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Unable to access WIndows Defender \ Scans folder to deal with invisible "potentially unwanted app"

Anonymous
2024-09-19T14:57:49+00:00

I recently upgraded to Windows 11 from WIndows 10.
After doing so I noticed that there was a Windows Defender notificiation, and when opened the Reccomended Actions it brought me to the "App & broser control" window. Here it showed an issue under "Reputation-based protection" but when I hit the "Review" button there were no notifications shown under the "Protection History".
As far as I could tell there were no way to determine which app there was an issue with or a way to dismiss the notification.

From there I searched for an alternate way to deal with this issue.
This thread:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-security-shows-potentially-unwanted-app/8b440652-a278-47d4-a890-266ea5abf901

Suggested accessing the Windows Defender folder and the accessing the Scans directory, and deleting items / observing from within there. When I tried to do this on my recently updated Windows 11 I was met by a notification telling me that "You have been denied permission to access this folder."

I am the only user on my computer, and tried opening Explorer in Administrator mode to access these files and met the same end.
Following from the suggested action on the notification I entered the security tab of the folder and then the "Advanced Security Settings for Scans" where I could see that there were 3 listed users with Full Control Access:
TrustedInstaller
SYSTEM
Admistrators (NAME OF MY PC\Administrators)

I don't understand while being the only user of my computer how I don't have Administarive access to observer these files.

Many thanks, if you have requests for more appropriate information I can share to assist with the problem please notify me.+

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Security and privacy

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  1. DaveM121 871.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2024-09-19T15:30:47+00:00

    Hi, I am Dave, I will help you with this.

    Those folders are protected and are only accessible in Safe Mode.

    1

    Start Windows in Safe Mode.

    Open File Explorer, then on the View menu at the top, temporarily turn on 'Hidden Items'.

    Navigate to this folder: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scans\History\Service

    Delete the contents of that Service folder.

    Navigate to this folder:

    C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Quarantine

    Delete the contents of that Quarantine folder.

    Close File Explorer.

    2

    Restart Windows in normal mode.

    Open Defender and select the option to perform an offline scan, your PC will restart to perform that scan.

    Then check if that malware list in Defender is clear.

    3 people found this answer helpful.
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  1. Anonymous
    2024-09-19T15:55:07+00:00

    Thank you, I was able to identify the files causing the problems from the detection log, and then overwrite it after force deleting those files.

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