Microsoft Defender for Cloud Reviews

Name: Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Brand: Microsoft
Rating: 4.0 (59 reviews)

Vendor: Microsoft

4.0 out of 5

59 reviews
94% willing to recommend

610 followers

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What is Microsoft Defender for Cloud?

Microsoft Defender for Cloud is a comprehensive security solution that provides advanced threat protection for cloud workloads. It offers real-time visibility into the security posture of cloud environments, enabling organizations to quickly identify and respond to potential threats. With its advanced machine learning capabilities, Microsoft Defender for Cloud can detect and block sophisticated attacks, including zero-day exploits and fileless malware.

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Microsoft Defender for Cloud is the #2 ranked solution in top Compliance Management solutions, #3 ranked solution in Cloud Workload Protection Platforms, #3 ranked solution in top Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) solutions, #3 ranked solution in top Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) solutions, #3 ranked solution in top Microsoft Security Suite solutions, #4 ranked solution in top Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) solutions, #5 ranked solution in Container Security Solutions, #7 ranked solution in top Vulnerability Management solutions, and #10 ranked solution in Container Management software. PeerSpot users give Microsoft Defender for Cloud an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 59 most recent Microsoft Defender for Cloud reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 7.1. Microsoft Defender for Cloud is most commonly compared to Wiz: Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Wiz. Microsoft Defender for Cloud is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 65% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 16% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud

November 2024

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Featured reviews

Anurag Awasthi

Senior Consultant at HCLSoftware

The solution's robust security posture is the most valuable feature. We have a lot of firewalls, and we can manage them in the solution through the firewall manager. We can set up an Azure firewall and centralize the management policy. The solution provides excellent visibility into threats, and it's a cloud-based integrated solution, so we don't have to worry about any third-party products or services. Microsoft provides so many options, and that's great. Defender for Cloud generates reports we can use as an assessment, as it allows us to see the services in our environment and our points of highest risk. The solution's threat intelligence helps us prepare for threats before they hit and take proactive steps, which is very useful for analysis.

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Srikanth Matsa

Senior DevOps Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees

Before Microsoft Defender our external team would give us updates on which ports are opening and which vulnerabilities are being attacked. Now with the recommendations of Microsoft Defender, we can find these vulnerabilities sooner and fix them. Before onboarding those respected resources into Microsoft Defender, we faced a few issues. Once we onboarded those resources, we received prompt recommendations that helped us make the organization's resources more secure. If resources are not secured, it can impact the reputation of the organization. The solution helped identify a lot of the issues, at a high priority that we could resolve. Microsoft Defender helps any organization that needs to follow security baseline recommendations in order to improve its environment. Regarding threats, I recommend Microsoft Sentinel for detecting and hunting the threats. I can identify what exactly happened at that particular time or particular resource with the help of Microsoft Sentinel. The solution has significantly reduced the overall time it takes us to detect issues. Most of the resources are scanned every 30 minutes, so it doesn't take much time for the solution to give us the respected recommendations. Depending on the issue, Microsoft Defender for Cloud has helped reduce our overall time to respond. There are a few recommendations that we can fix immediately by just clicking using the UI. However, the overall time to respond to issues depends upon that respected recommendation list. There are a few things that we need to consider when it comes to the security settings of our virtual machines which can take a long time to identify and fix.

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MICHEL RACT-MUGNEROT

Personal business manager at La Mairic

In specific contexts like finance or healthcare area, there are regulations requiring compliance. At this stage, we need to be able to prove we have state-of-the-art endpoint protection and the ability to show that all these tools are up-to-date with the latest updates and identified threats. This is very useful for my customers to be able to prove compliance.

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Microsoft Defender for Cloud mindshare

Product category:

As of November 2024, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Cloud in the Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) category stands at 14.5%, down from 15.7% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP)

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Nov 21, 2024

Valuable Features

Microsoft Defender for Cloud offers daily recommendations, intuitive dashboards, seamless integration, compliance policies, vulnerability assessments, and multi-cloud support. Users appreciate its remote workforce capabilities, policy features, AI-based detections, security and incident management, and threat intelligence. The platform provides security alerts, compliance checks, and recommendations to proactively enhance security posture. Its easy integration with Microsoft services and support for dynamic networking make it a valuable security tool for organizations.

"The most valuable feature is the recommendations provided on how to improve security."
"The solution is quite good and addresses many security gaps."
"Microsoft Defender for Cloud helps in improving our overall security posture. We have a nice overview of what is missing where and what can be improved."

Room for Improvement

Users express the need for better customization and automation within Microsoft Defender for Cloud. They encounter challenges with false positives, pricing, complex policy management, and granularity of controls. Integration with third-party products and multi-cloud environments is lacking. Microsoft's UI could be more intuitive, and the secure score calculation requires transparency. Training and documentation also need enhancement to assist users in navigating the system effectively. Improved support and real-time alert capabilities are crucial for a better experience.

