New Microsoft Defender exploits discovered. How to protect yourself

Source: Mashable Tech

Overview

Microsoft has identified several serious exploits that could affect Windows machines.
Bleeping Computer reported that the vulnerabilities target Windows Defender, the built‑in anti‑malware solution in Windows. Detailed reports are available on Microsoft’s security site for both CVE‑2026‑41091 and CVE‑2026‑45498.

The primary risk is a denial‑of‑service (DoS) condition that can be triggered on vulnerable systems. Microsoft has already disclosed the exploits and is rolling out a fix. If automatic updates for Defender are enabled, the following Malware Protection Engine versions should be installed to mitigate the issue:

• 1.1.26040.8
• 4.18.26040.7

Verify That Updates Are Applied

1. Open Windows Security.
2. Select Virus & threat protection.
3. Click Protection updates, then choose Check for updates.
4. Go to Settings → About.
5. Locate the Anti‑malware client version number and confirm it matches one of the two versions listed above.

Once the correct version is confirmed, your system should be protected against the reported exploits.