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Disable SmartScreen Enhanced Phishing Protection automatic data collection

Overview

About this script

This script improves your privacy on Windows.

These changes use Windows system commands to update your settings.

This script disables automatic data collection by SmartScreen's Enhanced Phishing Protection.

Enhanced Phishing Protection collects additional information when users enter their work or school passwords on suspicious websites or apps 1 2. This information may include displayed content, played sounds, and application memory 1 2.

Microsoft uses this data to enhance SmartScreen's ability to identify malicious websites or apps 1 2. This data helps Defender SmartScreen determine if the user entered their work or school password on a suspicious website or app 1 2.

After running this script, Enhanced Phishing Protection will no longer collect additional data when users enter work or school passwords on potentially malicious sites or apps 2.

This script improves privacy by stopping the collection of potentially sensitive user data. It may also slightly boost system performance by reducing background data collection.

However, disabling this feature may weaken phishing protection. Organizations like the Center for Internet Security (CIS) recommend keeping this setting enabled for stronger security 1.

Caution

Disabling this feature may increase vulnerability to advanced phishing attacks targeting work or school credentials.

Technical Details

This script sets the CaptureThreatWindow 2 policy to disabled state.

This script uses Batch (batchfile) scripting language.

Use with Caution

This script is only recommended if you understand its implications. Some non-critical or features may no longer function correctly after running this script.

Implementation Details
  • Language: batch

  • Required Privileges: Administrator rights

  • Compatibility: Windows only

  • Reversibility: Can be undone using provided revert script

Explore Categories

This action belongs to Disable SmartScreen Enhanced Phishing Protection category. This category contains scripts to disable SmartScreen's Enhanced Phishing Protection feature, which monitors password usage and sends data to Microsoft. This feature collects information from suspicious websites or apps to identify security threats when users enter their passwords. It was... Read more on category page ▶

Apply now

Choose one of three ways to apply:

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

Alternative 1. Apply with Privacy.sexy

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

Open privacy.sexy

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 script name: Disable SmartScreen Enhanced Phishing Protection automatic data collection.
  3. Check the script by clicking on the checkbox.
  4. Click on Run button at the bottom of the page.

Alternative 2. Download

Irreversible Changes

This script is irreversible, meaning there is no straightforward method to restore changes once applied. Exercise caution before running, restoring it may not be possible.

  1. Download the script file by clicking on the button below:

    Download script

  2. Run the script file by clicking on it.

Download revert script

This file restores your system to its original state, before this script is applied.

Download restore script

Alternative 3. Copy

This is for advanced users. Consider automatically applying or downloading the script for simpler way.

  1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
HELP: Step-by-step guide
  1. Click on Start menu

