

Solution To establish the recommended configuration via GP, set the following UI path to Disabled: Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus\Turn off Microsoft Defender AntiVirus Note: This Group Policy path is provided by the Group Policy template WindowsDefender.admx/adml that is included with all versions of the Microsoft Windows Administrative Templates. Impact: None - this is the default behavior. Organizations that choose to purchase a reputable 3rd-party antivirus solution may choose to exempt themselves from this recommendation in lieu of the commercial alternative. Microsoft provides a competent solution out of the box in Microsoft Defender Antivirus. Rationale: It is important to ensure a current, updated antivirus product is scanning each computer for malicious file activity. The recommended state for this setting is: Disabled.

If the setting is configured to Disabled, Microsoft Defender Antivirus runs and computers are scanned for malware and other potentially unwanted software. Information This policy setting turns off Microsoft Defender Antivirus.
