Microsoft recently announced the general availability of Microsoft Defender for Business, a new endpoint security solution that’s now available within Microsoft 365 Business Premium, and as a standalone solution. With this endpoint security solution, your company’s devices are better protected from ransomware, malware, phishing, and other threats.
Microsoft Defender for Business is specially built to bring enterprise-grade endpoint security to small and medium sized business, in a solution that is easy-to-use and cost-effective.
Defender for Business can work with your business environment, whether you're using Microsoft Intune or you're new to the Microsoft Cloud. Defender for Business works with components that are built into Windows, and with apps for macOS, iOS, and Android devices.
Microsoft Defender for Business delivers simple, comprehensive endpoint security to help you secure your business, allowing you to focus on what really matters.
Should I look at upgrading From Business Standard to Business Premium?
If you currently have licenses such as Microsoft 365 Business Standard and are reviewing your security strategy, Business Premium is a natural upgrade with added threat protection, endpoint and app management and information protection. See here for a comparison table of Microsoft 365 Business plans.
How does Defender for Business compare to Defender for Endpoint?
Defender for Endpoint has traditionally been an enterprise grade solution and only included in higher level plans such as E5. Over the past few years Microsoft has made this a standalone offering that could be bolted on to other plans to make it more cost effective. Plan 1 is essentially a lightweight version of the offering. At a high level this plan includes components like next gen protection and attack surface reduction.
| Features | Plan 1 |
Business Premium (Includes Defender for Business) |
Plan 2 |
| Unified Security Tools and Centralised Management |
y |
y |
y |
| Next-Gen Anti-Malware |
y |
y |
y |
| Attack Surface Reduction Rules |
y |
y |
y |
| Device Control | y | y | y |
| Endpoint Firewall | y | y | y |
| Network Protection | y | y | y |
| Web Control/Category-Based URL Blocking | y | y | y |
| Device-Based Conditional Access | y | y | y |
| Controlled Folder Access | y | y | y |
| APIs, SIEM Connector | y | y | y |
| Application Control | y | y | y |
| Endpoint Detection and Response | y | y | |
| Automated Investigation and Remediation | y | y | |
| Threat and Vulnerability Management | y | y | |
| Threat Intelligence | y | ||
| Sandbox (Deep Analysis) | y | ||
| Microsoft Threat Experts | y |
As you can see, the majority of Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 features are now covered in Business Premium. However, for those who are wishing to test threats in a sandbox environment with a managed threat hunting service, Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 is still most likely the plan for you.
The introduction of the Defender family is a natural and commonly seen upgrade path we see of customers looking to upgrade and improve their security and this is why this comparison is important.
However, for small to medium sized businesses who don’t quite feel that they are ready for Defender for Endpoint, Business Premium gets you near enough enterprise security without the associated cost.
Bechtle’s Security Swift Review
What is it?
Bechtle’s Swift Security Review will provide you with a quick, clear visualisation on the current status of, what we believe, are the 9 core components of a business’ security strategy. From this, Bechtle will align a dedicated security consultant to go through your response and build you a plan that aligns to your wider business requirements and provides a strategy to close any exposure gaps you feel you have.
For further support, please reach out to your Account Manager to arrange a call with one of our Microsoft Specialists.