  2. Type cmd

  3. Right click on Command Prompt select Run as administrator

  4. Click on Yes to run Command Prompt


Animation showing how to open terminal as administrator on Windows 11

  1. Copy the following code:
Code to apply changes
:: Set the registry value: "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WTDS\Components!CaptureThreatWindow"
:: This operation will not run on Windows versions earlier than Windows11-FirstRelease.
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$versionName = 'Windows11-FirstRelease'; $buildNumber = switch ($versionName) { 'Windows11-FirstRelease' { '10.0.22000' }; 'Windows11-22H2' { '10.0.22621' }; 'Windows11-21H2' { '10.0.22000' }; 'Windows10-22H2' { '10.0.19045' }; 'Windows10-21H2' { '10.0.19044' }; 'Windows10-20H2' { '10.0.19042' }; 'Windows10-1909' { '10.0.18363' }; 'Windows10-1607' { '10.0.14393' }; default { throw "^""Internal privacy$([char]0x002E)sexy error: No build for minimum Windows '$versionName'"^""; }; }; $minVersion = [System.Version]::Parse($buildNumber); $ver = [Environment]::OSVersion.Version; $verNoPatch = [System.Version]::new($ver.Major, $ver.Minor, $ver.Build); if ($verNoPatch -lt $minVersion) { Write-Output "^""Skipping: Windows ($verNoPatch) is below minimum $minVersion ($versionName)"^""; Exit 0; }; $registryPath = 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WTDS\Components'; $data = '0'; reg add 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WTDS\Components' /v 'CaptureThreatWindow' /t 'REG_DWORD' /d "^""$data"^"" /f"
:: Set the registry value: "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WTDS\Components!CaptureThreatWindow"
:: This operation will not run on Windows versions earlier than Windows11-FirstRelease.
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$versionName = 'Windows11-FirstRelease'; $buildNumber = switch ($versionName) { 'Windows11-FirstRelease' { '10.0.22000' }; 'Windows11-22H2' { '10.0.22621' }; 'Windows11-21H2' { '10.0.22000' }; 'Windows10-22H2' { '10.0.19045' }; 'Windows10-21H2' { '10.0.19044' }; 'Windows10-20H2' { '10.0.19042' }; 'Windows10-1909' { '10.0.18363' }; 'Windows10-1607' { '10.0.14393' }; default { throw "^""Internal privacy$([char]0x002E)sexy error: No build for minimum Windows '$versionName'"^""; }; }; $minVersion = [System.Version]::Parse($buildNumber); $ver = [Environment]::OSVersion.Version; $verNoPatch = [System.Version]::new($ver.Major, $ver.Minor, $ver.Build); if ($verNoPatch -lt $minVersion) { Write-Output "^""Skipping: Windows ($verNoPatch) is below minimum $minVersion ($versionName)"^""; Exit 0; }function Invoke-AsTrustedInstaller($Script) { $principalSid = [System.Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier]::new('S-1-5-80-956008885-3418522649-1831038044-1853292631-2271478464'); $principalName = $principalSid.Translate([System.Security.Principal.NTAccount]); $streamFile = New-TemporaryFile; $scriptFile = New-TemporaryFile; try { $scriptFile = Rename-Item -LiteralPath $scriptFile -NewName ($scriptFile.BaseName + '.ps1') -Force -PassThru; $Script | Out-File $scriptFile -Encoding UTF8; $taskName = "^""privacy$([char]0x002E)sexy invoke"^""; schtasks.exe /delete /tn $taskName /f 2>&1 | Out-Null; $executionCommand = "^""powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File '$scriptFile' *>&1 | Out-File -FilePath '$streamFile' -Encoding UTF8"^""; $action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute 'powershell.exe' -Argument "^""-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command `"^""$executionCommand`"^"""^""; $settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries; Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName $taskName -Action $action -Settings $settings -Force -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; try { ($scheduleService = New-Object -ComObject Schedule.Service).Connect(); $scheduleService.GetFolder('\').GetTask($taskName).RunEx($null, 0, 0, $principalName) | Out-Null; $timeout = (Get-Date).AddMinutes(5); Write-Host "^""Running as $principalName"^""; while ((Get-ScheduledTaskInfo $taskName).LastTaskResult -eq 267009) { Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 200; if ((Get-Date) -gt $timeout) { Write-Warning 'Skipping: Timeout'; break; }; }; if (($result = (Get-ScheduledTaskInfo $taskName).LastTaskResult) -ne 0) { Write-Error "^""Failed, due to exit code: $result."^""; } } finally { schtasks.exe /delete /tn $taskName /f | Out-Null; }; Get-Content $streamFile } finally { Remove-Item $streamFile, $scriptFile; }; }; $cmd = '$registryPath = ''HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WTDS\Components'''+"^""`r`n"^""+'$data = ''0'''+"^""`r`n"^""+''+"^""`r`n"^""+'reg add ''HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WTDS\Components'' `'+"^""`r`n"^""+' /v ''CaptureThreatWindow'' `'+"^""`r`n"^""+' /t ''REG_DWORD'' `'+"^""`r`n"^""+' /d "^""$data"^"" `'+"^""`r`n"^""+' /f'; Invoke-AsTrustedInstaller $cmd"
  1. Right click on command prompt to paste it.
  2. Press Enter to apply remaining code.

