Windows Defender Virus and Threat Protection?

I was trying to search for a windows 10 download on google to download the file so i could reinstall windows on my other computer that I want to clean reinstall. I did this on clean computer and went to a site but not sure if that is official site or not as the ending address was different.


When I went to windows defender, I noticed instead of it showing


Virus and threat protectoin
Protection for your device against threats


Current Threats
Last Scan
quick Scan
Scan Options
Protection History



It shows


Malwarebytes is turned on

Current threats
no action needed


Protection settings
no actions needed


Protection updates
No actions needed


Microsoft Defender Antivirus options


You can keep using your current provider, and have microsoft defender antivirus periodically check for threats

Periodic scanning

OFF



Should I be concerned here? How come it looks like this on my clean computer? Did I get infected?

Yes I installed malwarebytes recently on the new computer. I activated a free premium trial of it. But why does it show that on windows defender under virus and threat protection? It did not have that before though. And by before, I mean in the last day or so.


My concern was I clicked on a link to a bad microsoft side which caused this. So is that possible? This computer is using windows 11.


So have you ever seen that before with the malwarebytes showing as oppose to what it normally shows?

Try3 said:

I do not think you have a problem.
I do not believe there is any substantial benefit in replacing WD with something else.

www.elevenforum.com

Best of luck,
Denis

Well the thing is in my old windows computers, even if I installed malwarebytes and have it there, I never seen my screen like this. My concern was could me clicking on a microsoft link which is not the real official site... turn off my windows defender antivirus? Thus I read if you click on dangerous links, it could get malware etc?


This is the official link to it what I was suppose to go to... because I want to download this file to my usb drive to reinstall windows 10 on my desktop pc. I had used google and clicked on the second link i posted. This is while using my new cheap windows 11 laptop. So my concern is... could I have infected my laptop by going to the second link? Is it a phishing website? I did not download the file though yet on the second link.


microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10



This the link below i went to when looking for the site on google.

microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10%20

Try3 said:

No. Both links are to the MS site so nothing dodgy has happened.

But you can guard against such mistakes by using the well-validated links provided in TenForumsTutorials such as the one I gave you a link to earlier on.
You can hover over the link to see its destination and be reassured that it is indeed a TenForumsTutorials link.
Personally, I never search online for links to sites if I can find the link in a trustworthy thread such as a TenForumsTutorials one.


Denis

Hi. Did you went to that link and checked it out yourself or did you just use some virusscan website and put that link in to check?


Again, my main concern was after I noticed it wasn't the correct link, I went to windows scan and it showed malwarebytes all over and I cannot even scan with windows defender. So that is why I am concerned.

Sounds like Defender is seeing the MBAM as a third party antivirus. That is why you are seeing the error message that MBAM is on. Defender turns off if there is any third party AV installed. This is easy to fix, just run MBAM in admin, go into the settings and turn off the "Always register MBAM with the Windows Security Center" setting. Then restart and you should see Defender turn back on.

Many people say that the real time MBAM Premium is not necessary now, its protection is not that great. You can download MBAM Free version and only run an occasional scan to double check Defender. There are also exclusions you can set between MBAM and Defender to help avoid any potential conflicts, you can find them in the MBAM forum. Most people have no trouble running MBAM and Defender together and say the exclusions are not really needed nowadays. The free Malwarebytes Browser Guard extension will do a lot better job at protecting your browser from phishing and bad links. It is in the Chrome and MS web stores.

Jimmy

Edit: Brink beat me to it, but the solution is the same..

Brink said:

Hello Newmann,

You can turn off Always register Malwarebytes in the Windows Security Center in MBAM settings like below to use both MBAM and Windows Defender, and have Windows Defender in Windows Security as usual.

Okay I turned it off. When I did this and went to virus and threat protection, it does appear to look normal again. But I should still restart it to make sure right?


Now... is it possible me clicking on a link could cause the malwarebytes to show up in place of windows defender though? Again, the issue is I installed malwarebytes few days ago. Then clicked on free premium trial. I have went to windows scan the last few days... and it never had the malwarebytes ever showing like in the third picture. I mean its possible its been there for a day and I didn't notice. It was just right after I went to that wrong microsoft link... where I went to windows security and notice this. So I wonder was it a coincidence or not etc if you know what you know what I mean.


But could you tell me if that second microsoft link is safe? The other poster says its a safe link. Again I went to that site when using google and then noticed the full link isn't the exact same as the one posted on the forum and on this website which is the real legit link. That person said its the same link.