I'm writing this to continue on my above post and in response to this thread:
https://ntlite.com/community/threads/microsoft-edge-update-32-bit-process.6123/#post-57503
I don't want to hijack that thread any more.
My perspective on Windows modding has changed recently.
Skipping those big monthly security updates is no longer a good idea and should not be recommended and encouraged. I used to that for the last two years, but I stopped. All my machines have now Secure Boot and VBS enabled and are updated regularly. You need these Windows patches a.s.a.p., not just Defender intelligence updates via WAUManager. The security landscape is changing in a big way and very fast.
The wonderful invention of AI not only causes global hardware shortages, prices Armageddon and energy crisis but also affects OS and software security in a big way that many people still fail to realize. This is a paradigm shift and a new era in computer security.
New, AI assisted malware is targeting new Windows (and Linux too, btw...) vulnerabilities nearly in real time, this is no longer your old school malware and viruses. What used to take weeks to develop, now takes minutes and they can have working exploits in under an hour and start distributing them the same day. The exploits are also more sophisticated now. Typical antivirus strategies will no longer work,
you need to keep your Windows or Linux OS patched and updated first and foremost, you need as many backups as you can and you need to maximize your online life hygiene and be extra vigilant.
Although backups alone won't do you any good if your government or banking credentials are stolen and THAT is what they're mostly after these days, they don't give a damn about your files on your disk, they want your logins, numbers and online data. Malware is business now, this is no longer script kiddies trying to be kewl and annoy you by replacing your wedding pictures with porn, it's all about information and money now.
"But I never had any malware" -- you keep missing the point.
Home users are in less danger than enterprise, because we're less valuable targets, but "security by obscurity" was never a good idea to begin with.
Here is some additional reading:
AI-powered fileless malware is changing what it means to keep a Windows 11 PC secure. Here's what's happening and what to do.
www.pcworld.com
Microsoft recommends shorter Windows update deployment timelines to reduce AI-driven exploit risks and speed security patch adoption.
www.helpnetsecurity.com
Microsoft is on a mad dash behind the scenes to patch exploits before hackers find them.
arstechnica.com