Windows Defender Identifies The SAME PUP As A Threat Repeatedly

Anonymous

Since the implementation of W10 V2004, Windows Defender has now been defaulted to identify

PUPS as a threat. As a result, many are now made aware of their presence. And they are "remediated",

on the spot, to prevent them from causing any mischief.

The problem occurs on the subsequent scans with Windows Defender. It identifies the same PUP again,

and again. It has been determined that this is caused by the presence of the PUP in Protection History.

It appears that the default remediation that Windows Defender applies to PUPs is to Block them,

then leave them in Protection History .

EDIT: It has been found that malware other than PUPS, can require this same procedure.

Some have discovered, that even Trojans exhibit this same characteristic, when remediated by

Windows Defender in W10 v2004.

If you have any malware, remediated by Windows Defender, that alerts repeatedly, this procedure applies to

it as well. In order to cleanup the malware completely, find the file in the "container file" in the Protection

History record, and delete the file that is described. If you can't find or access the file, run the Microsoft

Safety Scanner. It uses the same definitions as Windows Defender, and should remediate the file.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/intelligence/safety-scanner-download

Then proceed to delete the Protection History info.

END EDIT.

Windows Defender is defaulted to scan its own "Scans/History". Resulting in the discovery of the malware over

and over again. Even though, other scanners see no evidence of the malware on the PC. It doesn't exist!

Until Microsoft sees fit to fix this problem, you can prevent the repeating error indication, by deleting the

items that are described in Windows Defender Protection History. You can delete them by accessing their files,

that are located in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scans\History\Service.

In the "Service" folder, find and delete "Detection History".

Note: ProgramData is a hidden file. In order to access it, the "Hidden Items" option in "File Explorer" must be

checked. Find the "Hidden Items" check box under the "View Tab".

And, the first time that you access "Scans", you must select "continue", to obtain the permission.

Restart and try another scan. Notifications for the current malware should stop.

However, this program miscue will probably reoccur, when the next PUP / Malware is encountered.

Glen

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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188 answers

Anonymous

2020-09-24T06:27:33+00:00

Sir, My account is an Administrator Account but then too I cannot open "Scans".

Okay, I will try the second option that you said.
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Anonymous

2020-09-23T22:09:17+00:00

Hi Labeeb,

I'm sorry that you are having so much difficulty expanding Scans.

Your problem might be associated with your Account that you use to access your PC.

Since Scans does requires permission, the first time that you access it, it may also

require that your Account is an Administrative Account.

Do you know what kind of an Account that you run from? If it is not as an administrator,

you may need to establish a new "Administrative Account" in order to delete Detection

History.      If that is feasible.

If that is not feasible, there is a "Windows PowerShell Admin" cmdlet that you can run,

to purge Protection History. Which would delete the Detection History folder as well.

However, it requires at least one full day to become effective.

If you want to give that a try, proceed as follows.

Right click "Start", and from the list, select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)".

On the PowerShell screen type   Set-MpPreference -ScanPurgeItemsAfterDelay 1 <enter>

Then type Exit   and hit <enter> to exit PowerShell.

After a day, Protection History should be empty.   And the alert from Defender should stop.

Follow up by running PowqerShell Admin again, but this time the cmdlet should be

Set-MpPreference -ScanPurgeItemsAfterDelay 1E. <enter>

Exit   <enter>    This sets the purge schedule to 30 days, which is normal.

Best of luck, Glen
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Anonymous

2020-09-23T09:41:58+00:00

Sir, I am not able to open "Scans". It's not expanding. I am repeatedly clicking on it but it is not opening. I have clicked on it a thousand times but it's not opening, Sir.

I request you to please help me!!

If you want I can mail you the screenshot or the screen recording.

Or you can create a meeting on meet to help me resolve this issue live.

Thank you, Sir!!

I am really irritating you, Sir. But that issue is irritating me too.

Thank you very much Sir!! for all the help till now. Just help me this last time.

Hopeful, Labeeb.
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Anonymous

2020-09-23T07:52:42+00:00

Hi Labeeb,

After you expand Windows Defender, expand Scans, which is right after Quarantine.

If you see a popup after expanding Scans, click on "Continue".

Then expand History, which is just two steps after Scans. Ignore the "Scans" below

History.

After expanding History, find and expand Service. When you expand Service, you

will see Detection History. Delete that folder.

Glen
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Anonymous

2020-09-23T07:09:25+00:00

Thank you Sir!!

I found the program data file then went to Microsoft then Windows Defender but I was not able to open "Scans", I was repeatedly clicking on it but nothing happened, no popups, nothing.

What to do, Sir??

Please help!!

Thank you, Sir!!
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