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Director at Darknext
Real User
A stable, easy-to-setup ransomware and malware protection solution with live detection capabilities and comes included in Windows 10
Pros and Cons
  • "The features I have found most valuable are the ransomware and malware protection. The solution detects malware live and whenever it detects suspicious activity, it quarantines it."
  • "With regards to the interface, a challenge I found was that there was not enough documentation on how to tune it. I had to read multiple sources on the internet to learn how to configure the tool appropriately."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case of this solution is to protect our endpoints from malware.

A lot of our work involves exchanging files with clients, both via the internet, by email and by USB. Therefore, we are susceptible to malware and ransomware attacks. We are using this solution to protect against these attacks.

What is most valuable?

The features I have found most valuable are the ransomware and malware protection. The solution detects malware live and whenever it detects suspicious activity, it quarantines it. 

We set our protection to the tightest possible settings, which prevents non-approved applications from making any changes to our computers'.

What needs improvement?

One area of improvement for this solution is to have a faster turnaround time on updating definition files. Since there are usually various ransomware variants, this solution may not pick it up in time like other commercial antivirus solutions. However, we have not encountered an issue like this yet with definition updates.

With regards to the interface, a challenge I found was that there was not enough documentation on how to tune it. I had to read multiple sources on the internet to learn how to configure the tool appropriately.

In the next release, I would like to see the solution have a backup feature were my data could be saved to a Microsoft OneDrive account or an equivalent cloud platform so that, in the event of a ransomware or malware attack, I can easily retrieve my data.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for about a year.

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
January 2025
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

In the past, I have used other solutions from Symantec, McAfee, and RSA.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward. It is just the configuration that takes more time as many features are not very intuitive. As a result, you have to read through what a specific feature does and whether you want to implement it.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is an open source version and comes free with a paid version of Windows 10.


What other advice do I have?

I would highly recommend Microsoft Defender Antivirus for an individual looking to protect their endpoints.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1473762 - PeerSpot reviewer
Head Of Information Technology at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Integrates well with Microsoft applications and endpoints and has a good antivirus
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution integrates very well with Windows applications and Microsoft endpoint products."
  • "The pricing could be a bit better."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for MDM, MAM, and Find Point.

What we did is we replaced our antivirus with Microsoft Defender. There are three products that we implemented, including the Endpoint Defender, which is deployed to all of our end points.

What is most valuable?

The antivirus and their Office Defender are pretty good, although we are still processing that. It seems to be really great at protecting office documents.

The solution integrates very well with Windows applications and Microsoft endpoint products.

The product doesn't take up too many resources. You don't have to install it in different areas. It's very easy to implement and use.

What needs improvement?

As I've only used the product for three months, I haven't really had time to explore the entire solution. However, I haven't found anything that is lacking just yet. Currently, we're actually behind on the current feature offerings and need to explore the system quite a bit more. It fits our needs so far.

The pricing could be a bit better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for three months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is quite stable. It goes well with Windows applications. We haven't had any issues with it so far. It doesn't crash or freeze or glitch. However, we haven't tried the app just yet. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is quite scalable. We've found it to be very easy to expand as needed. If a company needs to scale the solution, they can do so.

Currently, we have 151 people using the solution in our organization. We do plan to continue usage.

How are customer service and technical support?

I personally haven't had any experience with technical support just yet. Only my colleagues have spoken with them. Therefore, I can't speak to their level of knowledge or responsiveness.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were using a different product previously, however, I can't recall the name of it at this time. It might have been number three on the market in 2019. I can't recall precisely.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was not complex at all. There was really not much that we had to do due to the fact that we have Intune. Therefore, it was very easy to deploy.

It did not take long to deploy. We did it directly on the control panel, then the rest deployed to the other machines. What took longer was onboarding all the machines to Intune. Once they were there, they were all protected.

We have a partner that handles the maintenance for us. We have two technicians handling that aspect of the product.

What about the implementation team?

We had a partner that helped us with the deployment.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product pricing is definitely in the same range as other products. It's therefore not too expensive, however, it's also not too cheap. It could be better, however, it's Microsoft and they can pretty much set their pricing how they like.

What other advice do I have?

We're just a customer and an end-user. We don't have a business relationship with Microsoft.

We're using the latest version of the solution.

I would recommend this product to other organizations. In fact, I already have.

Currently, I'd rate it an eight out of ten. That's with the knowledge gap I have, as a user that just started working with the solution recently.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
831,265 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1432815 - PeerSpot reviewer
Project Director at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Quite effective for preventing virus infections, data leak, or other security breaches
Pros and Cons
  • "I am using it for very simple purposes. It is perfect and quite effective. I have been using it for a while, and I have never had any virus infection, data leak, or other security breaches. It works fine for standalone purposes. If you log on to OneDrive, it has ransomware protection."
  • "Windows Firewall is integrated with Windows Defender. Over the last few days, I have had a problem with defining a wildcard on Windows Firewall. For example, I wanted to pull out the connection of my program and install a software package with a lot of executable files. I wanted to prevent it from accessing the internet. I could not select executables by using a wildcard. I had to select a single executable with its full name."

What is our primary use case?

Windows Security Essentials is available on Windows 7 and Windows 10. I'm using Windows Defender, and the agent is deployed on-premises on my laptop. I don't know if it has some background cloud services.

I use it for flash memories, portable memories, real-time scanning, threat protection, and capturing the data downloaded from the internet.

What is most valuable?

I am using it for very simple purposes. It is perfect and quite effective. I have been using it for a while, and I have never had any virus infection, data leak, or other security breaches.

It works fine for standalone purposes. If you log on to OneDrive, it has ransomware protection.

What needs improvement?

Windows Firewall is integrated with Windows Defender. Over the last few days, I have had a problem with defining a wildcard on Windows Firewall. For example, I wanted to pull out the connection of my program and install a software package with a lot of executable files. I wanted to prevent it from accessing the internet. I could not select executables by using a wildcard. I had to select a single executable with its full name.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for five years or more. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is very stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I don't know about scalability because I have always used it on a single laptop, but I'm sure that there are business options, and you can use it on Windows 7 computers. It must be very scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

I live in Iran, and there is no product support in Iran. If there is a technical issue, I prefer to use online information and resources, such as forums and Wiki pages, to resolve the issue. 

How was the initial setup?

It is very easy to install. It is preinstalled when you install Windows. If you install other antiviruses, you have to deactivate it in order to use third-party products.

What other advice do I have?

Microsoft has started to integrate the interface with new Windows 10 settings. Previously, there was a lack of information. Users weren't aware of the status of the product in terms of what it was doing on your computer and whether it was actually protecting you or not. In the background, it must have been doing its job, but you couldn't be very well aware of the status of the software. All those issues are now resolved. The information now is very handy, and the user interface is also great. I would recommend this solution to others.

I would rate Microsoft Defender Antivirus a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
CRM & IT Head at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Provides real-time security, but requires time to understand how it works
Pros and Cons
  • "Its real-time security is the most valuable."
  • "I would like to see online updates for patches for this solution. I would also like to see online information about what is trending in the market in terms of spams, viruses, or trojans. It takes some time to understand how this solution works. A few things are unclear at the beginning, such as whether it actually restricts the virus or spam at the initial stage, or when there is a security update, how will we come to know and how will it get synchronized. It would be really helpful if there is some kind of knowledge base in the form of video, audio, or document that can explain in a user-friendly way the setup, features, risks, and process to mitigate the risks. Currently, I have installed endpoint security for every individual system. I could not install it like other endpoint solutions where we have a server and a client. It would be really helpful if Microsoft Windows Defender has a server-client based model so that I can save some bandwidth when it downloads or uploads features. It will be helpful if we have a LAN-based or WAN-based controlling system."

What is our primary use case?

We use MWD for detecting malware, viruses and protect from Ransomware.

How has it helped my organization?

We don't have third party software for EPS. We have started using Windows defender which is inbuilt one with windows to safeguard our systems from malware. It actually works as an anti-spyware program built to fight unauthorized access and protect our Windows computers from unwanted traffic. 

What is most valuable?

Its a complete free version which came as in-built with windows and has no impact on our system performance. We don't need an extra software to be installed for security concerns and virus a such. It is very easy to use comparing to other available software's in the market.

    What needs improvement?

    I would like to see online updates for patches for this solution. I would also like to see online information about what is trending in the market in terms of spams, viruses, or trojans.

