How to Turn On or Off Core Isolation Virtualization-based Security for Memory Integrity in Windows 10
The Windows 10 Creators Update introduced a new experience called Windows Security to make it is easier for you to view and control the security protections you choose and better understand the security features already protecting you on your Windows 10 device.
Starting with Windows 10 build 17093, the Device security page was added to Windows Security that provides you with status reporting and management of security features built into your devices – including toggling features on to provide enhanced protections.
One Device security is Core isolation that provides virtualization-based security features for added protection against malware and other attacks by isolating computer processes from your operating system and device.
Memory integrity is a feature of core isolation. By turning on the Memory integrity setting, you can help prevent malicious code from accessing high-security processes in the event of an attack. Memory integrity is a feature of Windows that ensures code running in the Windows kernel is securely designed and trustworthy. It uses hardware virtualization and Hyper-V to protect Windows kernel mode processes from the injection and execution of malicious or unverified code. The integrity of code that runs on Windows is validated by memory integrity, making Windows resistant to attacks from malicious software. Memory integrity is a powerful security boundary that helps to block many types of malware from running in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 environments.
See also:
- Windows Defender System Guard: Making a leap forward in platform security with memory integrity - Microsoft Tech Community - 167303
- Core isolation | Microsoft Docs
- Device protection in Windows Security | Microsoft Support
- Enable virtualization-based protection of code integrity | Microsoft Docs
It is required to have Virtualization enabled for your CPU in your UEFI firmware settings to have Core isolation Memory integrity available.
This tutorial will show you how to turn on or off Core isolation virtualization-based security for Memory integrity in Windows 10.
You must be signed in as an administrator to turn on or off Memory integrity.
Contents
- Option One: Turn On or Off Core Isolation Memory Integrity in Windows Security
- Option Two: Turn On or Off Core Isolation Memory Integrity using a REG file
EXAMPLE: Core Isolation (Hypervisor enforced code integrity) shown as enabled in msinfo32
1 Open Windows Security, and click/tap on the Device security icon. (see screenshot below)
2 Click/tap on the Core isolation details link. (see screenshot below)
3 Turn On or Off (default) Memory integrity for what you want. (see screenshots below)
4 Click/tap on Yes when prompted by UAC.
5 Restart the computer to apply. (see screenshots below)
The downloadable .reg files below will modify the DWORD value in the registry key below.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\DeviceGuard\Scenarios\HypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrity
Enabled DWORD
0 = Off
1 = On
1 Do step 2 (on) or step 3 (off) below for what you would like to do.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_ON_Core_isolation_Memory_integrity.reg
Download
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_OFF_Core_isolation_Memory_integrity.reg
Download
4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
6 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
7 Restart the computer to apply.
8 If you like, you can now delete the downloaded .reg file.
That's it,
Shawn Brink