Microsoft Defender for Business to begin rollout in Preview

Microsoft Defender for Business, a new endpoint security solution for enterprise customers will soon roll out to organizations with a Microsoft 365 Business Premium plan. The new security offering was first announced at Microsoft’s Ignite conference in November, and it became available in preview for select customers a month later.

As small and medium-sized businesses are facing an increasing number of cyberattacks, Microsoft has designed Microsoft Defender for Business as a straightforward and cost-effective enterprise-grade endpoint security solution for organizations with up to 300 employees. For bigger organizations, Microsoft offers two separate Microsoft Defender for Endpoint plans with different security features.

The core pillars in Microsoft Defender for Business include antimalware and antivirus protection, Automated investigation and remediation, as well as integrations with the Microsoft 365 Lighthouse admin portal and third-party security tools. If Microsoft Defender For Business will be included as part of Microsoft 365 Business Premium ($20/user per month), it’s also available as a standalone offering ($3/user per month). The solution also supports customers having their email and productivity apps on-premises.

Microsoft expects to start rolling out Microsoft Defender for Business to companies with a Microsoft 365 Business Premium plan in late February, and all customers should have it by early Match. If you want to participate in the public preview, you can learn more about how to get your organization on board on this page.