If you want to know what they were, or what Windows did about them, you’ll have to burrow into the Security app, locate the pertinent timestamp in the event list and approve a UAC requester just to see the basic details. When the system thinks it’s found a threat, it posts up an almost insolently terse notification, reporting only that the antivirus component “found threats”. The trouble is, living with Windows Security is not a particularly pleasant experience. Indeed, a 100% overall protection rating from AV-Comparatives and AV-Test provides pretty good reassurance that, if you simply leave Windows with its default protections enabled, you’re very unlikely to get infected.

With all this built right into the OS, you might wonder why you’d need to bother installing additional security software.

Windows’ built-in parental controls are managed from here, too, as is the integrated firewall.

These include Secure boot, which can defeat rootkits by preventing the BIOS from running startup code that doesn’t have the right cryptographic signature, and Windows Hello, which replaces your password with biometric authentication.

The Windows Security console also collects together various features that were previously scattered throughout the Settings app. Best laptop bag 2022: Safe and stylish backpacks, cases and sleeves for carrying your laptop

Microsoft security essentials review