Windows 10 ransomware protection remains the first and only line of defense for the majority of consumers using Windows in 2021.

Ransomware is one of the most dangerous kinds of malware because it not only denies access to your data but demands a ransom be paid.

And the amount of ransom demanded keeps going up. The average ransom payment jumped 31 percent to $233,817 in the third quarter of 2020 from $110,532 in the second quarter, according to statistics posted by Coveware.

Are you protected? Windows ransomware protection basics

Unbeknownst to many consumer users of Windows, Microsoft offers built-in ransomware protection as part of Windows Defender, found under Virus & Threat Protection.

The basics for turning it on aren’t complicated: type in “Ransomware Protection” in the Windows 10 Cortana search bar (typically in the bottom lower left of the screen) then go to the “Ransomware Protection” screen.

You’re given the option to select “Protected folders” as Microsoft spells out in this recent document. Then you have the option to select which folders you want protected.

The State of Windows Defender Ransomware protection — with some surprises

A YouTube video (at bottom) from The PC Security Channel — an organization sponsored by the Ingenuity Lab, University of Nottingham — ran tests to demonstrate the level of protection you can expect from Windows Defender.

While the online protection test yielded good results with only a single…