From the very beginning of computing, viruses have always been a part of it. Surely, since you got your first computer with Windows, the first thing you did was install antivirus software, even if it was free. Antivirus programs have always been part of Windows , something that Microsoft could have taken into account and included natively instead of forcing users to resort to third-party applications like Norton, McAfee, Panda, etc.
Microsoft added a new feature called SmartScreen that blocks content from the internet based on its own databases, which it updates daily. Viruses can reach our computers in many ways, whether through an email attachment or via a USB drive where information has been left or copied. Antivirus software generally allows us to scan the drive before accessing it to check for viruses or any other type of malicious file.
When we try to run a file from an unknown source or one that resembles a file of dubious reputation, the SmartScreen filter will block the file and prevent us from running it to avoid putting the computer at risk . Often, it might be a file we know very well and that we know won't harm our Windows PC. If we encounter this situation and need to run the file, we should proceed as follows:
- First we must go to the location of the file.
- Then we place ourselves on it and click on the right button to access the properties of the file.
- In the next step we must click on Unlock and then click on Accept the changes.
Whenever we encounter a file that blocks SmartScreen, we must follow these steps if we still want to run the application or file in question, which is not recommended if the application comes from an unknown source.