This article explains how one can turn on or off Data Execution Prevention (DEP) in Windows 11.
Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a feature in Windows that helps protect your computer from malicious software and apps executing from a secure area of the system memory.
DEP sets aside part of the system memory (RAM) as data only area where no executable code or apps are allowed to run. This makes it harder for attackers that try to use buffer overflows or other techniques, to run their malware from those parts of memory that normally only contain data.
Below is how to turn on or off DEP in Windows 11.
Turn on or off Data Execution Prevention (DEP) in Windows 11
As described above, DEP helps protect your computer from malicious software and apps by setting aside part of the system memory as data only with no executable code or apps in those areas.
Here’s how to turn it on or off.
First, open the Windows Security app.
You can do that by clicking on the Start menu button and searching for “Windows Security“. Under Best match, click on the Windows Security app.
In the Windows Security app, on the “Security at a glance page“, click the App & browser control button at the button left of the page.
On the App & browser control settings pane, under Exploit protection, click the Exploit protection settings link.
On the App & browser control -> Explorer protection settings pane, you’ll find Data Execution Prevention on the System settings tab.
Use the drop-down options to enable or disable DEP.
- On by default
- Off by default
- Use default (On)
DEP is turned on by default, but if you need to turn it off (or back on) anytime.
After choosing a setting, exit the Windows Security app.
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This post showed you how to enable or disable DEP in Windows 11. If you find any error above or have something to add, please use the comment form below.
