Microsoft will launch targeted protection strategies to protect users from potentially unwanted applications

Potentially unwanted applications (PUA) is a less common term abbreviation in the field of network security. Of course, some users know that the PUA abbreviation has special meanings in other aspects.

In the field of cybersecurity, PUA and PUP (potentially unwanted program) refer to both unwanted software. The unwanted software here includes both regular software and potentially malicious software.

In the network security industry, it is usually referred to as unwanted software, but at home it refers to bundled software that we are very familiar with and often encounters. This kind of behavior of bypassing the user’s permission and silently installing software is always spurned by many users.

Fortunately, most security software will intercept this kind of silent bundling behavior. In fact, Microsoft has begun to intercept such unwanted software many years ago, but it is actually a bit rough.

In the official version of Windows 10 Version 2004, Microsoft has updated the protection strategy to specifically add interception configuration for bundled software.

You can turn out this feature by going to Update & Security > Windows Security > App & browser control — Reputation-based protection settings — Enable “Potentially Unwanted app blocking” and select “Block apps” and “Block downloads”.

When users use the Microsoft Edge browser and install Microsoft’s security extensions, the bundled junk software downloaded through the browser will also be blocked.

To prevent this kind of unwanted software bundling behavior is actually very simple, and now browsers such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge will be blocked directly during download. So in theory, users only need to use reliable browsers and security software, so they don’t need to worry.

Via: techdows