need help re anti-virus protection

Please provide a link. Have you tried a different browser? Try disabling the browser guard too.

noguru11 said:

The updating processes in Defender are extremely complicated. Is there an easy way to get the version, the drivers, and whatever else, to be where they belong?

Defender updates itself a few times every day.
- You do not need to do anything.
- If you want to, you can update it deliberately:-

click on the Defender icon in the Taskbar's Notification area,
click on Virus & threat protection,
under the sub-heading Virus & threat protection updates, click on Check for updates.

This will update both virus definitions & the Defender application itself.

You can also check current versions:-

click on the Defender icon in the Taskbar's Notification area,
in the bottom-left corner, click on Settings,
in the centre of the window, click on About.

Antimalware client & Engine versions are for the Defender application itself and this changes infrequently [not even monthly, most of the time]
Antivirus version is the version of virus definitions and this changes more than daily



All the best,
Denis

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/defenderupdates you may find this useful to check you have the latest signature file

noguru11 said:

https://wpuniverse.com

Chrome doesn't work, either.

The website appears to be down. Try another device like your phone to confirm it's not the PC.

noguru11 said:

WordPerfect Universe - First Stop for WordPerfect Office Users

Chrome doesn't work, either.

I can access it now just fine from Firefox so try again.

Windows defender is premium anti virus, that it's free means nothing special, ex. this doesn't make it worse.
To configure it and adjust details like in other comercial AV's you need to it trough GPO.

In addition following 3 sites are must have for virus detection:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/filesubmission
Free Automated Malware Analysis Service - powered by Falcon Sandbox
VirusTotal

I addition to AV, you should pay attention to firewall and safe computing.

EDIT:
I'm sorry but didn't see these links were already suggested before in thread.

zebal said:

........and safe computing.

How to explain this? .....

steve108 said:

How to explain this? .....

It's surely not easy to explain, but that was just a hint for the OP to google out for more

Something along stuff on these links:
Safe Computing | Information Technology
Safe Computing | Information Security Office
Safe Computing Practices to Avoid Computer Viruses | Citizens One