Integrate Microsoft Defender Antivirus
Overview
You can integrate Microsoft Defender Antivirus to scan files during Transfer and detect or block potential threats using the built-in Windows antivirus.
Microsoft Defender is built into Windows and performs scans locally, so no API endpoint or API Key is required. Once configured, files are scanned according to the selected Scan timing. If a threat is detected, the configured On detection action is applied to block the Transfer or generate an alert. The files to be scanned are determined by the selected Scan scope.
The overall process consists of the following steps:
① Verify Microsoft Defender Status → ② Configure the Integration in the Product
Prerequisites
Before you begin, verify the following requirements.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Operating System | A Windows environment with Microsoft Defender is required. |
| Microsoft Defender | Microsoft Defender Antivirus must be enabled and running. |
| Security Intelligence Updates | Microsoft Defender should be updated with the latest security intelligence definitions to ensure accurate threat detection. |
Verify Microsoft Defender Status
Microsoft Defender is built into Windows and scans files locally without requiring credentials. Before scanning, verify that Microsoft Defender is operating correctly.
Step 1. Verify the Protection Status
Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection and verify that Microsoft Defender is enabled and that Real-time protection is turned on.
If a third-party antivirus solution is installed, Microsoft Defender may be disabled automatically. Verify this before using Microsoft Defender.
Step 2. Verify Security Intelligence Updates
Open Virus & threat protection updates and verify that the latest security intelligence definitions have been installed.
Verification
✔ Microsoft Defender is enabled and running.
✔ The latest security intelligence definitions have been installed.
Configure Microsoft Defender Integration
Configure the scanning options. Because Microsoft Defender operates locally, only the scanning options need to be configured.
When you open the Security configuration page, the following screen is displayed.
Step 1. Select Scan Timing
Select when files should be scanned in Scan timing.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Before transfer at source | Scan files on the source before the Transfer starts. |
| After transfer at target | Scan files on the target after the Transfer completes. |
| Bothway | Scan files both before the Transfer at the source and after the Transfer at the target. |
Step 2. Select On Detection
Select how the system should respond when a threat is detected in On detection.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Block transfer | Block the Transfer when a threat is detected. |
| Alert only | Allow the Transfer to continue and generate an alert only. |
| Admin confirm | Require administrator confirmation before proceeding. |
Step 3. Select Scan Scope
Select which files should be scanned in Scan scope.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| All files | Scan every transferred file. |
| Executable files only | Scan executable files only. |
| Custom exceptions | Scan files according to user-defined exception rules. |
Step 4. Save the Configuration
After completing the configuration, click Add to save the integration.
Verification
✔ The Scan timing, On detection, and Scan scope options have been selected.
Verify the Integration
Verify that the integration is operating correctly.
Step 1. Perform a Test Transfer
Transfer a file to verify that scanning is performed. You can safely verify the scanning behavior using a standard antivirus test file such as EICAR.
Step 2. Verify the Result
Verify that the configured On detection action is applied correctly (for example, Block transfer blocks the Transfer, while Alert only generates a warning).
Verification
✔ File scanning has been performed.
✔ The configured detection action is applied correctly.
Configuration Complete
After the configuration is saved, the integration becomes active.
From this point forward, transferred files are scanned by Microsoft Defender according to the configured timing and scope. If a threat is detected, the configured action is applied automatically.
Troubleshooting
If scanning does not operate correctly, verify the following.
| Issue | Verification |
|---|---|
| Scanning is not performed | Verify that Microsoft Defender is enabled and running. Also verify that it has not been disabled by a third-party antivirus solution. |
| Threats are not detected | Verify that the latest security intelligence definitions have been installed. |
| Threats are detected but Transfers are not blocked | Verify that On detection is set to Block transfer. |
| Certain files are not scanned | Verify the Scan scope configuration (All files, Executable files only, or Custom exceptions). |
| Transfer performance is slower | When Bothway is selected for Scan timing, files are scanned at both the source and target, which may increase processing time. Adjust the setting if necessary. |