(ConfigureDefender exposes all of the settings you can use via PowerShell or the registry.) ConfigureDefenderĪs noted on the ConfigureDefender site, different versions of Windows 10 provide different tools for Defender. One such option is the ConfigureDefender tool on the GitHub download site. Others rely on third-party developers to deliver additional guidance and understanding. It offers a variety of settings most users don’t check on a regular basis - or even know about. But if the third-party scanning tool is seen as a real-time antivirus, it will be the operative software on your system.ĭefender involves more than just checking bad files and downloads. Some people thought their “on demand” antivirus vendor was merely a scan-only tool, with Defender still the main antivirus tool. But what does it mean when Defender says its Engine version, Antivirus version and antispyware version is 0.0.0.0? It may mean that you have a third-party antivirus installed it’s taking over for Defender, which is thus properly shut off. And the final number is the Antispyware version number. The third gives you the antivirus version number. The first gives you the Antimalware Client Version number. There are four lines of information here.