Microsoft plans to enable Memory Integrity by default on more eligible Windows PCs through routine quality updates in October. This move expands the availability of kernel-level protection, which helps stop malware from interfering with the core of the operating system. The company says it is preserving the ability for users to opt out of the feature if they have previously disabled it.

While the extra security is generally welcome, the feature has been known to cause a drop in gaming performance on some systems. This happens because the protection adds extra work for the processor to do. Users who notice their frame rates dipping might want to weigh the security benefits against the potential loss of smooth gameplay.