Microsoft Defender AV must scan packed executables.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-278679	SRG-APP-000278	WNDF-AV-000076	SV-278679r1144081_rule	2025-11-25	2

Description
This policy setting manages whether Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans packed executables. Packed executables are executable files that contain compressed code.

ℹ️ Check
Verify the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Scan >> Scan packed executables is set to "Enabled"; otherwise, this is a finding. Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scan Criteria: If the value "DisablePackedExeScanning" is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding. If the value is 1, this is a finding.

ℹ️ Check

Verify the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Scan >> Scan packed executables is set to "Enabled"; otherwise, this is a finding. Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scan Criteria: If the value "DisablePackedExeScanning" is REG_DWORD = 0, this is not a finding. If the value is 1, this is a finding.

✔️ Fix
Set the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Scan >> Scan packed executables to "Enabled". Click "OK". Click "Apply".