Microsoft 365 · Endpoint protection
Service group: Microsoft 365Put the endpoint protection in your Microsoft licence to work
Microsoft Defender for Business is the endpoint detection and response product Microsoft built for organizations with up to 300 users. It is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium and available on its own. We onboard your devices, configure its policies properly and review the alerts it raises.
At a glance
- Service
- Deployment, configuration and ongoing management of Microsoft Defender for Business on Windows, macOS and mobile devices
- Best suited to
- Canadian organizations of roughly 5 to 200 employees on Microsoft 365 Business Premium or the standalone Defender for Business licence
- Core inclusions
- Device onboarding, next-generation protection, firewall and attack surface reduction policies, EDR and automated investigation settings, vulnerability management reviews and business-hours alert review (as scoped)
- Licensing note
- Defender for Business is designed for up to 300 users; larger or enterprise-licensed tenants use Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 or Plan 2. Licences are purchased separately unless written into your proposal
- Not included by default
- Continuous after-hours monitoring, forensic incident response, third-party antivirus removal projects at scale and licence purchases
- Pricing basis
- Per device or per user, proposed in the endpoint security calculator and confirmed in a written quotation
What this service covers
Microsoft Defender for Business brings enterprise-grade endpoint capabilities to smaller organizations with a simplified management experience. It includes next-generation antivirus, endpoint detection and response, automated investigation and remediation, attack surface reduction rules and vulnerability management, all managed from the Microsoft Defender portal.
Many organizations already own it through Microsoft 365 Business Premium without having deployed it, or have it switched on with default settings and nobody looking at the alerts. Our service covers the product itself: getting every device onboarded, choosing policies that fit how your staff work, removing overlapping antivirus products, and reviewing incidents during agreed hours.
This page is specific to the Defender for Business product. Broader tenant hardening across identity, email and data is covered by Microsoft 365 Security, and management of the wider Microsoft Defender family, including Defender for Endpoint and Defender for Office 365 in larger environments, is described under Microsoft Defender Management.
Problems this solves
Paying twice for antivirus
You subscribe to a separate antivirus product while Business Premium already includes Defender for Business, and the two products sometimes conflict.
Defender is on, but nobody is watching
Alerts and incidents accumulate in the Defender portal, unread, so a real compromise looks the same as background noise.
Not every device is onboarded
Some laptops were enrolled, others were not, and nobody has a list showing which devices are protected and reporting.
Default policies left untouched
Attack surface reduction rules, tamper protection and network protection were never configured, so useful protections sit idle.
What we deploy and manage
Device onboarding
Onboarding through Intune or local scripts for Windows and macOS, mobile threat defence for iOS and Android where appropriate, and a coverage report that shows gaps.
Next-generation protection
Microsoft Defender Antivirus with cloud-delivered protection, tamper protection and potentially unwanted application blocking configured consistently.
Attack surface reduction
Attack surface reduction rules tested in audit mode before enforcement, plus network protection, web content filtering and controlled folder access where suitable.
EDR and automated response
Endpoint detection and response with automated investigation and remediation set to the level of automation you approve.
Vulnerability management
Regular review of software vulnerabilities and missing patches reported by Defender, feeding into your patching and replacement plans.
Alert and incident review
Incidents reviewed during agreed business hours, with containment such as isolating a device and escalation to your contacts when needed.
What is included, and what needs separate scope
Typically included
- Onboarding of covered Windows and macOS devices
- Next-generation protection, firewall and tamper protection policies
- Attack surface reduction rule rollout from audit to block mode
- EDR and automated investigation configuration
- Removal of overlapping antivirus on covered devices
- Alert and incident review during agreed business hours
- Monthly vulnerability and device coverage summary
Requires separate scope or quotation
- Continuous after-hours security monitoring or a security operations centre
- Forensic investigation, legal or insurance incident handling
- Defender for Business or Business Premium licence purchases, unless written into your proposal
- Server protection, which requires Defender for Business servers or Defender for Servers licensing
- Advanced hunting programmes that require Defender for Endpoint Plan 2
How Defender for Business fits Microsoft’s line-up
Positioning stated generally. Licensing details change, so we confirm current terms during discovery.
- Defender for Business: endpoint protection, EDR and automated investigation with a simplified setup, for organizations of up to 300 users
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium: includes Defender for Business, Intune and Entra ID P1
- Defender for Endpoint Plan 1: prevention-focused protection included in enterprise E3 plans
- Defender for Endpoint Plan 2: full EDR plus capabilities such as advanced hunting and longer data retention, included in enterprise E5 plans
- Microsoft Defender portal for incidents, device inventory and vulnerability management
- Microsoft Intune for policy delivery and device compliance
Who this service suits
Business Premium subscribers
Organizations that already pay for Defender for Business and want it deployed and maintained.
Teams replacing standalone antivirus
Businesses consolidating endpoint protection into their Microsoft licensing to simplify management.
Firms asked about EDR
Organizations whose cyber insurer or clients ask whether endpoint detection and response is in place and who need it configured properly.
What you gain
- Endpoint protection you already license, actually in use
- Every covered device onboarded and reporting
- Hardening rules enabled without breaking business apps
- Someone reviewing incidents during agreed hours
- Clear evidence of endpoint protection when insurers or clients ask
How deployment works
Licence and device review
We confirm your licences, device inventory, existing antivirus and how devices are managed today.
Policy design
We agree protection, firewall, attack surface reduction and automation settings, plus exclusions for business applications.
Pilot onboarding
A pilot group is onboarded and attack surface reduction rules run in audit mode to catch conflicts.
Full rollout
Remaining devices are onboarded, old antivirus is removed and rules move to block mode where safe.
Ongoing management
Incidents are reviewed, policies tuned and coverage and vulnerability summaries shared monthly.
Ways to buy
All arrangements are confirmed by a written quotation.
Managed Endpoint Security
Recurring per-device management of Defender for Business, with proposed pricing in the endpoint security calculator.
Deployment project
A one-time deployment and handover for organizations with internal staff to run it afterwards.
Endpoint Security Assessment
A fixed-scope review of current endpoint protection and gaps before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Defender for Business and Defender for Endpoint?
Defender for Business is aimed at organizations with up to 300 users and offers EDR and automated investigation with a simplified setup. Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 and Plan 2 are the enterprise products, with Plan 2 adding capabilities such as advanced hunting for dedicated security teams.
Do we already own Defender for Business?
If you have Microsoft 365 Business Premium, yes. It is also sold as a standalone licence. We check your tenant during discovery.
Does Defender for Business protect servers?
Not by default. Servers need an additional licence, such as Defender for Business servers or Microsoft Defender for Servers, depending on your environment. We confirm the right option during scoping.
Do you monitor alerts 24/7?
No. Alerts are reviewed during the hours agreed in your scope. Automated investigation and remediation can act on many threats without waiting for a person, and extended coverage must be written into your proposal.
Will it slow down our computers?
Defender Antivirus is built into Windows and is generally light. We tune scans and exclusions for business applications during the pilot.
Related services
Products and packages
Industries we support
Service areas
Further reading
Find out whether Defender for Business is protecting every device
Book a consultation or estimate per-device pricing. Scope and price are confirmed in a written quotation.