Windows Defender keeps moaning about files being dangerous.

[Bordonbert 0]

Can anyone please help me with this irritating feature?  I have Eset Smart Security Premium 16.1.14.0.  It is fully active with Windows Defender turned off yet I keep getting Windows Security messages warning me that "Opening these files might be harmful to your computer".  Windows Security then informs me that "Your internet security settings suggest that one or more files may be harmful. Do you want to use it anyway" when I simply try to move or copy them.  This applies to even basic .docx and .jpg files.  It's irritating having to Ok a simple process like this every time I follow it.

I have tried to follow online instructions to turn it off in Security -> Virus & threat protection -> Virus & threat protection settings, but of course Defender is switched off and Windows seems to think, "you dare to turn it off and use a third party setup? then!"   There is an area in Eset SSP at Setup -> Computer Protection -> Advanced Setup -> Notifications where there are a plethora (today's word) of individual messages to switch on or off but I can't see anything which seems relevant to this issue.

How do I stop this message from being posted?

[Marcos 4,839]

You may want to follow the instructions at https://www.alphr.com/these-files-might-be-harmful-to-your-computer-disable/ to turn off those warnings.

[itman 1,594]

To begin, the behavior you're observing has nothing to do with Eset or Microsoft Defender.

The alerts you are  observing are originating from Win 10/11 SmartSceen app and its default security settings. To access these settings;

1. Open Microsoft Security Center.

2. Select App & browser control.

3. Select Reputation-based  protection.

The following settings are displayed;

Disabling any of these settings will weaken Win 10/11 native protections against malicious app downloads.

[Bordonbert 0]

Thanks to both of you for your advice.  I do understand the reason for this to happen, I'm fairly security conscious at all times.  Files like an .exe I can completely understand.  Even a .docx file for example from an unknown source location with macros I get too.  I am not in a commercial network, I'm working in only a home environment with a few machines and mobile devices on the network where I depend on a couple of NAS drives.  Marcos' advice has shown me how to add them as trusted sources which I have now done.  Here's hoping.

I'm afraid I can't find the area you pointed me to Itman.  When I get to App & Browser Control there is no sign of Reputation-Based Protection anywhere to be seen or anything similar.  I'm on Win10 1.0.19045 at present.  I would have thought it should show up there.  Could this be because I have Microsoft Defender Smartscreen and the two other options switched off?  I made sure to switch all such settings off when I installed Eset SSP as I thought SSP took care of things.  Should that be switched back on?  Will that not conflict with Eset or fight with it for authority?  I have seen similar things in the past with Windows.

 

EDIT:  Looking at the screen I do get I can now see it is very similar to the one you show in your screenshot.  Mine is just titled App & Browser Control and is missing the Potentially unwanted app blocking option.

Edited July 29 by Bordonbert

[itman 1,594]

3 hours ago, Bordonbert said:

Windows Security then informs me that "Your internet security settings suggest that one or more files may be harmful. Do you want to use it anyway"

As far as this message goes, here's an article that explains it: https://www.howtogeek.com/807905/how-to-disable-the-these-files-might-be-harmful-to-your-computer-warning/ . The mitigation parallels that given in the link @Marcos provided. 

[Bordonbert 0]

That's all good now Itman, thanks for the link.  I had basically done what they recommended and I think close to what you would suggest.  I don't disagree with the principle of being warned about this potential threat, only when it is applied to files I know are absolutely secure as I generate and constantly work with almost all of them myself.

I have simply added the IP addresses of my two NAS drives, and yes, they are static.  I'm not going to disable this warning for other PCs on the network as one is my wife's! 🤫 Let's just say, I do recognise that others may not be as knowledgable as myself with external files.  Other sporadically connected mobile devices I look on as almost less secure toys and I won't trust anything that goes out into the outside world with such weak security as they do.

I'll monitor the situation and adjust where I now see fit given that I have a clearer view of what is going on but I think that sorting out and allowing the NAS drives alone will be the fix.

Edited July 29 by Bordonbert