Microsoft Defender goes haywire, deletes Start menu icon, Taskbar and more
An update to Microsoft Defender has deleted a bunch of users’ shortcuts
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A recent update toMicrosoft Defenderhas led some Windows users to lose shortcuts to their programs.
The bizarre issue resulted in Windows icons and applications shortcuts being removed from the Taskbar and Start Menu without any warning.
BothWindows 10andWindows 11users appear to have been affected, with theantivirus programcausing issues for customers across the world.
Microsoft Defender ASR issue
Though apparently just some shortcuts have been affected, and not the actual apps, plenty of users are complaining about the timeliness of the error: Friday 13.
Many of whom have taken to online threads likeRedditandMicrosoft’s Tech Communityto complain.
One Reddit user explains that the Start menu is also affected: “I can’t open firefox by using the windows key and typing the name i have to go to program files”.
Microsoftissued astatementthat reads: “Windows Security and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint customers may have experienced a series of false positive detections for the Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rule “Block Win32 API calls from Office macro” after updating to security intelligence builds between 1.381.2134.0 and 1.381.2163.0.”
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The author continues to explain that the error is “primarily impacting Windows shortcut (.lnk) files”, and that users who have not enabled the “Block Win32 API calls from Office macro” rule should not be affected.
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Another user managed to repair the issue, but found that certain icons in the taskbar had become invisible.
The company has issued a remedial fix to itsantivirus, however many businesses are still reporting that they have not been catered well for. Some complain that the fix “doesn’t restore Microsoft Office shortcuts which were deployed per-user”, while others have asked for steps to deploy the fix through Intune.
With new comments being added each day, it’s clear that Microsoft needs to do more to fix the ongoing Defender error.TechRadar Prohas asked Microsoft for clarification.
With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!
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