Add Protected Folders to Controlled Folder Access in Windows 10  

Brink said:

I think it may be easier and best to remove the folders from "Protected Folders" that are used by programs all the time, and instead only add folders that you truly want as protected with zero access for anything.

AndreTen said:

There is a problem ... one can't remove default folder, at least not via usual easy click and set. Editing a registry is not a good advice to common user.

So much for that idea.

Brink said:

So much for that idea.

Yes I was searching for that down arrow from you tutorials... just to find out it's only available to folders added manually.

Of course, it would be easier to manage that registry settings, if experienced user would provide a script for (i.e. remove desktop...)

I just created a Custom View for Event Viewer to see exactly which .exe or .dll was blocked so one can find it easier, as notification area truncates the "offending" processes address.
For those that want to create it themselves; it's event 5007 in Defender logs

Controlled Access Events.zip

• Just download,
• right click,
• open properties,
• unblock,
• extract it,
• open Event Viewer,
• and import it.

***Click to enlarge***

This video is just a rough draft for now, to help others, until I have time to redo it correctly

Great Cliff S

MS has some xml files ready to download on their site:
docs.microsoft.com | event-views-exploit-guard#list-of-all-windows-defender-exploit-guard-events

Warning! XML file for exploit protection events (ep-events.xml) is wrong (just a copy of network protection events). Manually copy it from site above.

AndreTen said:

Great Cliff S

MS has some xml files ready to download on their site:
docs.microsoft.com | event-views-exploit-guard#list-of-all-windows-defender-exploit-guard-events

Warning! XML file for exploit protection events (ep-events.xml) is wrong (just a copy of network protection events). Manually copy it from site above.

Bookmarked!
I love how a lot of the Microsoft tech sites let you choose between dark and light Glaring WHITE themes now.
I had set the Sysinternals page to dark months ago, and now where the option is, it will also be dark.

Pulcinella said:

Is there any chance that a function like Allow/Block will be implemented soon or later?
I found it very difficult to allow apps to access Protected Folders. I can't find LibreOffice exe file, how can I had it?
Also I noticed that added allowed apps still prompt a denial access warning.
I'm so confused I disabled that feature for the time.

If you use the Event Viewer Custom View I posted above(post #32), you can find exactly what & where it is, that was blocked.
Here is another example:

Pulcinella said:

@Cliff S
Thanks that will help a bit to understand what is going on.
As far as navigate the allow denies apps to access Protected folders. I can't get my head around it. But that is my short coming.

If you set up that custom view in Event viewer (that Cliff S posted), you can copy marked text - just like in the picture from Cliff. When allowing app to access Protected folders, click to "Add an allowed app" and paste that in file path and name. (Ctrl+C and Ctrl+v work fine))

Also navigating to shortcut and selecting it works for me