Question regarding 4.0 and Windows Security Center

[Tyrinne]

In regards to this bit from the sticky'd / pinned thread;

"If you are upgrading from Malwarebytes 3.x, then the behavior is a little different. Your current Windows Security Center registration information for Malwarebytes 3.x will carry over. For example, if you have Malwarebytes 3.x registered in Windows Security Center, then that is what you will see with 4.0. If instead, Malwarebytes 3.x is not registered in Windows Security Center, then it will not register on upgrade to Malwarebytes 4.x and will instead remain in compatibility mode unless you change this in Malwarebytes 4.0’s Settings."

What will happen if I have it set to letting Malwarebytes decide the best option on it's own? That's what mine has always been on and what I prefer using, but if that means it'll disable Windows Defender after I upgrade, I'd like to know so I can stop it from registering entirely beforehand so I don't have to mess around trying to get Windows Defender to activate again.

[Malwarebytes]

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[AdvancedSetup]

It shouldn't change if it's already set on 3.x

If it does we can always change things back, just let us know if  you need any help

 

 

[LiquidTension]

Hi @Tyrinne,

The Malwarebytes 4 behaviour is not strictly based on your Malwarebytes version 3 configuration, but rather the result of the configuration.

If your Malwarebytes version 3 configuration currently results in Malwarebytes not registering with Windows Security Centre, then Malwarebytes version 4 will not register.
If your Malwarebytes version 3 configuration does result in Malwarebytes registering, then Malwarebytes version 4 will register.

Given Windows Defender is enabled, it means your Malwarebytes version 3 configuration has resulted in Malwarebytes not registering. Therefore, when you upgrade, Malwarebytes version 4 will also not register (thus allowing Windows Defender to remain enabled).

Edited November 5, 2019 by LiquidTension

[Tyrinne]

Thanks for the clarification  The reason I wasn't sure is due to the default behavior changing for fresh installs and the lack of mention about the "let Malwarebytes decide" option in the quoted bit. This made me think the new recommendation by the program itself would be to register itself.

[Maurice Naggar]

Just to add a bit more.  The Version 4 does not have the "Let Malwarebytes decide".   The choice in version 4 as to registering in Windows Security Center is binary.

The option is either On or Off.

[Zootopia3000]

Apparently MB version 4 requires all protections to be enabled for Action Center not to show red flag on Windows 7, whereas before on version 3.x no red flag when just using malware realtime protection. Had to disable Virus program monitoring in Action Center settings. You need to change to require malware protection only to make Action Center happy.

[LiquidTension]

Hi @Zootopia3000,

We didn't make any changes here. You should only see a warning when Malware Protection is disabled.

 

Could you take a screenshot of what you're seeing please and carry out the technical issue instructions in post #2.

[Tyrinne]

21 hours ago, Maurice Naggar said:

Just to add a bit more.  The Version 4 does not have the "Let Malwarebytes decide".   The choice in version 4 as to registering in Windows Security Center is binary.

The option is either On or Off.

That is extremely good to know, thank you! With this in mind I'm setting mine to never register before upgrading after all, just to be on the safe side.

[Maurice Naggar]

OK.    😎    Let us know if you need other help.

[mecanicogolf]

My question is: If I use MB along side of WD and I do not have it registered with Security Center and I get hit with a virus that WD misses, will MB kick in and pick it up?

Always wondered being that MB is considered now an AV. Maube I should register it with the Security Center and use WD as the backup?

 

Thanks

 

Richard

[Porthos]

6 minutes ago, mecanicogolf said:

Maube I should register it with the Security Center and use WD as the backup?

Do not register it. That TURNS OFF Windows Defender. The 2 together make a great combo.

Quote

The reason many of us members are pushing Keeping Defender on is the following.

Malwarebytes does not target script files during a scan... That means MB will not target; JS, HTML, VBS, .CLASS, SWF, BAT, CMD, PDF, PHP, etc.

It also does not target documents such as; PDF, DOC, DOCx, XLS, XLSx, PPT, PPS, ODF, etc.

It also does not target media files;  MP3, WMV, JPG, GIF, etc.

Malwarebytes will detect files like these on execution-only.

And,

Malwarebytes is not designed to function like normal AV scanners and uses a new kind of scan engine that relies mostly on heuristics detection techniques rather than traditional threat signatures.  Malwarebytes is also designed to look in all the locations where malware is known to install itself/hide, so a full or custom scan shouldn't be necessary, especially on any sort of frequent basis (like daily), especially since the default Threat Scan/Quick Scan checks all loading points/startup locations, the registry, all running processes and threads in memory, along with all system folders, program folders, and data folders as well as any installed browsers, caches, and temp locations.  This also means that if a threat were active from a non-standard location because Malwarebytes checks all threads and processes in memory, it should still be detected.  The only threat it *might* miss would be a dormant/inactive threat that is not actively running/installed on a secondary drive, however, if the threat were executed then Malwarebytes should detect it.  Additionally, whenever a new location is discovered to be used by malware the Malwarebytes Research team adds that location dynamically to the outgoing database updates so the locations that are checked by the default Threat/Quick Scan in Malwarebytes can be changed on the fly by Research without requiring any engine or program version updates/upgrades.

An AV will catch the file just by downloading it or just opening a folder with a detected file in it.

For example, you get an email with an infected attachment, Malwarebytes will not even blink until you run it yet Defender will detect it if it is in their database without even actually clicking on it. Remember the list of files Malwarebytes does not target.

Then I will leave you with this.

As good as Malwarebytes is, it is just a layer of protection.

Using a browser that has Ublock Origin and the Malwarebytes Browser guard enabled is also a layer of protection.

Not opening attachments from an email unless you were expecting it from a specific user during a specific time period.

Do not use Torrents. Do not install every free software you find. Do not click links in an unknown email. Go directly to the sit listed in the email.

Having a monthly image of your computer on an external drive that is only connected during the backup is actually better than any protective software ever made. Macrium Reflect free is the program I use and place on every computer I service

 

Edited June 28, 2020 by Porthos

[exile360]

16 minutes ago, mecanicogolf said:

My question is: If I use MB along side of WD and I do not have it registered with Security Center and I get hit with a virus that WD misses, will MB kick in and pick it up?

If Malwarebytes is capable of detecting the threat then yes, however several of the modules in Malwarebytes operate at different levels so they trap threats during different phases of the attack chain/kill chain.  This means that some components of Malwarebytes may detect/block a threat even before Windows Defender sees it.

You may also find the diagram on this page informative.

Edited June 28, 2020 by exile360

[mecanicogolf]

Well, thank you two very much. I have seen the light and everything is clear as a bell. MB is not registered with Security Center and WD is running right along side it.

 

Thank you again!

[exile360]

Excellent, I'm glad we could help.  If there is anything further you require, please let us know.

Thanks