"Setting a Windows Defender exception to the folder does not prevent the quarantine from occurring. I re-ran this test three times trying exceptions and even the entire NAS drive as on the excluded list."
Windows Defender is overriding the user whitelist?
It's really amazing the attitude Microsoft takes regarding hardware that isn't theirs, including the nonconsensual forced autoupdate.
In my opinion, Windows Defender is still the best antivirus software for consumers. That's not a compliment to Windows Defender, that's an insult to antivirus companies all over the world.