Windows 10 now lets you disable or enable protection against potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) also known as potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) using Windows security. This setting is disabled by default in Windows 10 2004 and later.
Potential unwanted applications (PUA or PUP) are a classification of threats based on reputation and identification based on research. These are usually Crapware or Bundleware, and such software that you really don’t want on your system.
You should know that PUP or PUA is not a virus or ransomware, but they are marked as unwanted as they can be annoying. The characteristic behavior of the PUA is as follows:
- Offer other software as an advertising bundle
- Install software without your consent
- Actively try to evade detection by security products or behave differently when they find security software protecting the Windows 10 PC.
Protection against potentially unwanted apps in Windows 10
Windows security has Reputation-based protection which can help protect your PC from potentially unwanted applications. To enable or disable protection against potentially unwanted apps in Windows 10:
- Using search, open Windows security
- Select Application and browser control
- Look for reputation-based protection settings.
- Turn the potentially unwanted application blocking switch on or off
- Select whether you want to block apps, block downloads, or both.
Once this is done, your Windows 10 computer will be protected from downloading potentially unwanted applications.
PUA protection will quarantine the PUP file and prevent it from executing if it meets any of the following conditions:
- The file is being analyzed from the browser
- The file a Mark of the Web set
- The file is located in the% downloads% folder
- Or if the file in the% temp% folder.
How PUA protection is different from SmartScreen
Although it may seem that they are similar, but they are not. While SmartScreen protects against malicious sites and downloads, PUA blocks downloads of low-profile applications that can cause unexpected behavior. The former is more concerned with sites, ransomware, viruses while the latter wants to prevent downloads instantly.
You can also turn PUP protection on or off using Group Policy, Registry, or PowerShell in Windows 10.
This post will show you how to enable protection for potentially unwanted applications in the Edge browser.
Related Reading: What is potentially unwanted modification (PUM)? Prevention, identification, withdrawal.
