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Settings for Microsoft Defender Antivirus policy in Microsoft Intune for Windows devices

View details about the endpoint security antivirus policy settings you can configure for the Microsoft Defender Antivirus profile for Windows 10 and later in Microsoft Intune.

Note

This article details the settings you can find in Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Microsoft Defender Antivirus Exclusions profiles created before April 5, 2022, for the Windows 10 and later platform for endpoint security Antivirus policy. On April 5, 2022, the Windows 10 and later platform was replaced by the Windows 10, Windows 11, and Windows Server platform. Profiles created after that date use a new settings format as found in the Settings Catalog. With this change you can no longer create new versions of the old profile and they are no longer being developed. Although you can no longer create new instances of the older profile, you can continue to edit and use instances of it that you previously created.

For profiles that use the new settings format, Intune no longer maintains a list of each setting by name. Instead, the name of each setting, its configuration options, and its explanatory text you see in the Microsoft Intune admin center are taken directly from the settings authoritative content. That content can provide more information about the use of the setting in its proper context. When viewing a settings information text, you can use its Learn more link to open that content.

The following settings details for Windows profiles apply to those deprecated profiles.

Cloud protection

  • Turn on cloud-delivered protection
    CSP: AllowCloudProtection

    By default, Defender on Windows 10/11 desktop devices sends information to Microsoft about any problems it finds. Microsoft analyzes that information to learn more about problems affecting you and other customers, to offer improved solutions.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Cloud-delivered protection is turned on. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Cloud-delivered protection level
    CSP: CloudBlockLevel

    Configure how aggressive Defender Antivirus is in blocking and scanning suspicious files.

    • Not configured (default) - Default Defender blocking level.
    • High - Aggressively block unknowns while optimizing client performance, which includes a greater chance of false positives.
    • High plus - Aggressively block unknowns and apply additional protection measures that might affect client performance.
    • Zero tolerance - Block all unknown executable files.
  • Defender cloud extended timeout in seconds
    CSP: CloudExtendedTimeout

    Defender Antivirus automatically blocks suspicious files for 10 seconds while it scans them in the cloud to make sure they're safe. You can add up to 50 additional seconds to this timeout.

Microsoft Defender Antivirus Exclusions

Warning

Defining exclusions lowers the protection offered by Microsoft Defender Antivirus. Always evaluate the risks that are associated with implementing exclusions. Only exclude files you know aren't malicious.

For more information, see Exclusions overview in the Microsoft Defender documentation.

The following settings are available in the Microsoft Defender Antivirus profile:

  • Defender local admin merge
    CSP: Configuration/DisableLocalAdminMerge

    This setting controls if exclusion list settings that are configured by a local administrator merge with managed settings from Intune policy. This setting applies to lists such as threats and exclusions.

    • Not configured (default) - Unique items defined in preference settings that are configured by a local administrator merge into the resulting effective policy. If there are conflicts, management settings from Intune policy override local preference settings.
    • No - Behavior is the same as Not configured.
    • Yes - Only items defined by management are used in the resulting effective policy. Managed settings override preference settings that are configured by the local administrator.

The following settings are available in the following profiles:

  • Microsoft Defender Antivirus
  • Microsoft Defender Antivirus Exclusions

For each setting in this group, you can expand the setting, select Add, and then specify a value for the exclusion.

  • Defender processes to exclude
    CSP: ExcludedProcesses

    Specify a list of files opened by processes to ignore during a scan. The process itself isn't excluded from the scan.

  • File extensions to exclude from scans and real-time protection
    CSP: ExcludedExtensions

    Specify a list of file type extensions to ignore during a scan.

  • Defender files and folders to exclude
    CSP: ExcludedPaths

    Specify a list of files and directory paths to ignore during a scan.

Real-time protection

These settings are available in the following profiles:

  • Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Settings:

  • Turn on real-time protection
    CSP: AllowRealtimeMonitoring

    Require Defender on Windows 10/11 desktop devices to use the real-time Monitoring functionality.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Enforce use of real-time monitoring. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Enable on access protection
    CSP: AllowOnAccessProtection Configure virus protection that's continuously active, as opposed to on demand.

    • Not Configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default.
    • No - Block On Access Protection on devices. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - On Access Protection is active on devices.
  • Monitoring for incoming and outgoing files
    CSP: Defender/RealTimeScanDirection

    Configure this setting to determine which NTFS file and program activity is monitored.

    • Monitor all files (default)
    • Only monitor incoming files
    • Only monitor outgoing files
  • Turn on behavior monitoring
    CSP: AllowBehaviorMonitoring

    By default, Defender on Windows 10/11 desktop devices uses the Behavior Monitoring functionality.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Enforce use of real-time behavior monitoring. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Turn on network protection
    CSP: EnableNetworkProtection

    Protect device users using any app from accessing phishing scams, exploit-hosting sites, and malicious content on the Internet. Protection includes preventing third-party browsers from connecting to dangerous sites.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Network protection is turned on. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Scan all downloaded files and attachments
    CSP: AllowIOAVProtection

    Configure Defender to scan all downloaded files and attachments.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Defender scans all downloaded files and attachments. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Scan scripts that are used in Microsoft browsers
    CSP: AllowScriptScanning

    Configure Defender to scan scripts.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Defender scans scripts. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Scan network files
    CSP: AllowScanningNetworkFiles

    Configure Defender to scan network files.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Turn on scanning of network files. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Scan emails
    CSP: AllowEmailScanning

    Configure Defender to scan incoming email.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Turn on email scanning. Device users can't change this setting.

Remediation

These settings are available in the following profiles:

  • Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Settings:

  • Number of days (0-90) to keep quarantined malware
    CSP: DaysToRetainCleanedMalware

    Specify the number of days from zero to 90 that the system stores quarantined items before they're automatically removed. A value of zero keeps items in quarantine and doesn't automatically remove them.