    It takes some time to understand how this solution works. A few things are unclear at the beginning, such as whether it actually restricts the virus or spam at the initial stage, or when there is a security update, how will we come to know and how will it get synchronized. It would be really helpful if there is some kind of knowledge base in the form of video, audio, or document that can explain in a user-friendly way the setup, features, risks, and process to mitigate the risks.

    Currently, I have installed endpoint security for every individual system. I could not install it like other endpoint solutions where we have a server and a client. It would be really helpful if Microsoft Windows Defender has a server-client based model so that I can save some bandwidth when it downloads or uploads features. It will be helpful if we have a LAN-based or WAN-based controlling system.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Microsoft Windows Defender for the last six months.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    In my experience, Microsoft Windows Defender has never caused any issues as such. It is pretty much stable and has not affected the system resources as per my observation.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is easily scalable. I'm always trying to increase the usage to maximize the capabilities of the product offering. As soon as new capabilities appear I will expand usage to include them. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    We never contacted their technical support. Indeed Microsoft technical support has always been great.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I used to use McAfee & Norton as a different solution in my previous Organization.

    How was the initial setup?

    Its initial setup is fine. I did not find it too complex. We just installed and enabled it on all the systems.

    What about the implementation team?

    We implemented in-house. 

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I pay for it through the Windows Professional or Standard license. It is a one-time cost for me, and I use the same license.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    No

    What other advice do I have?

    I would really recommend this solution because it is an in-built Microsoft product, and it is at the OS level. We don't require a new layer to install it as a software application. 

    I would rate Microsoft Windows Defender a seven out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises

    If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

    Other
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer1280631 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Manager Cyber Defense Operations Centre at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
    Real User
    Affordable and straightforward without much to improve for personal use
    Pros and Cons
    • "It is easy to install and use requiring little maintenance but applying updates."
    • "It is inexpensive but could be cheaper like anything else."

    What is our primary use case?

    I installed Windows Defender for personal use for my protection of my personal PC. I use it as an antivirus system so that I do not have any exposure to viruses on my PC. Obviously, I do not want to leave my PC open to virus threats. I have only used it on my personal PCs with the license I got for Office 365. I keep my patches and descriptions updated on my PC.  

    Defender is installed only one one of my laptops. I am sure I will continue using it there as long as the licensing is valid.  

    What is most valuable?

    I really have not really worked with it that much to be able to customize my approach with it or anything like that. It pretty straightforward to install and use.  

    What needs improvement?

    I do not find that there is very much about it that needs to be improved. Everything can be cheaper I am sure. So, it could be less expansive.  

    For how long have I used the solution?

    It has been about six months now since I started using Microsoft Windows Defender.  

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It is stable.  

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I am sure it is a scalable product.  

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I was just using or trying to get a personal PC secure using a product I got as part of the Office 365 package. There was no previous product installed.  

    How was the initial setup?

    I found that it was pretty straightforward to install and use. You install it and it is working almost immediately.  

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I think that the product is affordable. At least it was for me. It is part of the Office 365 package.  

    What other advice do I have?

    I have used it enough to be sure that I could recommend it for home use on a PC.  

    On a scale from one to ten (where one is the worst and ten is the best), I would rate Defender as a nine-out-of-ten based on my experience.  

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Deputy Director at BG Service
    Real User
    Intuitive, easy to use, and good for people who don't have much experience in security
    Pros and Cons
    • "The most valuable features are that it's easy to use and the updates are very simple."
    • "I would like to be able to set up any kind of protection I want in the firewall, any IP address or any number."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our primary use case of this solution is to defend from viruses. 

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable features are that it's easy to use and the updates are very simple.

    What needs improvement?

    I would like to be able to set up any kind of protection I want in the firewall, any IP address or any number. 

    I would like to be able to customize my protection on the dashboard. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It's a good product but it is limited in some cases. I had a bad experience because a few weeks ago I was in Seoul in Korea and with my Dropbox, my children did some things on my computer at home and I got ransomware to Defender and it corrupted my whole Dropbox. The stability can use improvement. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It's easy to document new people. With the dashboard, I can set up rules to protect myself from any IP address coming from an external network.

    We use this solution daily. We don't have plans to increase the usage. 

