Microsoft Defender ATP Antivirus Is Heading To macOS
Think of Microsoft Defender ATP as the macOS counterpart to Windows Defender for Windows 10 systems, and it will run on macOS Sierra, macOS High Sierra and macOS Mojave. Microsoft is currently offering Microsoft Defender ATP as a limited preview for select business customers who currently field a mixture of Windows and Mac devices in their fleet.
As you might expect for anyone that is already familiar with Windows Defender, clients will have the ability to run quick, full and custom scans. Once a scan has been completed, you will of course be given a summary of what threats were detected (or given a clean bill of health if nothing showed up in during the scan). Microsoft AutoUpdate is along for the ride to ensure that virus/malware definitions are kept up to date.
Microsoft hopes that by taking a cross-platform approach, it will make life easier for IT admins that are managing multiple operating systems on a network. In addition, there is the new Threat & Vulnerability Management component, which is integrated into Microsoft Defender ATP. This is an invaluable tool for security administrators that provides the following resources:
- Real-time endpoint detection and response (EDR) insights correlated with endpoint vulnerabilities
- Invaluable machine vulnerability context during incident investigations
- Built-in remediation processes through Microsoft Intune and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager
For businesses wishing to try out the early preview of Microsoft Defender ATP, you can apply for the preview right here.
