FORscan blocked

[Pcabe5]

I got a new computer and installed FORscan and opened it and applied my license. Today I went to use it and it is being blocked by Win 11 app security. If I try to run as administrator it doesn't make any difference and I don't see anything in the file properties to change/unblock.

Any ideas?

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[Ricksc]

Are you running a firewall? Antivirus? Maybe turn them off. That’s only thing I can think of

 

[Pcabe5]

Yeah I run Norton, but it isn't a Norton notification, it's a Windows app security notification.

There is an option to turn that feature off in privacy and security, but I'm not sure if there are any ramifications of doing so.

 

[B177y]

I got a new computer and installed FORscan and opened it and applied my license. Today I went to use it and it is being blocked by Win 11 app security. If I try to run as administrator it doesn't make any difference and I don't see anything in the file properties to change/unblock.


Any ideas?

I am not a Windows expert by any means. I use an old Windows 10 laptop for ForScan and FDRS.

I asked Proton AI (Lumo) and this is the AI answer:

Q. Turn off Windows 11 app security

A. Sure thing. Here’s a straight‑forward walk‑through for turning off the built‑in Windows 11 app security features. I’ll keep it concise and flag the trade‑offs so you know what you’re getting into.

1. Disable Real‑Time Protection (Microsoft Defender Antivirus)
Open Settings – press Win + I.
Navigate to Privacy & security → Windows Security.
Click Open Windows Security.
Select Virus & threat protection.
Under Virus & threat protection settings, click Manage settings.
Toggle Real‑time protection to Off.
What this does: It stops Defender from scanning files and processes as they run. You’ll see a warning banner reminding you that protection is reduced.

2. Turn Off Microsoft Defender SmartScreen (App & Browser Control)
In the same Windows Security window, choose App & browser control.
Under Check apps and files, set the switch to Off.
Under SmartScreen for Microsoft Edge, set the switch to Off (if you want to suppress it there as well).
Effect: Windows will no longer warn you before running unverified executables or opening potentially risky web content.

3. Disable Controlled Folder Access (Optional)
If you’ve enabled Controlled folder access to protect certain directories:

Still under Virus & threat protection, scroll down to Ransomware protection.
Click Manage ransomware protection.
Toggle Controlled folder access to Off.
Result: Apps can freely read/write to protected folders without prompting.

4. Confirm the Changes
Return to the main Windows Security dashboard. Any feature you turned off will display a yellow warning icon.
You can re‑enable any of these switches later by reversing the steps.
Quick Risk Reminder
Turning these protections off makes your system more vulnerable to malware, phishing, and unwanted software. If you’re only doing this temporarily (e.g., for a specific piece of software that’s being blocked), remember to flip them back on once you’re done. Otherwise, consider supplementing with a reputable third‑party antivirus solution.

That’s it—no fluff, just the steps you asked for. Let me know if you hit any snags or need guidance on re‑enabling anything later.

 

[Ricksc]

Yeah I run Norton, but it isn't a Norton notification, it's a Windows app security notification.

There is an option to turn that feature off in privacy and security, but I'm not sure if there are any ramifications of doing so.

It should not hurt anything to turn it off. Just turn it back on after. Windows may also have a built in firewall. Disabling them to see if forscan works isn’t a problem.

 

[MarkY]

Windows blows, I wish FORScan ran on MacOS. OP, get rid of Norton too, more garbage.

 

[JEB]

I got a new computer and installed FORscan and opened it and applied my license. Today I went to use it and it is being blocked by Win 11 app security. If I try to run as administrator it doesn't make any difference and I don't see anything in the file properties to change/unblock.

Any ideas?

Same thing happened to me with the newest version of FORScan. When you run the installer, the pop-up blocker should give you links to a couple of options. I don’t recall exactly what they say, but one of them allows you to ignore the Windows security restrictions and install the program. Works fine.

 

[Pcabe5]

Same thing happened to me with the newest version of FORScan. When you run the installer, the pop-up blocker should give you links to a couple of options. I don’t recall exactly what they say, but one of them allows you to ignore the Windows security restrictions and install the program. Works fine.

I can install it just fine. Actually ran when I first installed it and input my license key. But now it's no longer available to open.

See attached. I will have to disable this Windows feature but if I ever want it back I'd have to do a clean install of Windows to turn it back on.

 

[JEB]

Hmmmm. Mine doesn’t do that. Try this. Uninstall the license key and then uninstall the app completely. Then reinstall it fresh and see if you get an option during the install to ignore the security restrictions. Your install got further than mine. I couldn’t even install it without bypassing Windows security.

Anything interesting in the “learn more” link?

 

[Pcabe5]

That link just talks about the app security. I suspect since it's an unsigned app it gets flagged.

 

[JEB]

That link just talks about the app security. I suspect since it's an unsigned app it gets flagged.

You still have the nuclear option. Type in Smart App Control in the search bar and then navigate to it. There you will find an option to turn it off. But once you do, you can’t turn it back on without reinstalling Windows. Mine is turned off and it hasn’t caused me any problems.

 

[Pcabe5]

I suspect my old computer (4-5 years old) was turned off because I never had any issues. But the hardware is broken on that one so I cannot login to it to find out.

Thanks, I'll have to turn it off and depend on the other security features.

 

[wipakrat]

I got a new computer and installed FORscan and opened it and applied my license. Today I went to use it and it is being blocked by Win 11 app security. If I try to run as administrator it doesn't make any difference and I don't see anything in the file properties to change/unblock.

Any ideas?

As stated above, turn off real-time protection temporarily, if you don't turn back on, windows will bug you to turn back on. (If you don't know how, google or PM me and I will try to help.

Right click on install file and select properties, on general screen click, unblock program, then click apply

Then click on Compatibility tab and select, Change settings for all users.

Then check Run this program as an administrator

Last click Apply then OK.

I am a programmer, if you have issues like this PM me and I will try to help.

 

[B177y]

Windows blows, I wish FORScan ran on MacOS. OP, get rid of Norton too, more garbage.

Linux....

 

[wipakrat]

Linux....

You can run Windows programs on macOS
using a virtual machine like Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion, installing Windows via Boot Camp on Intel-based Macs, or using compatibility layers like Wine or Crossover. Virtual machines run Windows inside macOS, while Boot Camp allows you to boot directly into either operating system. Compatibility layers, such as Wine, and their user-friendly wrappers like Crossover, allow some Windows applications to run without a full Windows installation

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