Microsoft Defender is now cross platform for consumers (Defender for Individuals) as long as you pay for Microsoft 365 Family or Personal

[captain_to_fire]

It took them a while but now a Microsoft 365 Personal/Family comes with Microsoft 365 which provides cross platform protection not just for Windows but also macOS, Android, and iOS.

 

Quote

Microsoft is launching a new Defender cybersecurity app across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android today. While the software giant has used the Defender moniker for its antivirus protection for years, this new cross-platform Microsoft Defender app is designed for individuals as more of a simplified dashboard that taps into existing antivirus software or offers additional device protections.

 

This seamless solution, which includes continuous antivirus and anti-phishing protection for your data and devices, will enable you to:

• Manage your security protections and view security protections for everyone in your family, from a single easy-to-use, centralized dashboard.
• View your existing antivirus protection (such as Norton or McAfee). Defender recognizes these protections within the dashboard.
• Extend Windows device protections to iOS, Android, and macOS devices for cross-platform malware protection on the devices you and your family use the most.
• Receive instant security alerts, resolution strategies, and expert tips to help keep your data and devices secure.

It's good to know that the new features come in bundled with an existing Office 365 subscription which could mean cost savings to those people who still purchase multiple AV products for their different devices on different platforms and this used to be an enterprise only feature with Defender ATP. Defender will remain free for all Windows 10/11 users but this service is meant for those who own a PC and a Mac plus an Android or iPhone. The Defender running for macOS and Android will provide similar features as the one in Windows such as real time cloud delivered protection, on demand scanning, and web protection while the iOS version will simply provide web protection due to the restrictions of iOS.

 

 

Ever since the pandemic began I have personally received a lot of scam SMS on a daily basis with links hidden by bit.ly thanks to contact tracing forms that are poorly secured by many businesses. While it is nice that Microsoft will provide additional protection to mobile devices especially from phishing scams, it is important to remind our loved ones not to click suspicious links anyway regardless whether a security product is installed or not. These security products are only as good as the telemetry data it caught. It's good that Microsoft included macOS even though it has its built in defenses such as Gatekeeper, XProtect and Notarization, many has pointed out its weaknesses which many adversaries continue to evade. Unlike XProtect which only runs in the background without a UI, you can scan your Mac on demand with Defender. It's also good to know that Apple made guidelines to developers on building an antivirus program for the Mac as shown in these WWDC sessions [2020] [2022].

 

So to anyone out there already paying for Microsoft 365 Family or Personal, you can download Defender for Individuals here. Many people in this forum tend to shit on Defender because of its shitty past but it has improved a lot even on default settings it can compete with 3rd party paid solutions when it comes to real time protection. Let's not forget that Defender was probably the first antivirus program who placed the AV process inside a sandbox to reduce its own attack surface unlike other vendors who dismisses warnings from security researchers.

 

 

Source: [Microsoft blog] [The Verge]

[Lightwreather]

I get using Defender on windows, but I don't get why anyone would use it elsewhere? Okay, I get it's free with 365, but still.

Also, does this need to be constantly connected to the interwebs? 

[captain_to_fire]

Just now, J-from-Nucleon said:

I get using Defender on windows, but I don't get why anyone would use it elsewhere? Okay, I get it's free with 365, but still.

Also, does this need to be constantly connected to the interwebs? 

Cost savings. Why pay for a third party AV to protect your Mac when you can get Defender that comes with O365?

 

For the best protection, it is recommended to be connected to the internet which is the case for most antivirus programs. Defender unfortunately relies heavily on the cloud for the best protection but this is not an issue for many as many PCs are internet connected anyway.

 

 

[Roswell]

3 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

Cost savings. Why pay for a third party AV to protect your Mac when you can get Defender that comes with O365?

 

For the best protection, it is recommended to be connected to the internet which is the case for most antivirus programs. Defender unfortunately relies heavily on the cloud for the best protection but this is not an issue for many as many PCs are internet connected anyway.

 

 

Macs don’t need AV, it’s already built in.

 

XProtect and Gatekeeper (plus the inherently superior security of UNIX by design) is astronomically better than whatever nonsense MS would offer.

[wamred]

I mean, I guess it's like the VPN with Google One. I don't expect it to be any good but at least theres something there if I need a quick VPN for public WiFi.

[Doobeedoo]

I mean makes sense being included with it.

[Obioban]

As a Mac owning Office 365 user, I will not be using this.