How to Review and Configure Exploit Protection in Windows

Step by step

1. 30 sec

   Access Windows Security settings

   Open the Start menu and type Windows Security. Press Enter or click the result to launch the security dashboard.

2. 30 sec

   Locate App & browser control

   Within the Windows Security home screen, select App & browser control from the sidebar or the main menu grid. This section houses the advanced exploit mitigation tools.

3. 30 sec

   Open Exploit protection settings

   Scroll to the bottom of the App & browser control page. Click the link labeled Exploit protection settings to open the mitigation configuration panel.

4. 1 min

   Examine System settings

   Under the System settings tab, review the status of core mitigations like DEP (Data Execution Prevention), ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization), and Control Flow Guard. Ensure these are set to 'On by default' for maximum system stability and security.

   Note: Avoid toggling settings if you are unsure of their impact on specific legacy applications.
5. 1 min

   Audit Program settings

   Select the Program settings tab to view application-specific security overrides. This list identifies programs that have customized security rules separate from the global system defaults.

   Note: If a program is not listed, it inherits the System settings.
6. 30 sec

   Backup your configuration

   To save your current security profile, scroll to the bottom of the System settings tab. Click Export settings to save a .xml file containing all your mitigation rules.

   Note: Keep this file in a secure location if you deploy these settings to other machines.