Benefits of Enhanced Phishing Protection in Microsoft Defender SmartScreen

Microsoft Defender SmartScreen has introduced Enhanced Phishing Protection to provide robust phishing protections for work or school passwords used to sign into Windows 11. This feature is designed to safeguard users from potential threats by detecting and warning them about malicious activities.

One of the key benefits of Enhanced Phishing Protection is its ability to detect when a user stores their work or school password in plaintext in text editors like Notepad, Word, or Microsoft 365 Office apps. If it detects such an instance, it warns the user and recommends deleting the password from the file. This ensures that sensitive information is not compromised.

Another significant advantage of Enhanced Phishing Protection is its ability to detect when a user reuses their work or school Microsoft account password on sites and apps. Reusing passwords makes it easy for attackers who compromise a user's password to gain access to other accounts, which can have severe consequences. Therefore, Enhanced Phishing Protection prompts users to change their password to prevent unauthorized access.

In addition, if a user types their work or school password into a site deemed malicious by Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, Enhanced Phishing Protection alerts them. This feature helps protect users from falling victim to phishing attacks and prevents sensitive information from being compromised.

Enhanced Phishing Protection also works alongside Windows security protections when a user signs into Windows using a password. It provides an additional layer of protection by helping to prevent typed work or school passwords used to sign into Windows 11 from being compromised.

In summary, Enhanced Phishing Protection in Microsoft Defender SmartScreen is a valuable feature that helps safeguard users against phishing and unsafe usage on sites and apps. Its ability to detect and warn users about potential threats, as well as its prompt to change passwords, makes it an essential tool for protecting sensitive information. Starting with Windows 11 version 22H2, Enhanced Phishing Protection provides robust phishing protections for work or school passwords used to sign into Windows 11, ensuring a safer online experience.

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