← Back to Microsoft Defender Antivirus Security Technical Implementation Guide

V-278680

CAT II (Medium)

Microsoft Defender AV must enable heuristics.

Rule ID

SV-278680r1190775_rule

STIG

Microsoft Defender Antivirus Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V2R8

CCIs

CCI-002624

Discussion

Always-on protection consists of real-time protection, behavior monitoring, and heuristics to identify malware based on known suspicious and malicious activities.

Check Content

Verify the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Scan >> Turn on heuristics is set to "Enabled"; otherwise, this is a finding.

Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: 
HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scan

Criteria: If the value "DisableHeuristics" is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding.

If the value is 1, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Set the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Scan >> Turn on heuristics to "Enabled".