Microsoft previews $3-a-user Defender for small biz types

Sniffing the wind after the large uptick in ransomware attacks across the corporate world, Microsoft said it plans to roll out an SMB version it has dubbed Defender for Business. The preview isn't out yet, though Microsoft lifted the lid on some of the features, which industry watchers praised as potentially bringing full …

[Pirate Dave]

I can already smell the Fail!

"many of whom are working from home <snip> With GUIs to help with the understanding of the live situation and setting up of new devices it looks like it can quickly be installed and be up and running,"

Some of the WFH types can't even reliably reboot their computer. Anything more difficult than that might as well be Dark Magic. Not that I'm knocking the product - if it's mostly American-based, and doesn't eat RAM like a drunk at a buffet, it might be worth a shot as a replacement for what we've got now (Sophos and Kaspersky). But the blurb about WFH users is, eh, laughable.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: I can already smell the Fail!

As an infosec person in charge of a financial institution's system, I am sure both the apps you have now is far better than MS, and both of them will actually support you if you need it. Good luck calling MS for help.

[Lazlo Woodbine]

Re: I can already smell the Fail!

At my last employer we found Defender to be far more reliable than Sophos, and easier to push out to remote workers via InTune.

It uses fewer resources than Sophos as well.

[Pirate Dave]

Re: I can already smell the Fail!

Yeah, I've noticed that Sophos is a HUGE resource hog. Even turning off most of the higher-end stuff, it still manages to use about a Gig of memory. And it runs 20+ processes to do all of that.

We peeled off of Kaspersky because the VP didn't like the ties to Russia.

[Anonymous Coward]

The mistake is "virus definition database."

The future is in AI and heuristic detection of virus behavior patterns.

Canada's Blackberry "Cylance" AV uses that approach; I've been using it for the past year with great success. If anything, it is *too* good at detecting suspicious activity and files, particularly games. :)

[Willie T]

"The future is in AI and heuristic detection of virus behavior patterns."

You clearly know very little about how Defender works.

[Anonymous Coward]

And the article made no attempt to explain why it is anything more than a signature scanner. If there is a "fail", it is the author's.

[Anonymous Coward]

Umm..

I am as yet to be convinced that it is a good idea to let the company that is responsible for most of your security problems in the first place and which forms the strangely unmentioned single red thread tying all major hacks and ransomware together manage your overall security as well.

That's like giving the mechanic who forgot to fit brake pads during a service the maintenance contract for the entire fleet.

I'd have second thoughts.

[Mahhn]

So nice of them

to go from Free to $3 a month/ $36 a year, for a product with 0 support, is silly at best. Better rated products in the same price range abound.

There are far better options than having a chicken guard the hen house.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: So nice of them

More like the chicken purposely leaves the doors to the henhouse open so they can claim the fox is attacking them constantly and you NEED Windblows Duhfendur 23000 to protect your eggs, all for the low, low cost of $36/year and up for the rest of your life.