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Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
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Prevent malware infection

4 September 2026Doc update+18 / −18 lines

In brief

The page now uses current Microsoft Support links for Windows Update, User Account Control, user accounts, Microsoft account security, and Microsoft Defender.

What Defender admins need to know

No administrator action is required.

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Documentation change

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title: Prevent malware infection ms.reviewer: description: Learn steps you can take to help prevent a malware or potentially unwanted software from infecting your computer. keywords: security, malware, prevention, infection, tips, Microsoft, MMPC, Microsoft Malware Protection Center, virus, trojan, worm, stop, prevent, full scan, infection, avoid malware, avoid trojan, avoid virus, infection, how, detection, security software, antivirus, updates, how malware works, how virus works, firewall, turn on, user privileges, limit, prevention, WDSI, MMPC, Microsoft Malware Protection Center ms.service: defender-endpoint ms.subservice: reference ms.mktglfcycl: secure ms.localizationpriority: medium ms.collection:

  • m365-security
  • tier2 ms.topic: article

Keep software up to date

Exploits typically use vulnerabilities in software. It's important to keep your software, apps, and operating systems up to date.

To keep Microsoft software up to date, ensure that automatic Microsoft Updatesautomatic Microsoft Updates are enabled. Also, upgrade to the latest version of Windows to benefit from the latest built-in security enhancements.

Be wary of links and attachments

Email, SMS messages, Microsoft Teams chat, and other messaging tools are a few of the most common ways attackers can infect devices. Attachments or links in messages can open malware directly or can stealthily trigger a download.

Users don't openly discuss visits to these sites, so any untoward experience are more likely to stay unreported.

To stay safe, download movies, music, and apps from official publisher websites or stores.

Don't attach unfamiliar removable drives

At the time they're launched, whether inadvertently by a user or automatically, most malware run under the same privileges as the active user. This means that by limiting account privileges, you can prevent malware from making consequential changes any devices.

By default, Windows uses User Account Control (UAC)User Account Control (UAC) to provide automatic, granular control of privileges—it temporarily restricts privileges and prompts the active user every time an application attempts to make potentially consequential changes to the system. Although UAC helps limit the privileges of admin users, users can override this restriction when prompted. As a result, it's quite easy for an admin user to inadvertently allow malware to run.

To help ensure that everyday activities don't result in malware infection and other potentially catastrophic changes, it's recommended that you use a non-administrator account for regular use. By using a non-administrator account, you can prevent installation of unauthorized apps and prevent inadvertent changes to system settings. Avoid browsing the web or checking email using an account with administrator privileges.

Whenever necessary, log in as an administrator to install apps or make configuration changes that require admin privileges.

Read about creating user accounts and giving administrator privilegesRead about creating user accounts and giving administrator privileges

Other safety tips

  • Be wary when connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots, particularly those that don't require authentication.

  • Use strong passwordsstrong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication.

  • Don't use untrusted devices to log on to email, social media, and corporate accounts.

Microsoft provides comprehensive security capabilities that help protect against threats. We recommend:

Use Zero Trust

Businesses should move to a Zero Trust security strategy. Zero Trust isn't a product or a service, but an approach in designing and implementing the following set of security principles:

  • Verify explicitly
  • Use least privilege access
  • Assume breach

Software solutions for business

  • Microsoft Defender for Business is a security solution designed especially for the small- and medium-sized business (up to 300 employees). With this endpoint security solution, your company's devices are better protected from ransomware, malware, phishing, and other threats.

  • The built-in security features for all cloud mailboxes offers enterprise-class reliability and protection against spam and malware, while maintaining access to email during and after emergencies.

  • Microsoft Defender for Office 365 includes machine learning capabilities that block dangerous emails, including millions of emails carrying ransomware downloaders.

  • Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides comprehensive endpoint protection, detection, and response capabilities to help prevent ransomware. In the event of a breach, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint alerts security operations teams about suspicious activities and automatically attempts to resolve the problem.

  • Windows Hello for BusinessWindows Hello for Business replaces passwords with strong two-factor authentication on your devices. This authentication consists of a new type of user credential that is tied to a device and uses a biometric or PIN. It lets user authenticate to an Active Directory or Azure Active Directory account.

What to do with a malware infection

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint antivirus capabilities help reduce the chances of infection and automatically remove threats that it detects.

In case threat removal is unsuccessful, read about troubleshooting malware detection and removal problemstroubleshooting malware detection and removal problems.