Microsoft has an all-new Windows antivirus update for your business

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Microsoft Defender for Business is rolling out now

Representational image depecting cybersecurity protection
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Keeping your business endpoints safe should soon be easier than ever before thanks to a new release from Microsoft.

The company has revealed that its new Microsoft Defender for Business platform is now in general availability, with existing Microsoft 365 Business Premium customers the first to receive it.

Designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), Microsoft Defender for Business looks to help businesses with up to 300 employees, providing enterprise-grade protection.

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Microsoft Defender for Business launch

In a blog post announcing the news, Microsoft 365’s product marketing manager Jon Maunder said the platform, "goes beyond traditional antivirus and delivers threat and vulnerability management, attack surface reduction, next-generation protection, endpoint detection and response, and automated investigation and remediation capabilities in a single solution."

For SMBs without a dedicated security team, Microsoft Defender for Business offers simple configuration and enables all recommended security policies out-of-the-box, so it's easy to use and set up without specialized assistance.

Microsoft Defender for Business

(Image credit: Microsoft)

"The commercialization of cybercrime has led to an increase in the frequency and sophistication of attacks on small and medium-sized businesses (SMB)," Maunder added. "Business interruption is a top concern, especially from a cyber-attack such as ransomware. For smaller businesses this type of impact can be hard to manage with potential financial, operational, and customer trust implications."

Microsoft Defender for Business brings together a number of the company's existing security tools, including threat & vulnerability management, attack surface reduction, endpoint detection, and auto investigation, all in a single package.

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Microsoft revealed back in November 2021 that Defender for Business was nearing a wider launch, with a public preview launched the month after.

Customers will be able to buy it as a standalone offering costing $3 per user per month. It will also be included as part of Microsoft 365 Business Premium accounts and can be integrated with Microsoft 365 Lighthouse. 

New Microsoft 365 Business Premium customers will see Defender for Business available immediately, with other existing users seeing the service become available over the next few weeks.

Mike Moore
Mike Moore
Deputy Editor, TechRadar Pro

Mike Moore is Deputy Editor at TechRadar Pro. He has worked as a B2B and B2C tech journalist for nearly a decade, including at one of the UK's leading national newspapers and fellow Future title ITProPortal, and when he's not keeping track of all the latest enterprise and workplace trends, can most likely be found watching, following or taking part in some kind of sport.