Microsoft Defender on the University of Helsinki devices

Microsoft Defender is part of the operating system on Windows machines and can be found in the Settings > Privacy & Security > Windows Security menu.

Defender runs in the background of Windows and alerts you if a virus is detected.

A notification (pop-up window) appears at the bottom of the screen.

In Security center > Virus & threat protection > Protection history you can find more information about the detected threat. If you are concerned about the virus found or if the issue requires further action, please contact IT-Helpdesk.

A view of Defender on a Windows machine:

What does Microsoft Defender do?

• Monitors the operating system in real time and checks for suspicious or malicious changes.
• Block malware and viruses before they damage your files or compromise your data.
• Works quietly in the background so you can concentrate on your work without interruption.

What happens if a threat is detected?

• If Microsoft Defender detects something suspicious, it reports it to our IT team.
• You will not be notified yourself. Our team will contact you if any further action is required from you.

What do I need to do?

• You don't need to do anything! Microsoft Defender works automatically.
• If you notice anything unusual on your Mac or have any concerns, please feel free to contact the IT Helpdesk.

For more information, visit the Microsoft Defender website.

A view of MS Defender on your Mac:

On Android devices, Microsoft Defender runs in the background and only notifies you if threats are detected.

Defender scans the programs in your work profile to make sure they are safe to use. Browser protection (Web protection) protects your browser and warns you if you run into a fishing site, for example.

• For information on how to set up Defender on an Android device, see the separate guide.

View of Defender on an Android device:

On iOS, Microsoft Defender runs in the background and notifies you only if threats are detected.

On an iOS device, you will need to log in to an M365 application (e.g. Microsoft Outlook or Teams) at the end of the deployment to ensure that Microsoft Defender is set up correctly.

To learn more about iOS device deployment, see the separate guide.