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How does Windows File Protection determine if a protected system file is valid?

April 26, 2017determine file protected system valid Windows

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How does Windows File Protection determine if a protected system file is valid?

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Microsoft computes the cryptographic hash for each protected file it releases at the time of release. When Windows File Protection is invoked to determine whether a file is valid, it attempts to verify that the hash for the file is identical to the hash for that particular file as recorded in the “system catalog”. If the hash for a file on the system fails to match the hash in the catalog for the version that Microsoft distributed, Windows File Protection replaces the file with a valid version from the Dllcache folder or the Windows 2000 CD.