"Early on, the lack of transparency is a challenge. Microsoft does not tell you the cost when they launch something."
"Customer service and support from Microsoft are very poor. Even for high-severity cases, response or resolution time can extend to three or four weeks."
"There should be an automated mechanism to design Azure policies based on the recommendations, possibly with AI integration. Instead of an engineer having to write a policy to fix security gaps, which is very time-consuming, there should be an inbuilt capability to auto-remediate everything and have proper control in place."

ROI

Users express satisfaction with Microsoft Defender for Cloud's return on investment, emphasizing ease of management, security insights, and efficiency gains. Many organizations integrate it seamlessly with Azure services, reducing costs by up to 50% and improving security scores, which enhances client confidence. While initial costs are significant, the enhancement in risk prevention and threat remediation justifies the expense. Performance improvements lead to tangible time and cost savings, offering a positive ROI despite variability in cost perceptions.

Pricing

Microsoft Defender for Cloud offers flexible module selection with a free and paid version. Pricing is often integrated into broader Microsoft licensing and can vary widely depending on usage and location, with complexities in cost calculation. While some find it cost-effective, others note it can be expensive, especially for smaller enterprises, with costs tied to the number of subscriptions and resources. The pricing model requires careful evaluation due to potential hidden costs and the variability across different plans and features.

"The pricing model for most plans is generally good, but the cost of the new Defender for Storage plan is high and should be revisited, as it could lead to disabling desirable security features due to cost."
"Understanding the costs of cloud services can be complicated at first. As with a lot of things in the cloud, it can be quite hard to understand the end cost, but it becomes clearer over time. Early on, the lack of transparency is a challenge. Microsoft does not tell you the cost when they launch something. It is clever marketing, and there is room for improvement there. There should be clarity from the start."
"The product's pricing policy is generally favorable."

Popular Use Cases

Companies use Microsoft Defender for Cloud to enhance security, monitor infrastructure, enforce compliance, integrate policies, and manage vulnerabilities. It supports cloud workload protection, threat detection, incident monitoring, and regulatory compliance. Organizations utilize it for endpoint security, SIEM integration, IoT security, and multi-cloud environments. It aids in auditing security policies, securing virtual machines, and container protection while providing security insights and recommendations to improve security practices across a range of services and deployment environments.

Service and Support

Many users found Microsoft Defender for Cloud's support to be responsive and detailed. Premium users typically have better interactions, often connecting directly with engineers. Some experienced delays and multiple handovers, which affected satisfaction. Documentation is comprehensive, resolving most issues without contacting support. While there are positive experiences, others reported slow resolution times and occasional inefficiencies. Being a Microsoft partner or having an enterprise agreement generally enhances support quality, though not all users agree.

Deployment

Initial setup for Microsoft Defender for Cloud is mostly straightforward and intuitive. Documentation aids greatly, though complexity depends on client needs and infrastructure. Deployment time varies, taking anywhere from hours to a month. Teams generally consist of two to five individuals, including architects, service engineers, and admin staff. For those without a background in this type of service, outside support or detailed study of documentation is recommended for a smoother process.

Scalability

Microsoft Defender for Cloud is widely praised for its impressive and highly scalable capabilities. Users highlight its ease of use and ability to handle significant workloads without performance issues. It accommodates an extensive number of users and numerous subscriptions across diverse environments. While generally deemed scalable, specific concerns exist regarding potential limitations in scaling to very large numbers, but many find it flexible in managing increased demands and integration across regions.

Stability

Users generally describe Microsoft Defender for Cloud as a stable and reliable security tool, with minimal downtime and effective cloud management. Some have noted occasional issues with agent deployment or portal access due to internet latency, but these have not significantly impacted stability. Maintenance and updates are efficiently handled by Microsoft, although unexpected configuration changes could use more transparency. Most users rate its stability favorably, highlighting its performance across various environments and setups.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Microsoft Defender for Cloud Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Insurance Company

Healthcare Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Retailer

University

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Construction Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Media Company

Legal Firm

Non Profit

Logistics Company

Transportation Company

Hospitality Company

Outsourcing Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Performing Arts

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Consumer Goods Company

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Learn more about Microsoft Defender for Cloud

The solution also provides automated remediation capabilities, allowing security teams to quickly and easily respond to security incidents. With Microsoft Defender for Cloud, organizations can ensure the security and compliance of their cloud workloads, while reducing the burden on their security teams.

Microsoft Defender for Cloud was previously known as Microsoft Azure Security Center, Azure Security Center, Microsoft ASC, Azure Defender.