Skip to main content

Disable Defender Exploit Guard

Overview​

About this category

This category contains privacy scripts for Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This category disables Defender Exploit Guard, potentially enhancing privacy and system performance.

Exploit Guard is also called Windows Defender Exploit Guard 1 2 3 4 5 or Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard 6. This component has been a built-in feature of Windows 10 since version 1709 1 5. It's the successor to the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) 1 5.

Exploit Guard uses Microsoft Cloud for machine learning and to check websites and IP addresses 1. Disabling it may enhance privacy by preventing these connections. It may improve system performance by reducing background processes. It also increases user autonomy by enabling choices about which programs, scripts, and websites can connect without automatic intervention.

However, disabling Exploit Guard may reduce protection against certain types of attacks. Users should carefully weigh the trade-offs between enhanced privacy/performance and potential security risks when disabling this feature.

Exploit Guard consists of four main components:

  1. Attack Surface Reduction (ASR): Blocks Office-, script-, and email-based threats 1 2 7.
  2. Network protection: Blocks outbound connections to untrusted hosts/IP addresses using Defender SmartScreen 1 2 4. It extends SmartScreen to the operating system level 4.
  3. Controlled folder access: Protects sensitive data from ransomware by blocking untrusted processes from accessing protected folders 1 2 3.
  4. Exploit protection: Applies exploit mitigation techniques to operating system processes and applications 1 2 3.

These components are enabled and configured by default on Windows 10 and 11 1 3 8. They can also be remotely configured and set up in managed environments, such as enterprise organizations 2. Disabling Exploit Guard can affect local or organizational configurations, such as those set by schools or employers.

Defender Antivirus is the built-in antimalware component in Windows 5. Exploit Guard operates independently from Defender Antivirus 5. However, some features, like Attack Surface Reduction, depend on Defender Antivirus to function 1. Exploit Guard may also require Defender Antivirus for some of its configurations 6.

Exploit Guard is included in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint suite 9 10. Defender for Endpoint enhances its functionality by providing additional detailed reporting into exploit protection events and blocks as part of the usual alert investigation scenarios 10. Disabling Exploit Guard may impair the functionality of Defender for Endpoint.

Caution

Disabling Exploit Guard may lower your security if you do not have proper security practices or alternative protections in place.

Not Advised

This category should only be used by advanced users. None of its scripts are recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.

Apply now​

These scripts are written using Batch (batchfile) scripting language.

Choose one of two ways to apply:

  1. Automatically via privacy.sexy: The easiest and safest option.
  2. Manually by downloading: Requires downloading a file.

Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy​

privacy.sexy is free and open-source application that lets securely apply this action easily.

Open privacy.sexy

It allows selectively choose parts of this action to conduct. You can fully restore this action (revert back to the original behavior) using the application.

privacy.sexy instructions
  1. Open or download the desktop application
  2. Search for the category name: Disable Defender Exploit Guard.
  3. Check the category by clicking on the checkbox of the category.
  4. Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.

Alternative 2. Download​

Consider restarting your computer for all changes to take affect.

Reversible

This action is completely reversible, you can restore your changes to the initial/default state. The restore/revert methods provided here can help you fix issues.

If something goes wrong, use the Revert script provided above.

All​

This script includes Standard, Strict recommendation levels along with unrecommended scripts.

Not Advised

This script should only be used by advanced users. Some of these changes are NOT recommended for daily use as it breaks important functionality. Do not run it without having backups and system snapshots.

Download all scripts:

Download script

Restore these changes if you decide to revert them by downloading the restore script:

Download restore script

Explore further​

This category includes total of 3 scripts but no subcategories.

Explore its 3 scripts:

Disable "ExploitGuard MDM policy Refresh" task

This script disables the "ExploitGuard MDM policy Refresh" scheduled task. The task is originally described in the Task Scheduler as: "Task for applying changes to the machine's Exploit Protection settings". Windows Defender Exploit Guard is a security feature in Windows, designed to prevent potential intrusions. It encompasses various components such as "Attack Surface Reduction (ASR)", "Network protection", "Controlled folder access", and "Exploit protection". Specifically, the "ExploitGuard M...

Explore Categories​

This action belongs to Disable Defender category. This category offers scripts to disable Windows security components related to Defender. Defender is also referred to as Microsoft Defender or Windows Defender. Although designed to protect you, its features may compromise your privacy and decrease computer performance. Privacy concerns... Read more on category page ▶

Support​

This website relies on your support.

Support now

Your donation helps keep the project alive and improves its content ❤️.

Share this page:

EmailLinkedInRedditPinterestWhatsAppTelegramWeiboVK