Manage Defender Antivirus

Use this operation to add or remove exceptions for Defender Antivirus scanning.

Role Requirements

Procedure Scope: Administrators

Required Group Membership: Admin.Security

Handbook Reference

Package: Device Security

Domain: TBD

Modifies: TBD

When to Perform this Operation

As Needed: Proactive or in Response to User/Security

Technical Description and Importance

Managing Defender Antivirus exceptions ensures that specific files, paths, or processes can bypass antivirus scanning when necessary to maintain operational continuity or support critical applications. This capability is essential in scenarios where legitimate files or processes might trigger false positives, disrupting business workflows. Adding or removing exceptions allows organizations to maintain a balance between robust threat detection and the functional requirements of approved software. Routine management of exceptions reduces unnecessary risks while maintaining high operational efficiency and compliance with potential organizational requirements.

Management Options

• Exempt a File Extension
• Exempt a File Path
• Exempt a Process

Exempt a File Extension:

Purpose
Add or remove file extensions from the Defender Antivirus exclusion list.
Use Case
A new file type associated with a trusted application needs to bypass scanning to prevent interruptions.

Exempt a File Path:

Purpose
Add or remove a file path from the Defender Antivirus exclusion list.
Use Case
A specific directory containing application logs is triggering false positives and needs exclusion.

Exempt a File Process:

Purpose
Add or remove a process from the Defender Antivirus exclusion list.
Use Case
A trusted application process is flagged by Defender Antivirus and must be exempted for continued operation.

Operation	Action	Target
Exempt a File Extension	Addition	Defender Antivirus Extension Exceptions
Exempt a File Path	Addition	Defender Antivirus Path Exceptions
Exempt a Process	Addition	Defender Antivirus Process Exceptions

Exempt a File Extension

This operation adds or removes file extensions from the Defender Antivirus exclusion list to allow specific file types to bypass scanning.

       1. Defender Antivirus File Extension Exemption

Exempt a File Path

This operation adds or removes file paths from the Defender Antivirus exclusion list to prevent scanning of specific directories.

       1. Defender Antivirus File Path Exemption

Exempt a Process

This operation adds or removes processes from the Defender Antivirus exclusion list to enable trusted applications to run without interference.

       1. Defender Antivirus Process Exemption

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