Microsoft Defender for IoT vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security comparison

Microsoft Defender for IoT vs. Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Defender for IoT

Ranking in IoT Security

5th

Average Rating

7.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Operational Technology (OT) Security (6th), Microsoft Security Suite (24th)

Palo Alto Networks IoT Secu...

Ranking in IoT Security

3rd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the IoT Security category, the mindshare of Microsoft Defender for IoT is 9.5%, up from 9.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is 6.2%, down from 7.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

IoT Security Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Palo Alto Networks IoT Security	6.2%
Microsoft Defender for IoT	9.5%
Other	84.3%

IoT Security

Featured Reviews

Amr Alaa

Principale Systems Architect at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees

Effective network monitoring with identified documentation improvements needed

The documentation for Microsoft Defender for IoT is lacking. There are no clear steps or guidance, and updates are frequent, which adds to the confusion. More detailed documentation with video instructions for tasks would be helpful. The system capabilities are not well-documented either. Importing device names and maintaining a list can be cumbersome, as it requires manual input for a large number of devices. The backup and restore process is limited to GUI for backup but lacks a GUI for restore, though future updates might address this. Sentinel documentation is also poor, with limited guidance available.

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Muhammad Ahsan Riaz

Chief Information Security Officer at Packages Group

Responsive system enhances network management but integration needs refinement

I find Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to be highly responsive, and its separate management and data planes are a major advantage. As an insurance company in the financial sector, we must meet strict regulatory requirements, and Palo Alto has proven to be an excellent solution. Its management is straightforward, the dashboards and reporting are comprehensive, and most importantly, it functions exactly as described in the documentation. For example, when we needed to block YouTube on our network, Palo Alto successfully blocked access while our Cisco firewall failed to block access on iPhones. This highlights the inconsistency we've experienced with different firewalls, whereas Palo Alto has consistently performed as expected.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The graphics and analysis in Microsoft Defender for IoT are very representative."

"Mainly, it is manageable and integrates with other Microsoft products, which is crucial for me."

"Some advantages of Microsoft Defender for IoT are that it's easy to install on any OS, and you can create any custom use cases easily."

"I find Microsoft Defender very effective in vulnerability management and it provides good attack reduction, making it a next-generation protection solution."

"As a cybersecurity consultant, the best part of Microsoft Defender for IoT is the capability to integrate with other tools such as Microsoft Sentinel and receive real-time alerts from the product."

"It is manageable and integrates with other Microsoft products, which is crucial for me."

"I believe it is best suited for cloud services and is unmatched by other cloud security solutions."

"I like the Cortex Data Lake integration with security automation."

"I would recommend Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to any organization with automation plants or standard enterprise IT environments."

"From a security standpoint, it provides a comprehensive range of standard security features that align with our requirements."

"Palo Alto is valued for its GlobalProtect feature, which offers a range of security options, including user ID mapping and VPNs."

"The key strength of Palo Alto firewalls lies in their application-based approach, offering a much finer level of control compared to traditional firewalls."

"I find Palo Alto Networks IoT Security to be highly responsive, and its separate management and data planes are a major advantage."

"This solution has been most valuable for establishing a VPN and implementing allow/deny rules. It has also enabled us to create security policies. It is an easy solution to customise when it comes to creating templates and pulling reports."

"Single-pass traffic processing enables very high throughput and low latency."

More Palo Alto Networks IoT Security pros

Cons

"Customer service and support from Microsoft are costly. The execution by engineers is expensive, and the service is neither free nor toll-free, making it less accessible for customers."

"The only improvement I see is that some detection explanations are vaguely provided by Microsoft, resulting in generic IoT detections that alert me to an issue yet don't specify what's wrong."

"The documentation for Microsoft Defender for IoT is lacking. There are no clear steps or guidance, and updates are frequent, which adds to the confusion."

"The only improvement I see is that some detection explanations are vaguely provided by Microsoft, resulting in generic IoT detections that alert me to an issue yet don't specify what's wrong."

"Microsoft Defender for IoT is not scalable. If you want to monitor another industrial network, you need an additional server, making it less scalable."

"The primary area that needs improvement is compatibility with the latest IoT technologies."

"There are a few limitations with Microsoft Defender for IoT. We raised concerns with the product team because they don't capture all the information regarding command execution or processes executed on certain endpoints."

"Essentially, this solution focuses on data analysis and cannot perform any physical actions."

"The support is in line with Palo Alto Networks services for other products but needs improvement."

"The cost is still high and licensing is still complex."

"More application signatures are required."

"Palo Alto Networks IoT Security's reporting capabilities are less comprehensive and robust than those provided by Cisco."

