work not 100% i must evry time turn on the defender looks )

which is now for reasons unknown to me not there anymore.

Screenshot:





***

If I understand you correctly, you used and uninstalled another Anti-Virus program.

Did you also run its specific removal tool (see this
List of anti-malware product removal tools ) and reboot?

In case not, please do so now.

In addition try everything mentioned here:
Problems starting Windows Defender in Windows 8/8.1/10

Also read post of quietman7 - MVP here:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_defender-protect_scanning/windows-defender/e994f94f-92d5-4d44-9721-79c2a686ce24.

There is not one Security product existing which can find and remove each and every type of malware.

Suggestion to read:
Supplementing your Anti-Virus Program with Anti-Malware Tools

If you don't want to use Windows Defender, feel free to install another Anti-Virus program...

Suggestion to read:

• Choosing an Anti-Virus Program
• Replacing your Anti-virus - Why should you use Antivirus software?
• Best Practices for Safe Computing - Prevention of Malware Infection
  

If you want to test Windows Defender you can use the EICAR test file. You can download the test file from
here. You may want to review this
pageon intended use and contents of the test file. (See also points 6 + 7 in

this wiki).

If you think your computer might be infected, I suggest to run a scan with this free tool:
How to find and clean malware infections with Emsisoft Emergency Kit | Emsisoft Blog

You might want to read: Configure Windows Defender in Windows 8, 8.1 and 10