Microsoft’s Windows Security provides solid protection for most users, but it’s worth noting that a few critical protections are turned off by default. One of these is Memory Integrity, a setting designed to prevent malicious software from exploiting Windows drivers to compromise your system’s memory.
When you activate Memory Integrity, it enables Virtualization Based Security (VBS), a feature that isolates the system verification process from the operating system, adding an additional level of protection. This dual-layer security ensures that any code attempting to run is thoroughly checked and verified, safeguarding your PC from potential threats.
The downside of enabling Memory Integrity is that some applications, particularly older or specialized software, may not run as smoothly. The extra protection can interfere with code execution, leading to compatibility issues. Additionally, on older hardware, the performance might slightly degrade, as the increased security demands more system resources.
To enable or disable Memory Integrity, simply open Windows Security via the Start Menu or Windows Search. Head to Device security, select Core Isolation, and toggle the Memory Integrity switch. You can easily revert this setting if you encounter issues with app compatibility or performance.
This isn’t the only feature left off by default. Microsoft balances security with usability, which is why additional settings like ransomware protection are also disabled initially. You can enable these protections to safeguard specific folders and ensure malicious apps don’t gain control of your files, offering enhanced security at the expense of slight performance trade-offs.