"I had to call the support because there were some devices that were not showing up."

"It would be beneficial to have a more centralized and user-friendly platform that could consolidate all the necessary information, which proved challenging during the initial POC phase."

"It would be beneficial if Palo Alto IoT Security could integrate with Let's Encrypt for free SSL certificates."

More Palo Alto Networks IoT Security cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"The initial investment is substantial, but the renewal costs make it financially unsustainable."

"While Palo Alto Networks IoT Security might cost more than some competitors, its features and effectiveness justify the price tag."

"The successful migration trend suggests that Palo Alto provides a superior cost-benefit ratio for firewall solutions."

"The pricing for Palo Alto Networks IoT Security is a bit high."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

15%

Energy/Utilities Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

14%

Performing Arts

13%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Large Enterprise	7

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Defender for IoT?

I find that Microsoft Defender for IoT itself is affordable.

What needs improvement with Microsoft Defender for IoT?

I don't think I have any recommendation on improvements for Microsoft Defender for IoT because we don't use it too extensively. There are a few limitations with Microsoft Defender for IoT. We raise...

What is your primary use case for Microsoft Defender for IoT?

Clients mainly use Microsoft Defender for IoT for unfamiliar sign-in attempts and Microsoft Defender EDRs. We are using use cases for unfamiliar sign-in and malicious activity, such as user sign-in...

What needs improvement with Palo Alto Networks IoT Security?

One thing I communicated to them is that they need to provide a managed update for their IoT devices.

What is your primary use case for Palo Alto Networks IoT Security?

I use it for one of my customers, and my role is to help my customer with the solution. They use it for their IoT devices in the field, and they have a lot of sensors out there for their heating eq...

What advice do you have for others considering Palo Alto Networks IoT Security?

The pricing is not that bad. I would rate this solution an 8 out of 10.

Nozomi Networks vs Microsoft Defender for IoT

Comparisons

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Compared 11% of the time

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Armis vs Microsoft Defender for IoT

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Compared 24% of the time

Nozomi Networks vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

Compared 19% of the time

Phosphorus Cybersecurity vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

Compared 19% of the time

Azure Sphere vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

Compared 15% of the time

Allot IoTSecure vs Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

Compared 7% of the time

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Product Reports

Microsoft Defender for IoT

Download Microsoft Defender for IoT product report

Palo Alto Networks IoT Security

Download Palo Alto Networks IoT Security product report

Also Known As

Azure Defender for IoT

No data available

Overview

Microsoft Defender for IoT offers advanced security designed to protect IoT environments from sophisticated threats. Its deep integration with Azure reinforces security across devices and networks.

Microsoft Defender for IoT provides scalable threat detection and security intelligence tailored for IoT devices. Leveraging cloud-powered analytics, it ensures protection against emerging threats while supporting diverse device landscapes. The platform's compatibility with Azure Sentinel offers robust security operations and management capabilities.

What are the core features of Microsoft Defender for IoT?

Threat Intelligence: Provides real-time insights and threat detection using cloud-powered analytics.
Device Management: Simplifies the monitoring and management of IoT devices across networks.
Integrated Security: Seamlessly integrates with Azure Sentinel for comprehensive security operations.

What benefits and ROI should users consider?

Improved Security Posture: Strengthens the protection of IoT ecosystems against cyber threats.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces the complexities and costs associated with managing IoT security.
Scalability: Supports growth and adaptation to expanding IoT networks.

In manufacturing, Microsoft Defender for IoT aids in maintaining operational efficiency by preventing unauthorized access to industrial control systems. Healthcare providers utilize it to protect sensitive patient data transmitted through connected devices. Retailers benefit from secure management of inventory systems and customer data across smart devices.

Microsoft

Introducing comprehensive IoT Security solutions tailored for enterprises, healthcare, and industrial operations. Safeguard every device, visible or unseen, with Zero Trust security protocols, ensuring protection against known and unknown threats. With rapid 15X faster deployment times, Enterprise IoT Security, Medical IoT Security, and Industrial OT Security streamline operations, allowing teams to prioritize security over setup. Seamlessly integrate with Palo Alto Networks ML-Powered NGFWs or Prisma Access for swift implementation, making your infrastructure IoT-aware within minutes. Eliminate blind spots across existing IT and security solutions with playbook-driven, built-in integrations, and simplify cloud delivery for deployment across any architecture without the need for multiple sensors or network redesign. Protect your assets and ensure uninterrupted operations with our comprehensive IoT security solutions.

Palo Alto Networks

Microsoft Defender for IoT vs. Palo Alto Networks IoT Security