Rule version WNDF-AV-000073 · STIG v2 · 2026-09-02
Cloud protection in Microsoft Defender Antivirus delivers accurate, real-time, and intelligent protection. Cloud protection should be enabled by default.
Verify the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> MpEngine >> Select cloud protection level is set to "Enabled". Verify the policy value for "Select cloud blocking level" is set to "High blocking level"; otherwise, this is a finding.
Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\MpEngine
Criteria: If the value "MpCloudBlockLevel" is REG_DWORD = 2, this is not a finding.
If the value is other than 2, this is a finding.
Set the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> MpEngine >> Select cloud protection level to "Enabled".
Set policy value "Select cloud blocking level" to "High blocking level".