Deactivate Windows Defender programmaticaly

Question

Im currently trying to get behind the windows defender and antivirus software in general and was wondering how guys like avg, avira, avast, etc. manage to completely shut down the windows defender... I already tried checking out the Registry changes, but there are way to much changes happening so I cant realy track them... When guys program some tools which theoretically could shut down the defender the tools get blocked instantly... So how do antiviruses do that without getting blocked and is it replicate in any way??

I already tried different regedit approaches and tested some tools on github, but none seemed to work like I try to achive.

Hope u guys can help me <3

Answer 1

I can provide some general insights on how antivirus software interacts with Windows Defender and system resources, but it's crucial to understand that tampering with antivirus software or attempting to disable Windows Defender without a good understanding of the consequences can expose your system to security risks.

1. Authorized Disabling:

   • Legitimate antivirus software like AVG, Avira, or Avast can disable Windows Defender because they are recognized as trusted software by the operating system. These antivirus programs have gone through rigorous testing and certification to ensure they comply with Microsoft's security standards. When a third-party antivirus is installed and recognized, Windows Defender will disable itself to avoid conflicts and resource hogging, as running multiple antivirus programs simultaneously can cause issues.

2. Registry Changes:

   • Some changes in the Windows registry by antivirus software during installation or setup are authorized and part of the mechanism to replace Windows Defender's functionality. It's complicated to track these changes manually due to the numerous registry entries and system files that may be modified.

3. Driver and Kernel-Level Access:

   • Antivirus software operates at a low level within the system, often with kernel-level access. This allows them to interact with system processes and resources in a way that most other software can't. They use this access to disable or replace the functionality of Windows Defender while ensuring that they provide at least the same level of protection.

4. APIs and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI):

   • Antivirus software may also interact with Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) or use specific APIs provided by Microsoft to manage security settings, including the disabling of Windows Defender.

5. Security Provider Interfaces:

   • Microsoft provides Security Provider Interfaces that can be used by third-party security software to interact with the Windows security infrastructure. This allows them to provide their own implementations of various security features while disabling the built-in features provided by Windows Defender.

Trying to replicate the behavior of legitimate antivirus software without the appropriate permissions and certifications can lead to your software being flagged as malicious or potentially unwanted by Windows Defender and other security software. This is part of the mechanism designed to protect users from malicious software that might try to disable security features on their system.