  • Submit samples consent

    • Not configured (default)
    • Send safe samples automatically
    • Always prompt
    • Never send
    • Send all samples automatically
  • Action to take on potentially unwanted apps
    CSP: PUAProtection

    Specify the level of detection for potentially unwanted applications (PUAs). Defender alerts users when potentially unwanted software is being downloaded or attempts to install on a device.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default, which is PUA Protection OFF.
    • Disable
    • Enable - Detected items are blocked, and show in history along with other threats.
    • Audit mode - Defender detects potentially unwanted applications, but takes no action. You can review information about the applications Defender would have taken action against by searching for events that are created by Defender in the Event Viewer.
  • Actions for detected threats
    CSP: ThreatSeverityDefaultAction

    Specify the action that Defender takes for detected malware based on the malware's threat level.

    Defender classifies malware that it detects as one of the following severity levels:

    • Low severity
    • Moderate severity
    • High severity
    • Severe severity

    For each level, specify the action to take. The default for each severity level is Not configured.

    • Not configured
    • Clean - The service tries to recover files and try to disinfect.
    • Quarantine - Moves files to quarantine.
    • Remove - Removes files from the device.
    • Allow - Allows the file and doesn't take other actions.
    • User defined - The device user makes the decision on which action to take.
    • Block - Blocks file execution.

Scan

These settings are available in the following profiles:

  • Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Settings:

  • Scan archive files
    CSP: AllowArchiveScanning

    Configure Defender to scan archive files, like ZIP or CAB files.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting returns to the client default, which is to scan archived files, however the user may disable setting. Learn more
    • No - File archives aren't scanned. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Enable scans of archive files. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Use low CPU priority for scheduled scans
    CSP: EnableLowCPUPriority

    Configure CPU priority for scheduled scans.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting returns to the system default, in which no changes to CPU priority are made.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Low CPU priority will be used during scheduled scans. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Disable catch-up full scan
    CSP: DisableCatchupFullScan

    Configure catch-up scans for scheduled full scans. A catch-up scan is a scan that is run because a regularly scheduled scan was missed. Usually these scheduled scans are missed because the computer was turned off at the scheduled time.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is returned to client default, which is to disable catch-up scans for full scans.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Catch-up scans for scheduled full scans are enforced and the user can't disable them. If a computer is offline for two consecutive scheduled scans, a catch-up scan is started the next time someone signs in to the computer. If there's no scheduled scan configured, there will be no catch-up scan run. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Disable catchup quick scan
    CSP: DisableCatchupQuickScan

    Configure catch-up scans for scheduled quick scans. A catch-up scan is a scan that is run because a regularly scheduled scan was missed. Usually these scheduled scans are missed because the computer was turned off at the scheduled time.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is returned to client default, which is to disable catch-up scans for full scans.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change this setting.
    • Yes - Catch-up scans for scheduled quick scans are enforced and the user can't disable them. If a computer is offline for two consecutive scheduled scans, a catch-up scan is started the next time someone signs in to the computer. If there's no scheduled scan configured, there will be no catch-up scan run. Device users can't change this setting.
  • CPU usage limit per scan
    CSP: AvgCPULoadFactor

    Specify as a percent from zero to 100, the average CPU load factor for the Defender scan.

  • Scan mapped network drives during full scan
    CSP: AllowFullScanOnMappedNetworkDrives

    Configure Defender to scan mapped network drives.

    • Not configured (default) - The setting is restored to the system default, which disables scanning on mapped network drives.
    • No - The setting is disabled. Device users can't change the setting.
    • Yes - Enable scans of mapped network drives. Device users can't change this setting.
  • Run daily quick scan at
    CSP: ScheduleQuickScanTime

    Select the time of day that Defender quick scans run. This setting applies only when a device runs a quick scan and doesn't interact with the following three settings:

    • Scan type
    • Day of week to run a scheduled scan
    • Time of day to run a scheduled scan

    By default, Run daily quick scan at is set to Not configured.

  • Scan type
    CSP: ScanParameter

    Select the type of scan that Defender runs. This setting interacts with the settings Day of week to run a scheduled scan and Time of day to run a scheduled scan.

    • Not Configured (default)
    • Quick scan
    • Full scan
  • Day of week to run a scheduled scan

    • Not Configured (default)
  • Time of day to run a scheduled scan

    • Not Configured (default)
  • Check for signature updates before running scan

    • Not Configured (default)
    • No
    • Yes

Updates

These settings are available in the following profiles:

  • Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Settings:

  • Enter how often (0-24 hours) to check for security intelligence updates
    CSP: SignatureUpdateInterval

    Specify the interval from zero to 24 (in hours) that is used to check for signatures. A value of zero results in no check for new signatures. A value of 2 will check every two hours, and so on.

  • Define file shares for downloading definition updates
    CSP: SignatureUpdateFallbackOrder

    Manage locations, like a UNC file share, as a download source location to get definition updates. After definition updates successfully download from a specified source, the remaining sources in the list won't be contacted.

    You can Add individual locations, or Import a list of locations as a .csv file.

  • Define the order of sources for downloading definition updates
    CSP: SignatureUpdateFileSharesSources

    Specify in which order to contact source locations you've specified, to get definition updates. After definition updates have successfully downloaded from one specified source, the remaining sources in the list won't be contacted.

User experience

These settings are available in the following profiles:

  • Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Settings:

  • Allow user access to Microsoft Defender app
    CSP: AllowUserUIAccess

  • Not Configured (default) - The setting returns to client default in which UI and notifications are allowed.

  • No - The Defender User Interface (UI) is inaccessible and notifications ware suppressed.

  • Yes