Windows 10: Windows Defender keep asking to send Chrome SecurePreferences file.

Hi,


Starting today I keep getting message that Windows Defender want to send Chrome SecurePreferences file.


There 2 problems here:

1. Windows Defender keep asking, even though I already click Don't Send several times. Why?

2. The file is SecurePreferences. Why do you want it? Do you want to have my login info or something?


I understand that this issue was discussed back in 2018 with no answer and the discussion was closed abruptly.

:)

 

Windows 10 (1703) Defender asks to review the same files to send every day

Every day Windows Defender (Windows 10 build 1703) asks to review files to send to Microsoft

When I go into Defender it shows a "sample submission" window with a path "...\appdata\local\google\chrome\user data\default\preferences"

"Preferences" is actually a config file for Google Chrome, with no extension. It does not have a virus, it's not even a false positive

I cannot exclude it in Defender as the file does not have an extension, and whomever wrote the exclusion code in Windows Defender failed to realise files may not have extensions. Defender thinks all files without extensions are folders You can now exclude files without extensions (as files), but problem still exists when this file is excluded. I suspect exclusion process does not understand file without extensions?

How do I stop this from happening without turning off the Defender features?

This is happening on many Windows 10 machines with similar Chrome config settings, and this started happening with Windows 10 1703 build

 

Windows defender keep prompting me to send files for review

Hi,

Google Chrome secure their users by using a mechanism that some malware uses too. It's normal that Windows Defender asks users to send data to Microsoft for review because Google Chrome is a third party software and it's not native to Microsoft.

It's your discretion if you want to send or exclude those files. Defender is just asking you to send those file for review because some malware uses it too.

Don't hesitate to update us if you need further assistance.

Best regards,



Forum moderator

 

Windows 10 (1703) Defender asks to review the same files to send every day

It's possible that a malware is modifying the Startup/Homepage URL settings in the 'Preferences' file repeatedly and Windows Defender may have sensed it. Run a full system scan using Malwarebytes Premium (14-day trial available).

You may also try these things:

1. Run the Chrome Cleanup Tool.
   
2. Check to see if there is a program on your computer or an extension that's making unwanted changes (i.e. Conduit, Search Protect, etc.) disable any extensions you don't recognize.
   
3. Reset Chrome Browser to the Default Settings
   

As to why you get the sample submission confirmation dialog, I'm quoting a poster at MSFT community forum: