diff --git a/.github/workflows/nodejs.yml b/.github/workflows/nodejs.yml
index 482976de74a..3763a7467cb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nodejs.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nodejs.yml
@@ -71,6 +71,19 @@ jobs:
         with:
           fetch-depth: 0
 
+      - name: Add workspace to Defender exclusions
+        if: matrix.os == 'windows-latest'
+        run: |
+          Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath "${{ github.workspace }}"
+
+          Add-MpPreference -ExclusionProcess "node.exe"
+
+          $npmCache = (npm config get cache)
+          Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath $npmCache
+
+          Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $true
+        shell: powershell
+
       - name: Using Node.js v${{ matrix.node-version }}
         uses: actions/setup-node@6044e13b5dc448c55e2357c09f80417699197238 # v6.2.0
         with:
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0cd9e98f062..aaf111b65be 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ packages/**/yarn.lock
 
 # test output files
 test/js/*
+test/create-webpack-app-testing/*
 test/**/bin/
 test/**/**/bin/
 test/**/**/**/bin/
diff --git a/eslint.config.mjs b/eslint.config.mjs
index 4021eee7921..9c51bae9331 100644
--- a/eslint.config.mjs
+++ b/eslint.config.mjs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import configs from "eslint-config-webpack/configs.js";
 export default defineConfig([
   globalIgnores([
     "packages/*/lib/**/*",
+    "test/**/create-webpack-app-testing/**/*",
     "test/**/dist/**/*",
     "test/**/bin/**/*",
     "test/**/binary/**/*",
diff --git a/test/create-webpack-app/init/init.test.js b/test/create-webpack-app/init/init.test.js
index 02c48667cca..d9bf1072d67 100644
--- a/test/create-webpack-app/init/init.test.js
+++ b/test/create-webpack-app/init/init.test.js
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 const { existsSync, mkdirSync, readFileSync, writeFileSync } = require("node:fs");
 const { cp } = require("node:fs/promises");
-const os = require("node:os");
 const path = require("node:path");
 const { join, resolve } = require("node:path");
 const { createPathDependentUtils, isWindows, uniqueDirectoryForTest } = require("../test.utils");
@@ -149,7 +148,11 @@ describe("create-webpack-app cli", () => {
   });
 
   it("should generate folders if non existing generation path is given", async () => {
-    const assetsPath = path.resolve(os.tmpdir(), Date.now().toString());
+    const assetsPath = path.resolve(
+      __dirname,
+      "../create-webpack-app-testing",
+      Date.now().toString(),
+    );
     const { stdout } = await run(__dirname, ["init", assetsPath, "--force"]);
 
     expect(stdout).toContain("Project has been initialised with webpack!");
diff --git a/test/utils/test-utils.js b/test/utils/test-utils.js
index a0692bda71e..d2f16f89c1e 100644
--- a/test/utils/test-utils.js
+++ b/test/utils/test-utils.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 const { exec } = require("node:child_process");
 const fs = require("node:fs");
-const os = require("node:os");
 const path = require("node:path");
 const { stripVTControlCharacters } = require("node:util");
 const concat = require("concat-stream");
@@ -373,10 +372,10 @@ const uuid = (size = 21) => {
 };
 
 const uniqueDirectoryForTest = async () => {
-  const result = path.resolve(os.tmpdir(), uuid());
+  const result = path.resolve(path.resolve(__dirname, "../create-webpack-app-testing"), uuid());
 
   if (!fs.existsSync(result)) {
-    fs.mkdirSync(result);
+    fs.mkdirSync(result, { recursive: true });
   }
 
   return result;