Microsoft disables online Windows App Installer after attackers abuse it

Microsoft has disabled the App Installer feature of Windows 10, which allowed direct installation of apps from web links. The move comes after a surge in abuse by threat actors using the feature to deploy ransomware and other malware. The MS-appinstaller protocol could bypass Microsoft Defender SmartScreen and built-in browser warnings for malicious downloads, and became a preferred method for these actors. This protocol was disabled on December 28, 2021.