Controlled Folder Access more trouble than it is worth.

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[astro46]

Seemed like a good idea, to keep programs from accessing data and settings without my knowledge.  I turned it on, for 4 systems.  One by one it has been turned off in all 4.

I had assumed that soon I would work through the various access notifications and all would settle down.  Never happened.  I often found myself dealing with some inexplicable problem with a program not functioning correctly, eventually tracing to a denied folder access. This might not be quite as bad if I had seen a notification when it happened.  But, sometimes yes, sometimes no.  And, it seemed that programs I had previously given access approval to were causing problems again. Because the program updated and CFA couldn’t understand that?

Frustration and time lost won out over the supposed security.

No more Controlled Folder Access for me.

• This topic was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by astro46.

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perhaps this topic should be moved to the general windows (past, present future)  sub-forum.  I didn’t see that general windows sub forum when I posted,  and don’t see any way to move it myself.

Admin?

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Controlled folder access didn’t exist before Windows 10 (version 1709), so I’d prefer to leave it where it is.

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b wrote:

Controlled folder access didn’t exist before Windows 10 (version 1709), so I’d prefer to leave it where it is.

does this mean that you suggest not using it?

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No. I’ve used Controlled Folder Access for years on Windows 10/11 and I think it’s a great feature. I can understand how it may become cumbersome if you install many new programs though. If a program’s installer changes its filename with every new minor update CFA regards each one as different.

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I have to assume that program updates confuse cfa.  not necessarily name changes, maybe just .exe size?  at this point it is all programs that have been approved in the past, not new software.

it wouldn’t be so bad if the system would reliably notify me when blocking, but if I don’t remember to check notifications panel or the security settings I just have a program failing to execute correctly with no indication of why, or what exactly failed.  bad.

I have kept it running or turned it back on since it seems like a good idea.  but since all the programs have been cleared in past, not new installs, I don’t think to check notification bar or security whenever a program fails to execute correctly (since there is often no notification popup). then I have to wonder why i should willingly keep something running that is a source of frustration.

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Now even more trouble than it’s worth..

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/antivirus-and-edr-solutions-tricked-into-acting-as-data-wipers/

https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2022-37971

 

 

2 users thanked author for this post.

Alex5723, RetiredGeek

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Not now. Fixed months ago:

Yair reported the flaws to all vulnerable vendors between July and August 2022, and they have all released fixes by now.

Microsoft Defender was automatically updated more than two months ago to prevent this non-public theoretical exploit:

September-2022 (Platform: 4.18.2209.7 | Engine: 1.1.19700.3)

As explained at your second link:

Why is no action required to install this update?

In response to a constantly changing threat landscape, Microsoft frequently updates malware definitions and the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine.
…
Microsoft typically releases an update for the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine once a month or as needed to protect against new threats.

Controlled Folder Access was not directly implicated, but would not have provided additional protection in this case, if this antivirus flaw had ever been exploited.

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