"Enhanced Windows Driver Prevents Default Web Browser Changes"
Microsoft has quietly introduced a Windows driver in the February updates for Windows 10 and 11, which prevents users from changing default browsers manually or through software by locking down specific Registry keys. The driver, called User Choice Protect Driver (UCPD.sys), restricts editing of Registry keys associated with URL associations and file types, and may be related to compliance with Europe's Digital Markets Act. While it was initially thought to be related to DMA regulations, its rollout to non-EEA devices has cast doubt on this theory.