Specify threat alert levels at which default action should not be taken when detected
Verified with Windows 11 25H2 — updated on July 30, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus\Threats Description
This policy setting allows you to customize which automatic remediation action will be taken for each threat alert level.Threat alert levels should be added under the Options for this setting. Each entry must be listed as a name value pair. The name defines a threat alert level. The value contains the action ID for the remediation action that should be taken. Valid threat alert levels are: 1 = Low 2 = Medium 4 = High 5 = Severe Valid remediation action values are: 2 = Quarantine 3 = Remove 6 = Ignore
Registry
HKLM
Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats Value name: Threats_ThreatSeverityDefaultAction
MDM / Intune (CSP)
./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Defender/ThreatSeverityDefaultAction Microsoft Learn documentation Mapping data: Microsoft Learn (CC BY 4.0)
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Specify threat alert levels at which default action should not be taken when detected
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats]
"Threats_ThreatSeverityDefaultAction"=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats\ThreatSeverityDefaultAction]
; List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify threat alert levels at which default action should not be taken when detected
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Threats_ThreatSeverityDefaultAction' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats\ThreatSeverityDefaultAction'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.Intune XML
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/Defender/ThreatSeverityDefaultAction
Data type: String
Value:
<enabled/>
<!-- Threats_ThreatSeverityDefaultActionList: enter one value per line before copying this XML payload. -->Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify threat alert levels at which default action should not be taken when detected
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
# HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats\ThreatSeverityDefaultAction: List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats' -Name 'Threats_ThreatSeverityDefaultAction' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify threat alert levels at which default action should not be taken when detected
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Threats_ThreatSeverityDefaultAction' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats\ThreatSeverityDefaultAction'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.SCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify threat alert levels at which default action should not be taken when detected
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify threat alert levels at which default action should not be taken when detected
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
# HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats\ThreatSeverityDefaultAction: List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats' -Name 'Threats_ThreatSeverityDefaultAction' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Specify threat alert levels at which default action should not be taken when detected
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'Threats_ThreatSeverityDefaultAction' -Value 1 -Type DWord
$path = 'HKLM:\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Threats\ThreatSeverityDefaultAction'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
# List values: enter one value per line in the builder UI.Building a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.