Include Malicious Software Removal Tool updates

[frewys]

Hi

Just a quick check in.

Include Malicious Software Removal Tool updates under settings and windows update.

This is the option to download and install MRT.exe?

To my understanding it is a tool to manually scan for virus or root in windows or offline? It is not the default windows defender scanner? Meaning it won't affect my windows defender normal behavior?

And the disable Include Malicious Software Removal Tool updates blocks this from installing?

Thanks guys

 

[garlin]

Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) is a separate offline security tool provided every month (with a few exceptions). It's unrelated to Defender, but can overlap in looking for the same malware. As a standalone app, it can run on a system where Defender is broken.

By default, WU wants to download MSRT to C:\Windows\System32 (and schedule a run). NTLite's settings for WU allows you to disable this behavior.

NTLite would have to scrape the MSRT download page or Microsoft Update Catalog in order to find the latest version. On a clean install, it's probably not as critical to have MSRT on the image. Simply because it doesn't replace a real-time security tool like Defender.

 

[frewys]

Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) is a separate offline security tool provided every month (with a few exceptions). It's unrelated to Defender, but can overlap in looking for the same malware. As a standalone app, it can run on a system where Defender is broken.

By default, WU wants to download MSRT to C:\Windows\System32 (and schedule a run). NTLite's settings for WU allows you to disable this behavior.

NTLite would have to scrape the MSRT download page or Microsoft Update Catalog in order to find the latest version. On a clean install, it's probably not as critical to have MSRT on the image. Simply because it doesn't replace a real-time security tool like Defender.

Hello garlin and thanks for the confirmation and further explanation.

Just trying to make sure I am in the right spot to disable it:
Settings>Windows update>Include Malicious Software Removal Tool updates

 

[garlin]

Yes. This creates a reg key which instructs WU not to offer or download MSRT (if updates are automatic).