Windows is generally pretty safe, but the internet is a dangerous place full of malware that’ll infect your devices if you aren’t careful. One thing you can do to stay safe is to make sure you’re using the built-in antivirus features of Windows, which are better than nothing. You probably already know about SmartScreen, which checks websites and downloads and alerts you of suspicious or malicious content. But with SmartScreen primarily integrated into Edge, its defensive capabilities are somewhat limited when you’re doing other stuff. That’s why you also need to know about Network Protection, a Windows feature that’s integrated at the system level. Network Protection monitors network traffic across all apps and processes, checking all internet data against Microsoft’s reputation database for websites and files that are suspicious and malicious. It’s like SmartScreen but broader in scope.
Do You Have Network Protection?
By default, Network Protection is deactivated on Windows and there’s no settings page where you can easily turn it on. Therefore, you’ll need to use PowerShell with administrator rights. Additionally, Network Protection is only available if certain conditions are met. These conditions include having the Pro or Enterprise versions of either Windows 10 or Windows 11; it isn’t available in Windows 10 or 11 Home. Microsoft Defender must be active on your system for Network Protection to be enabled. Furthermore, you must be logged into Windows with a Microsoft account. Lastly, you must have the ability to access websites via the internet to make use of Network Protection fully.
Meeting these four conditions might seem a bit restrictive, but they are essential to ensure that Network Protection functions as intended. If your system meets these criteria, you are now ready to enable Network Protection and enhance your Windows security. The absence of a dedicated settings page means that users need to be somewhat savvy and comfortable with using PowerShell commands. However, even without a dedicated toggle in the settings menu, turning on this feature can significantly augment your defense against malware and various online threats.
How to Enable Network Protection
To begin, right-click on the Start menu and select Terminal (Admin) to launch PowerShell with administrator rights. Once you have the PowerShell window open, you can proceed with the necessary commands to check and enable Network Protection. Initially, check the status of Network Protection by entering the following command: Get-MpPreference | Select-Object EnableNetworkProtection. This command will prompt a response indicating the current status of Network Protection as either 0 (Disabled), 1 (Enabled), or 2 (Audit Mode). If the status is 0, indicating that the feature is currently disabled, you can proceed to enable it by entering the next command.
To enable Network Protection, input the following command: Set-MpPreference -EnableNetworkProtection Enabled. Note that this command will not provide a response upon execution. However, if you re-enter the previous command to check the status of Network Protection, it should now show a response of 1, confirming that the feature is enabled. Similarly, disabling Network Protection can be achieved using the command: Set-MpPreference -EnableNetworkProtection Disabled if you ever need to turn it off.
Configuring Network Protection
To further configure Network Protection settings, you’ll need to use the Group Policy Editor. Begin by opening the Start menu and typing “gpedit.” Click on Edit group policy to launch the policy editor. Within the Group Policy Editor, you will find two main settings related to Network Protection by navigating in the left-side pane to Local Group Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Microsoft Defender Antivirus > Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard > Network Protection.
The first setting, titled “These settings control whether Network Protection is allowed to be configured into block or audit mode on Windows Server,” is relevant only for Windows Server versions. If you are not using a Windows Server version, you can safely ignore this setting. The second setting, called “Prevent users and apps from accessing dangerous websites,” is crucial for further configuration. Double-click this setting to edit it. At the top left, switch to Enabled, which will then grant you access to three options in the Options panel below: Disable (Default), Block, and Audit Mode.
In Audit Mode, Network Protection does not prevent access to dangerous websites but will generate Windows Event Log entries whenever it detects suspicious or malicious traffic. If your main concern is blocking harmful websites, set this option to Block. By doing so, you make these dangerous websites inaccessible. Confirm your choice by clicking Apply, then OK, and subsequently close the policy editor. Keep in mind that enabling Network Protection can sometimes cause certain applications to stop working correctly. If this is a concern, consider using Audit Mode first to check the Windows Event Log for messages about potentially failed connections. If everything appears normal after a period, you can then switch to Block to fully activate the protection feature.
Additional Considerations
Network Protection in Windows is turned off by default, and there isn’t a straightforward settings page to enable it. To activate it, you’ll need to use PowerShell with administrator rights. Network Protection is only accessible if certain criteria are met. You must be using Pro or Enterprise editions of Windows 10 or Windows 11, as it isn’t available in the Home versions. Additionally, Microsoft Defender must be active, you must be logged into Windows with a Microsoft account, and you should have internet access.
Meeting these prerequisites might seem limiting, but they are necessary to ensure Network Protection works correctly. If your system fulfills these requirements, you’re ready to enable Network Protection to boost your Windows security. The lack of a dedicated settings page means users need some familiarity with PowerShell commands. However, despite the absence of a simple toggle in the settings menu, activating this feature can greatly improve your defense against malware and various online threats.
