<p>With Cryptolocker number of variants rising each day we had to implement SmartScreen filter using Group Policy in our environment.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s how you can easily configure SmartScreen filter using GPO.</p>
<p>Open Group Policy editor (<strong>gpedit.msc</strong>)</p>
<p>Navigate to:<br />
<strong>Computer configuration | Policies | Administrative Templates | Windows Components | File Explorer</strong></p>
<p>From the right pane select <strong>Configure Windows SmartScreen</strong> select <strong>Enabled</strong> and from the dropdown list choose <strong>Require approval from an administrator before running downloaded unknown software</strong>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.wincert.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/smartscreen.png" rel="attachment wp-att-1733"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1733" src="https://www.wincert.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/smartscreen.png" alt="smartscreen" width="661" height="331" /></a></p>
<p>Once policy has been created, you should link the policy to computers container since this is a computer configuration policy.<!--more--></p>
<p>Since this is a Computer configuration policy it should be applied to a computer containter.</p>
<p>On the other hand if you would like to apply this policy to a user containter you will have to enable <strong>Group Policy Loopback processing mode</strong> policy setting to be able to apply this policy on a user container.</p>
<p>In this case policy will be applied to all computers/users in that container.</p>
<p>In Group POlicy management navigate to:<br />
<strong>Computer Configuration | Policies | Administrative Templates | System/Group Policy</strong></p>
<p>From the right pane choose:<br />
Configure user <strong>Group Policy loopback processing mode</strong> and select <strong>Merge</strong> from the dropdown list.</p>
<p>Feel free to leave your comments below.</p>

Configure SmartScreen via GPO
