The primary goal of any ransomware is to encrypt the user's files and then demand payment. Every infection is dangerous, but if it were possible to block write permissions on a specific folder and restrict access to authorized programs, many ransomware variants would be left frustrated when it comes to modifying content. That's what Microsoft's new “Controlled folder access” feature, enabled within Windows Defender on the Fall Creators Update of Windows 10, aims to do.
All evidence suggests that Microsoft is taking the release of the Fall Creators Update for Windows 10 very calmly, and personally, I think that's a good idea. Its quality control has proven problematic in the best of cases... and catastrophic in the worst. If the erroneous distribution of a hotfix can put the entire operating system out of commission, it terrifies us to think what a major update stuck halfway could do. In fact, if we visit various forums and social networks, we'll find isolated reports of installation errors, which shows that things are never perfect in the colorful world of Redmond. However, the update puts a new feature on the table that definitely catches our attention, and it's hidden inside Windows Defender.
What is Controlled Folder Access?
It's called “Controlled folder access”, and although it comes disabled by default, it's worth a look. Its goal is to protect critical files by blocking write operations. While that doesn't prevent malware from seeing the folder's contents or making copies of the files it contains, any attempt to modify, encrypt, or delete them will be rejected. Now, the feature doesn't make much sense if it blocks access to all programs. Windows 10 will allow apps that Microsoft considers “friendly” or “legitimate” to pass through, but if it makes a mistake, there's the possibility of manually authorizing software.
How to Enable Controlled Folder Access
If you want to enable controlled folder access, simply open Windows Defender, click on the “Virus & threat protection” section, enter the “Virus & threat protection settings” option, and finally move the slider for “Controlled folder access”. Again, this is only available in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
