So this portion is currently listed under EP in the SCCM console so im posting here. i would like to see an enterprise solution to deploying the windows firewall similar to the way DCM relationships are. Not the existing feature in SCCM where you can simply enable or disable the firewall policy. i would like to see Individual Firewall rules are created as Configuration items and then grouped into Baselines to be applied at a granular level to computers. that way we can remove the GPO dependency on where a computer is placed or at which level its place. SCCM would be a much much better place to handle this type of configuration on an enterprise level.

Configuration Manager allows the creation of subscriptions to alerts for the following Endpoint Protection events:

• Malware outbreak - the same malware detected on multiple computers
• Multiple malware detected on one computer
• Same malware repeatedly detected on one computer

The ability to subscribe to alerts for these events is useful, but this feature could be improved.

For example, I don't need to be alerted when malicious JavaScript on a website is repeatedly detected and blocked on a user's computer, but there is no way to filter notifications for a specific class of threats. On the other hand, I do want to be alerted when remediation of a single infection on a single machine fails, but this is not possible either.

Microsoft Case ID: [Case #:24522893] - TrackingID#120121125002133.

While troubleshooting on the case we noticed that Windows Defender was performing 2 WMI queries through SCCM every minute, even when Defender was disabled on the system. These queries generate about 70.000 events (detected via procmon) related to the registry every minute.

The cause of the query is ccmexec.exe
The queries are (detected via procdump):
select * from _instancecreationevent within 60 where targetinstance isa "win32service" and ( targetinstance.name="msmpsvc" or targetinstance.name="windefend")

select * from _instancemodificationevent within 60 where targetinstance isa "win32service" and targetinstance.state="running" and ( targetinstance.name="msmpsvc" or targetinstance.name="windefend")

Antivirus scans those actions (as any Antivirus program does), and as a result the CPU usage caused by these WMI queries was multiplied.
 
These queries cannot be disabled, while it was confirmed by Microsoft that these queries are not required in case an external thirdparty antivirus program is being used.
 
The advised approach was to try to minimize the amplification by Antivirus, which indeed added a positive impact. Detailed tuning of the antivirus policy with a focus in these WMI queries resulted in a reduction of the amplification.

It was agreed that this solution is an acceptable work around. And for the WMI Queries to be disabled, we already have a Design change request in place with SCCM Team to take this into consideration and validate if this could be resolved in upcoming versions. I was advised to raise this issue in the Microsoft User Voice in order to gain support for this Design change request.

See process explorer printscreen: