Microsoft Defender Antivirus security intelligence and product updates

Applies to:

• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plans 1 and 2
• Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Platforms

• Windows

Keeping Microsoft Defender Antivirus up to date is critical to assure your devices have the latest technology and features needed to protect against new malware and attack techniques. Update your antivirus protection, even if Microsoft Defender Antivirus is running in passive mode. This article includes information about the two types of updates for keeping Microsoft Defender Antivirus current:

• Security intelligence updates
• Product updates

This article also includes:

• Microsoft Defender Antivirus platform support
• How to roll back an update (if necessary)
• Platform version included with Windows 10 releases
• Updates for Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)

To see the most current engine, platform, and signature date, see Security intelligence updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus and other Microsoft antimalware.

Security intelligence updates

Microsoft Defender Antivirus uses cloud-delivered protection (also called the Microsoft Advanced Protection Service, or MAPS) and periodically downloads dynamic security intelligence updates to provide more protection. These dynamic updates don't take the place of regular security intelligence updates via security intelligence update KB2267602.

Cloud-delivered protection is always on and requires an active connection to the Internet to function. Security intelligence updates occur on a scheduled cadence (configurable via policy). For more information, see Use Microsoft cloud-provided protection in Microsoft Defender Antivirus.

For a list of recent security intelligence updates, see Security intelligence updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus and other Microsoft antimalware.

Engine updates are included with security intelligence updates and are released on a monthly cadence.

Product updates

Microsoft Defender Antivirus requires monthly updates (KB4052623) known as platform updates.

You can manage the distribution of updates through one of the following methods:

• Windows Server Update Service (WSUS)
• Microsoft Configuration Manager
• The usual methods you use to deploy Microsoft and Windows updates to endpoints in your network.

For more information, see Manage the sources for Microsoft Defender Antivirus protection updates.

Important points about product updates

• Monthly updates are released in phases, resulting in multiple packages visible in your Window Server Update Services.

• This article lists changes that are included in the broad release channel. See the latest broad channel release here.

• To learn more about the gradual rollout process, and to see more information about the next release, see Manage the gradual rollout process for Microsoft Defender updates.

• To learn more about security intelligence updates, see Security intelligence updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus and other Microsoft antimalware.

• If you're looking for a list of Microsoft Defender processes, see the spreadsheet provided at Enable access to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint service URLs in the proxy server. The sheet also lists the services and their associated URLs that your network must be able to connect to.

• Platform updates can be temporarily postponed if other protection features, such as Endpoint DLP or Device Control are actively monitoring running processes. Platform updates are retried after a reboot or when all monitored services are stopped.

• In the Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager / Windows Server Update Services (MECM/WSUS) catalog, the category Microsoft Defender for Endpoint includes updates for the MSSense service in KB5005292. KB5005292 includes updates and fixes to the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint endpoint detection and response (EDR) sensor. For more information, see Microsoft Defender for Endpoint update for EDR Sensor and What's new in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint on Windows.

Platform and engine releases

Updates contain:

• Performance improvements
• Serviceability improvements
• Integration improvements (Cloud, Microsoft Defender XDR)

September-2024 (Platform: 4.18.24090.11 | Engine 1.1.24090.11)

• Security intelligence update version: 1.421.12.0
• Release date: October 30, 2024 (Engine and Platform)
• Platform: 4.18.24090.11
• Engine: 1.1.24090.11
• Support phase: Security and Critical Updates

What's new

• Improved detection logic to reduce false positives related to the ASR rule, Block Office applications from injecting code into other processes
• Resolved an issue that could lead to a Windows device to be marked as non-compliant in Intune when Microsoft Defender Antivirus starts.
• Resolved an issue with catchup scan configuration, where the DaysUntilAggressiveCatchupQuickScan policy setting was not honored.
• Fixed SharedSignatureRoot processing when an empty value was set.
• Fixed a problem with device control where certain file systems (like FAT, FAT32, exFAT) with volume information displayed when a blocking rule was defined.
• Improved performance in specific scenarios where network files were accessed.
• Fixed an issue with Azure Virtual Desktop where the Intune policy was not being honored.
• Fixed potential deadlock for custom detection rules on the Windows client
• Resolved an issue where antivirus exclusions were not being honored with AMSI.
• Fixed issue impacting a subset of devices where antivirus exclusions configured through SCCM were not honored

August-2024 (Platform: 4.18.24080.9 | Engine: 1.1.24080.9)

• Security intelligence update version: 1.419.1.0
• Release date: September 17, 2024 (Engine and Platform)
• Platform: 4.18.24080.9
• Engine: 1.1.24080.9
• Support phase: Security and Critical Updates

What's new

• Added a new parameter (ControlledFolderAccessDefaultProtectedFolders) to Get-MpPreference cmdlet to show default protected folders for controlled folder access.
• Fixed an issue with device control regarding printer security checks.
• Resolved an issue with platform rollback after an upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11.
• Fixed an issue where volume exclusions weren't properly enforced in real-time protection after the completion of OOBE.
• Removed support for Windows RT devices, like Surface RT, that use 32-bit ARM processors and have reached their end-of-servicing date.

