Microsoft Spins Off Lower-Cost Version of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft has spun off a basic and more inexpensive version of its Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS that focuses on pure endpoint protection, the company said this week.

The newly created Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 is a cloud-based anti-malware tool that uses artificial intelligence and is aimed at smaller organizations. 

"Customers that seek Plan 1 are those that are looking for EPP (endpoint protection) capabilities only," Microsoft said in a post about the new product version. "It includes next generation protection, device control, endpoint firewall, network protection, web content filtering, attack surface reduction rules, controlled folder access, device based conditional access, APIs and connectors, and the ability to bring your own custom [threat intelligence]."

The company's Plan 2 higher-end version comes with endpoint detection and response (EDR) and advanced threat detection features, SecOps investigation and remediation tools, among other functions.

Microsoft is currently offering Defender for Endpoint P1 for free. It will then offer two licensing arrangements — as a stand-alone, SKU-licensed per user and as part of Microsoft 365 — when it becomes fully available later this year. 

Details are here.