GCA5 Beta Preview [Now Closed!]

[cvannrederode]

Originally Posted by Armin

I had never even heard of this feature until now. Seems kinda iffy on Microsoft's part that they don't *tell you* that some program you have not whitelisted is trying to access the folders you protected.

I know this is few months old, but here's some info I found on windowscentral.com:

On Windows 10, "Controlled folder access" is an intrusion-prevention feature available with Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard, which is part of the Microsoft Defender Antivirus. It's been designed primarily to stop ransomware from encrypting and taking your data hostage, but it also protects files from unwanted changes from other malicious applications.

The anti-ransomware feature is optional on Windows 10. When enabled, it uses a mechanism to track the apps (executable files, scripts, and DLLs), trying to make changes to files in the protected folders. If the app is malicious or not recognized, the feature will block the attempt in real-time, and you'll receive a notification of the suspicious activity.

It appears to be a default off option in Windows Security->Virus & threat protection->Ransomware protection with the explanation "Protect files, folders, and memory areas on your device from unauthorized changes by unfriendly applications"

Perhaps this is another consequence of having an unsigned application? (not recognized)