Microsoft says that a standalone version of Microsoft Defender for Business is becoming available to everyone and allows small and medium-sized businesses to effectively protect themselves from known cyber threats.
Microsoft surveyed more than 150 small and medium-sized businesses in the United States in April 2022 to better understand the security of these businesses.
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The largest percentage of small and medium-sized businesses stated that cyber threats are becoming a growing risk. Also, a large number of businesses have been hacked recently, so they have reason to be concerned.
Microsoft Defender for Business is designed for small and medium-sized businesses with up to 300 employees that need protection against malware, phishing , and ransomware on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices.
“Microsoft believes in security for everyone. We are proud to further realize that vision today,” said Vasu Jakkal, Microsoft executive.
“With Defender for Business GA, SMBs will receive greater protection with simplified security so they can better protect, detect, and respond to threats“.
Microsoft Defender for Business began rolling out to Microsoft 365 Business Premium globally on March 1.
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According to a new announcement from Microsoft, customers can now obtain Defender for Business as a standalone license directly from Microsoft and Microsoft Partner Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) channels for $3 per user, per month.
Defender for Business features a wizard-driven setup and also enables all recommended security policies for organizations that do not have a dedicated security.
Key features of Microsoft Defender for Business for small and medium-sized businesses include:
- Simplified deployment and management for IT administrators who may not have the expertise to address the evolving threat landscape.
- Virus protection and endpoint detection and response to identify and respond to advanced attacks with behavioral monitoring.
- Automated investigation and remediationso customers can respond quickly to threats.
- Threat and vulnerability management that proactively alerts users to weaknesses and misconfigurations in software.
- Microsoft 365 Lighthouse integration with Microsoft Defender for Business for IT service providers to view security across customers, with additional capabilities.
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Microsoft said it also plans to add support for servers later this year.
In November, Microsoft announced this new security solution at Microsoft Ignite 2021, following a 300% increase in ransomware during 2020. Most of these attacks had directly impacted small and medium-sized businesses.
Source: Bleeping Computer
