UPDATED 23:36 EDT / JUNE 16 2022

SECURITY

Microsoft Defender for individuals offers cross-platform Windows Security

Microsoft Corp. today launched a new online security application for Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers designed to keep individuals and families safer online.

Called “Microsoft Defender for individuals,” the security app offers online security through a unified view into a user’s protections across their personal phones and computers. Microsoft Defender isn’t new, but the new product differs in that it extends already built-in Windows Security beyond a PC to macOS, iOS and Android devices.

The ability of the service to cover different devices is key to Microsoft’s pitch. Vasu Jakkal, corporate vice president, security, compliance, identity and management at Microsoft, noted in a blog post that to keep data private and devices secure, people turn to multiple security products with scattered security monitoring and devices management.

“We must evolve our security solutions to meet unique customer needs at home and work by bringing together existing technologies in a new way,” Jakkal said. “That is why we are introducing Microsoft Defender for individuals.”

Along with a centralized dashboard, Microsoft Defender for individuals allows users to view existing antivirus protection products within the dashboard. The cross-platform protection across iOS, Android and macOS means the product also offers instant security alerts, resolution strategies and expert tips across the various devices from a central point.

Under the hood, Microsoft Defender for individuals uses Microsoft Defender for Endpoint technology, the same security Microsoft offers to enterprise customers.

Jakkal noted that the new product is “just the start” and that Microsoft is looking to bring more protections together under a single dashboard. These may include features like identity theft protection and secure online protection.

The Microsoft Defender for individuals app is available to Microsoft 365 subscribers starting today, across Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. However, the app is not available in all regions where Microsoft 365 Family or Personal are available. A list of locations where it is not available can be found here.

The release comes after Microsoft launched Microsoft Defender for Cloud in February. The release combined two previous products, Azure Security Center and Azure Defender, and included support for Google Cloud environments.

Image: Microsoft

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