July-2024 (Platform: 4.18.24070.5 | Engine: 1.1.24070.3)

• Security intelligence update version: 1.417.14.0
• Release date: August 7, 2024 (Engine and Platform)
• Platform: 4.18.24070.5
• Engine: 1.1.24070.3
• Support phase: Security and Critical Updates

What's new

• False positive detections are no longer reported as ThreatNotFound in the Microsoft Defender portal.
• Optimized network protection calls to the backend that occur as a result of suspicious connection checks.
• Fixed the PerformanceModeStatus configuration key in the Defender CSP so that changing this value in the console takes effect on the endpoint.
• Resolved an issue where file evidence location was not always captured in scenarios where the remote location is inaccessible.
• New event log added (5016) to report Microsoft Defender Antivirus self-healed when a deadlock is detected during shutdown.
• Fixed a prioritization issue with full scans initiated from the portal that resulted in longer than expected full scan duration.

Previous version updates: Technical upgrade support only

After a new package version is released, support for the previous two versions is reduced to technical support only. For more information about previous versions, see Microsoft Defender Antivirus updates: Previous versions for technical upgrade support.

Microsoft Defender Antivirus platform and engine support

Platform and engine updates are provided on a monthly cadence. To be fully supported, keep current with the latest platform and engine updates. Our support structure is dynamic, evolving into two phases depending on the availability of the latest platform and engine version:

• Security and Critical Updates servicing phase - When running the latest platform and engine version, you're eligible to receive both Security and Critical updates to the anti-malware platform.

• Technical Support (Only) phase - After a new platform and engine version is released, support for older versions (N-2) reduce to technical support only. Platform and engine versions older than N-2 are no longer supported. Technical support continues to be provided for upgrades from the Windows 10 release version (see Platform version included with Windows 10 releases) to the latest platform version.

During the technical support (only) phase, commercially reasonable support incidents are provided through Microsoft Customer Service & Support and Microsoft's managed support offerings (such as Premier Support). If a support incident requires escalation to development for further guidance, requires a nonsecurity update, or requires a security update, customers are asked to upgrade to the latest platform version or an intermediate update (*).

How to roll back an update

In the unfortunate event that you encounter issues after a platform update, you can roll back to the previous or the inbox version of the Microsoft Defender platform.

• To roll back to the previous version, run the following command:

  "%programdata%\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\<version>\MpCmdRun.exe" -RevertPlatform

• To roll back this update to the version shipped with the Operating System ("%ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender")

  "%programdata%\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Platform\<version>\MpCmdRun.exe" -ResetPlatform

Platform version included with Windows 10 releases

The below table provides the Microsoft Defender Antivirus platform and engine versions that are shipped with the latest Windows 10 releases:

For Windows 10 release information, see the Windows lifecycle fact sheet.

Updates for Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)

To avoid a gap in protection, keep your OS installation images up to date with the latest antivirus and antimalware updates. Updates are available for:

• Windows 10 and 11 (Enterprise, Pro, and Home editions)
• Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, and Windows Server 2012 R2
• WIM and VHD(x) files

Updates are released for x86, x64, and ARM64 Windows architecture.

For more information, see Microsoft Defender update for Windows operating system installation images.

After a new package version is released, support for the previous two versions is reduced to technical support only. To view a list of previous versions, see Previous DISM updates.

1.417.472.0

• Defender package version: 1.417.472.0
• Security intelligence version: 1.417.472.0
• Engine version: 1.24080.9

Fixes

• None

Additional information

• None

1.415.295.0

• Defender package version: 1.415.295.0
• Security intelligence version: 1.415.295.0
• Engine version: 1.24070.1
• Platform version: 4.18.24070.5

Fixes

• None

Additional information

• None

1.415.235.0

• Defender package version: 1.415.235.0
• Security intelligence version: 1.415.235.0
• Engine version: 1.24070.1
• Platform version: 4.18.24070.5

Fixes

• None

Additional information

• None

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