Managed Antivirus

Managed Antivirus

Managed Antivirus provides a streamlined interface for controlling Windows Defender, Microsoft's built-in security solution. Rather than replacing Defender, Stealth enhances your access to its features and presents them in a cleaner, more accessible interface.

Why Use Managed Antivirus

Windows Defender is a capable security solution, often ranking alongside premium antivirus products in independent tests. However, its settings are scattered across Windows Security, Group Policy, and PowerShell. Managed Antivirus consolidates these controls.

Unified interface. All important Defender settings in one place, without navigating Windows' convoluted settings hierarchy.

Quick actions. Start scans, update definitions, and check protection status without opening multiple windows.

Status visibility. See your protection status at a glance, including last scan time and definition version.

Protection Status

The main panel shows your current protection state with a status indicator and last scan information. The status shows "No current threats" when your system is protected, along with details about your last scan including the date and number of files scanned.

You can view and control various protection features including real-time protection, ransomware protection, cloud protection, and more through the toggle switches in the interface.

Running Scans

Managed Antivirus offers three scan types:

Quick Scan. Checks common malware locations like startup items, system folders, and running processes. Takes approximately 5-10 minutes and is suitable for regular checks.

Full Scan. Examines every file on your computer. Thorough but time-consuming. Can take hours depending on disk size. Run periodically or when you suspect infection.

Custom Scan. Scan specific folders or files. Useful for checking downloaded files or external drives.

Scans run in the background. You can continue using your computer, though performance may be slightly reduced during intensive scans.

Managing Exclusions

Some legitimate software triggers false positives. Add exclusions to prevent Defender from flagging trusted files or folders:

  1. Scroll to the Exclusions section
  2. Click Add an exclusion
  3. Select the type: Folder, File, File Extension, or Process
  4. Browse to the item you want to exclude (or enter extension/process name)
Use exclusions carefully. Every exclusion is a potential entry point for malware. Only exclude items you're absolutely certain are safe.

Updating Definitions

Threat definitions are the database of known malware signatures. Windows Update handles this automatically, but you can force an immediate update:

  1. Scroll to the "Virus & threat protection updates" section
  2. Click Check for updates
  3. Wait for the download to complete
  4. Definition version number updates when finished

Force updates after hearing about new threats, or before running a full scan to ensure you have the latest signatures.

Working with Stealth

Managed Antivirus complements Stealth's other security features:

Stealth Block prevents malware downloads by blocking malicious domains at the DNS level, before anything is downloaded.

Managed Antivirus catches anything that gets through, scanning files on your system.

StealthAI can check for suspicious processes and help investigate potential threats.

These layers work together: network-level blocking, real-time file scanning, and intelligent system analysis.