Copy restore code

Copy and run the following code to restore changes:

Revert code
:: Delete the registry value "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WTDS\Components!CaptureThreatWindow"
:: This operation will not run on Windows versions earlier than Windows11-FirstRelease.
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$versionName = 'Windows11-FirstRelease'; $buildNumber = switch ($versionName) { 'Windows11-FirstRelease' { '10.0.22000' }; 'Windows11-22H2' { '10.0.22621' }; 'Windows11-21H2' { '10.0.22000' }; 'Windows10-22H2' { '10.0.19045' }; 'Windows10-21H2' { '10.0.19044' }; 'Windows10-20H2' { '10.0.19042' }; 'Windows10-1909' { '10.0.18363' }; 'Windows10-1607' { '10.0.14393' }; default { throw "^""Internal privacy$([char]0x002E)sexy error: No build for minimum Windows '$versionName'"^""; }; }; $minVersion = [System.Version]::Parse($buildNumber); $ver = [Environment]::OSVersion.Version; $verNoPatch = [System.Version]::new($ver.Major, $ver.Minor, $ver.Build); if ($verNoPatch -lt $minVersion) { Write-Output "^""Skipping: Windows ($verNoPatch) is below minimum $minVersion ($versionName)"^""; Exit 0; }; reg delete 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WTDS\Components' /v 'CaptureThreatWindow' /f 2>$null"
:: Delete the registry value "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WTDS\Components!CaptureThreatWindow"
:: This operation will not run on Windows versions earlier than Windows11-FirstRelease.
PowerShell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Command "$versionName = 'Windows11-FirstRelease'; $buildNumber = switch ($versionName) { 'Windows11-FirstRelease' { '10.0.22000' }; 'Windows11-22H2' { '10.0.22621' }; 'Windows11-21H2' { '10.0.22000' }; 'Windows10-22H2' { '10.0.19045' }; 'Windows10-21H2' { '10.0.19044' }; 'Windows10-20H2' { '10.0.19042' }; 'Windows10-1909' { '10.0.18363' }; 'Windows10-1607' { '10.0.14393' }; default { throw "^""Internal privacy$([char]0x002E)sexy error: No build for minimum Windows '$versionName'"^""; }; }; $minVersion = [System.Version]::Parse($buildNumber); $ver = [Environment]::OSVersion.Version; $verNoPatch = [System.Version]::new($ver.Major, $ver.Minor, $ver.Build); if ($verNoPatch -lt $minVersion) { Write-Output "^""Skipping: Windows ($verNoPatch) is below minimum $minVersion ($versionName)"^""; Exit 0; }function Invoke-AsTrustedInstaller($Script) { $principalSid = [System.Security.Principal.SecurityIdentifier]::new('S-1-5-80-956008885-3418522649-1831038044-1853292631-2271478464'); $principalName = $principalSid.Translate([System.Security.Principal.NTAccount]); $streamFile = New-TemporaryFile; $scriptFile = New-TemporaryFile; try { $scriptFile = Rename-Item -LiteralPath $scriptFile -NewName ($scriptFile.BaseName + '.ps1') -Force -PassThru; $Script | Out-File $scriptFile -Encoding UTF8; $taskName = "^""privacy$([char]0x002E)sexy invoke"^""; schtasks.exe /delete /tn $taskName /f 2>&1 | Out-Null; $executionCommand = "^""powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File '$scriptFile' *>&1 | Out-File -FilePath '$streamFile' -Encoding UTF8"^""; $action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute 'powershell.exe' -Argument "^""-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command `"^""$executionCommand`"^"""^""; $settings = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries; Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName $taskName -Action $action -Settings $settings -Force -ErrorAction Stop | Out-Null; try { ($scheduleService = New-Object -ComObject Schedule.Service).Connect(); $scheduleService.GetFolder('\').GetTask($taskName).RunEx($null, 0, 0, $principalName) | Out-Null; $timeout = (Get-Date).AddMinutes(5); Write-Host "^""Running as $principalName"^""; while ((Get-ScheduledTaskInfo $taskName).LastTaskResult -eq 267009) { Start-Sleep -Milliseconds 200; if ((Get-Date) -gt $timeout) { Write-Warning 'Skipping: Timeout'; break; }; }; if (($result = (Get-ScheduledTaskInfo $taskName).LastTaskResult) -ne 0) { Write-Error "^""Failed, due to exit code: $result."^""; } } finally { schtasks.exe /delete /tn $taskName /f | Out-Null; }; Get-Content $streamFile } finally { Remove-Item $streamFile, $scriptFile; }; }; $cmd = 'reg delete ''HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WTDS\Components'' `'+"^""`r`n"^""+' /v ''CaptureThreatWindow'' `'+"^""`r`n"^""+' /f 2>$null'; Invoke-AsTrustedInstaller $cmd"

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