Modern versions of Windows offer a setting named “Choose where to get apps” which can reduce attack surface by limiting the locations from which applications can be installed. Internally, we’ve called this feature “Smart Install”. By default, this option is set to “Anywhere“, which means that Windows will allow an executable downloaded from the InternetContinue reading “Windows: Choose Where To Get Apps”
Tag Archives: Windows
Defensive Technology: Ransomware Data Recovery
In a prior installment we looked at Controlled Folder Access, a Windows feature designed to hamper ransomware attacks by preventing untrusted processes from modifying files in certain user folders. In today’s post, we look at the other feature on the Ransomware protection page of the Windows Security Center App — Ransomware data recovery. User-Interface TheContinue reading “Defensive Technology: Ransomware Data Recovery”
Windows Shell Previews – Restricted
Windows users who installed the October 2025 Security Updates may have noticed an unexpected change if they use the Windows Explorer preview pane. When previewing many downloaded files, the preview is now replaced with the following text: While it also occurs when viewing files on remote Internet Zone file shares, the problem doesn’t occur forContinue reading “Windows Shell Previews – Restricted”
Family Safety Content Filtering
Microsoft Family Safety is a feature of Windows that allows parents to control their children’s access to apps and content in Windows. The feature is tied to the user accounts of the parent(s) and child(ren). When I visit https://family.microsoft.com and log in with my personal Microsoft Account, I’m presented with the following view: The “Nate”Continue reading “Family Safety Content Filtering”
Defensive Technology: Exploit Protection
September 2025 tl;dr: You probably should not touch Exploit Protection settings. This post explains what the feature does and how it works, but admins and end-users should probably just leave it alone to do what it does by default. Over the last several decades, the Windows team has added a stream of additional security mitigationContinue reading “Defensive Technology: Exploit Protection”
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