Should I let this 'scan' my computer?

I periodically get a message which says 'Windows Defender wants to scan your computer'.

I've got firewalls, anti-virus etc., etc., and, until this message popped up hadn't even heard of Windows Defender (although I'm the first to admit I know less than nothing about computers). So before I got ahead, can someone please tell me what is 'Windows Defender ...'? and should I let it do it's scan?

 

It comes with Windows,

Heres how to uninstall it.

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/1578...emove-windows-defender.-also-how-turn-it-off/

 

Its old. Windows Defender is legit, but that's not to say that something masquerading as it is legit.

I'd ignore it, get rid of it, and install Microsoft Security Essentials (only download it from microsoft's website), and let that scan your machine.

 

Apart from just that its been superseded by MS Security Essentials, the main reason I advise to get rid of it is just because its apparently never popped up before, which rouses some suspicion about its authenticity to me.

One of the latest tricks in malware is for a dodgy app to pretend to be a legitimate one, because security has improved enough in recent years to make it a bit harder for malicious software to run without your consent. Most of us will have seen prompts from Windows asking us if we want to allow a program to run. That happens when an app needs administrator permissions to run, so you run a much lower priveleged app to pretend to be a legit app, that gets you to grant permission to run, then its does its mischief with your permission.

 

I'm very grateful to you all. I have to say disabling seems to be the way to go except .... I can't find the blessed thing - a search under all programs doesn't show up anything.

Ooooh, how I wish I understood computers.

 

If you install MS Security Essentials, and let that scan your machine, then if it finds a legit Windows Defender, then nowt to worry about. If it finds a dodgy one, it will sort it out for you.