    We have around ten to twelve users. They are only users, not admins. We only require one admin. A guy sometimes comes to set up a desktop and do the configuration.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    We have never needed to contact their technical support. 

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The cost is per-user. We pay more for an Enterprise license.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would say this is a good product. It's very intuitive, easy to use, and very good for people who don't have much experience in security.

    This a very good product because every time there is an update it corrects any issues. It can help an enterprise go up.

    I would rate it a nine out of ten. 

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Fellipe Abib - PeerSpot reviewer
    CEO at Datasirius TI
    Real User
    Easy to set up endpoint security solution with automated investigation and web content filtering features; has a vulnerability management dashboard
    Pros and Cons
    • "Easy to understand and easy to set up endpoint security solution. It's a multifeatured product with web content filtering and automated investigation features. It also has a fantastic vulnerability management dashboard."
    • "The UI for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint needs to be better. Integration with client dashboards is also lacking in this product, e.g. client dashboards shouldn't just be viewable from the cloud, because when the client's computer is offline, you won't be able to see the client dashboard."

    What is our primary use case?

    Most of my clients use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for attack and threat prevention. I always look at the alert page to get alert details. This solution is also used for EDR (endpoint detection and response). We also use it for web content filtering and for completely automated investigations.

    What is most valuable?

    What I found most valuable in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is its vulnerability dashboard. It's fantastic for my clients and I.

    What needs improvement?

    In my experience, I only need the client dashboard in the cloud and in the server. For my dashboards in the cloud, I can set up and see everything. I can check alerts, e.g. I'm alerted when something happens, but when my client is offline, and I want to look for something offline, e.g. directly on his computer, I'm not able to see everything. My client's computer needs to be online for me to be able to see the information I need, and this is an area for improvement.

    There should be integration of this solution with client dashboards. I need to see some of the dashboards directly from the computers of my clients, rather than just their cloud dashboards. If the dashboard is only viewable from the cloud, I will not be able to view it when the computer is offline.

    What I'd like to see in the next release of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a better UI. Another suggestion to improve this solution is having endpoint protection offline, e.g. I'll set up a file on Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and all the network, so my ISP goes in and out through the Defender server. Rather than just being on cloud, they must make an appliance for on-premises deployment.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I started using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint six months ago, so I've been using it for half a year.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a very stable solution.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a scalable solution.

    How are customer service and support?

    I have no complaints about the technical support for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint was super easy for me.

    What about the implementation team?

    Implementing this solution is done in-house. I'm the one implementing it. I can set it up for multiple clients weekly, e.g. five clients a week.

    What other advice do I have?

    I'm using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for myself and for my clients. I'm a partner of Microsoft.

    I'm the one in charge of the deployment and maintenance of this solution.

    My advice to someone planning to use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is that it's super easy to understand, whether you have no prior knowledge of it, or you want to learn more about it. You can also learn more about security, particularly information security.

    My rating for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is nine out of ten.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer1216809 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Information Security Engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Real User
    Has good stability but they update the platform too frequently
    Pros and Cons
    • "It's pretty easy to scale."
    • "In terms of improvement, they update the platform it seems quite a bit. Every month something is in a new spot or something changed somewhere. There should be less of that."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use the most up-to-date version. 

    Our primary use case is for basic EDRs for simple interfaces.

    What needs improvement?

    In terms of improvement, they update the platform it seems quite a bit. Every month something is in a new spot or something changed somewhere. There should be less of that.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for a couple of months. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It seems stable.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It's pretty easy to scale.

    A handful of people with each in charge of different areas are involved in the maintenance of the solution. It's people in system admin.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I have dealt with tech support a couple of times. They're usually pretty responsive. The first person might not know what the deal is, but they usually are able to get us to the right person, get a resolution for us, and answer our questions pretty quickly.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We used CrowdStrike but we switched to Microsoft because of the price. It's cheaper. There were other major differences. 

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was pretty complex in the way the various tools integrate. Trying to figure out permissions and getting access to certain things is complex. 

    Global admin uses the tool, but then you have to get additional roles for the data loss stuff.

    What other advice do I have?

    Make sure you read the documentation and understand what else is required before you get started.

    I would rate it a seven out of ten. 

    I don't think that another tool is doing anything better, or this one doesn't. It's just about using it and seeing where to find the stuff.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: January 2025
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.