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Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs. Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection

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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft Defender for Endpoint (formerly Microsoft Defender ATP) is a holistic, cloud delivered endpoint security solution that includes risk-based vulnerability management and assessment, attack surface reduction, behavioral based and cloud-powered next generation protection, endpoint detection and response (EDR), automatic investigation and remediation, managed hunting services, rich APIs, and unified security management.

    $2.50

    per user/per month

    Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection

    Score7.5 out of 10
    N/AMicrosoft System Center Endpoint Protection is a malware, spyware, antivirus and endpoint protection application available formerly with System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), which later became Microsoft Endpoint Manager. It is a legacy product, with older versions reaching end of support, and is not available as a standalone product.N/A
    Pricing
    Microsoft Defender for EndpointMicrosoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    Editions & Modules
    Academic
    $2.50
    per user/per month
    Standalone
    $5.20
    per user/per month
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Microsoft Defender for EndpointMicrosoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    Free Trial
    YesNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional Details
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Microsoft Defender for EndpointMicrosoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    Considered Both Products
    Microsoft
    No answer on this topic
    Microsoft
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    98%
    Would buy again
    117 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    98%
    Delivers good value for the price
    109 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    94%
    Happy with the feature set
    113 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    98%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    96 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    95%
    Implementation went as expected
    103 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    Microsoft Defender for EndpointMicrosoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    Endpoint Security
    Comparison of Endpoint Security features of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    Feature
    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
    8.3
    56 Ratings
    3% below category average
    Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    7.9
    2 Ratings
    8% below category average
    Anti-Exploit Technology7.753 Ratings7.02 Ratings
    Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)9.155 Ratings8.52 Ratings
    Centralized Management8.955 Ratings8.01 Ratings
    Hybrid Deployment Support7.110 Ratings6.01 Ratings
    Infection Remediation9.454 Ratings9.52 Ratings
    Vulnerability Management7.352 Ratings8.02 Ratings
    Malware Detection8.855 Ratings8.52 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Microsoft Defender for EndpointMicrosoft System Center Endpoint Protection
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    Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud
    Score9.1 out of 10
    Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud
    Score9.1 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    Watchguard Endpoint Security
    Score8.8 out of 10
    Watchguard Endpoint Security
    Score8.8 out of 10
    Enterprises
    ESET PROTECT
    Score9.1 out of 10
    ESET PROTECT
    Score9.1 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Microsoft Defender for EndpointMicrosoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.4
    (99 ratings)
    10.0
    (2 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    8.4
    (8 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.0
    (5 ratings)
    7.6
    (2 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Microsoft Defender for EndpointMicrosoft System Center Endpoint Protection
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Microsoft
    Because of its integration with Windows, it is very easy to deploy and manage. Any IT department should be able to leverage the software and interface. The admin portal provides weighted recommendations that comprise the Secure Store, offering admins, security teams, and business owners valuable insights into their security footprint without requiring a strong security background. The software would be ideal for small and mid-sized businesses that cannot dedicate resources to security. Larger enterprises would also benefit, but may require the enhanced license.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    If an organization is all Windows-based Active Directory systems, then System Center Endpoint Protection is worth deploying and using. If it's a hybrid of operating systems, then an alternative solution is best.
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    Microsoft
    • One, it's crazy lightweight, so compared to some of the competitors that we also have used with our security services, it's really lightweight and so I don't have a lot of overhead on the system that it's running on.
    • It does really fantastic PowerShell integration.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    • It is easy to use and configure. This is a benefit, not just for the IT/Admin team, but also for the end-user, as they can easily set how and when to run scans.
    • It is good a identifying threats and removing these threats. When looking for a product such as this, it is important to really look at these two areas to really see how the software will work in a real-world environment. SCEP is one such product that does really well at both of these things.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Microsoft
    • So the fact that Defender for Endpoint still works with signatures is actually, I don't know, a little difficult for us because, I mean, since Microsoft trusts those signatures, you can easily inject code. And we've done it many times. To show that you can inject code through vulnerabilities like CV 2013, 99, and 33 but still keep the signature. So because of the trust of those signatures, the malware just kind of slides into the environment without Defender knowing. That's the first part. The second part is that the behavioral analysis is not precisely its Prime. It's not Defender's best capability for endpoints. So, Defender does not identify all behaviors considered by other EDRs in the market.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    • Not so much a limitation on the software itself, but the fact that is primarily only "signature" based, it cannot detect threats that have mutated.
    • This software provides virtually no protection against zero-day threats.
    • The System Center Endpoint Protection does not offer protections based on behavioral analysis.
    Incentivized
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    Likelihood to Renew
    Microsoft
    Cost add-ons for Security features is nickel and diming the process to keep pace with cybercrime. Limited Education budgets require us to be more pro-active in finding cost-effective measures to protect our devices, staff and students. Defender is a strong, well-featured product that is pricing itself out of the education market
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Usability
    Microsoft
    It offers multiple security features and integrates well with Microsoft ecosystems. A workflow for threat detection, investigation, automated remediation, and a centralized dashboard is an added advantage. This application is mainly designed for experienced users; new users may feel challenged.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    It is integrated with Windows and SCCM, making it easy to use, license, manage, and update. Additionally, it is straightforward to diagnose when virus and ransomware alerts are detected on endpoints. IT Service Desk management is also easy.
    Incentivized
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    Reliability and Availability
    Microsoft
    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint chugs along just fine no matter what we throw at it and what systems it's running on. It doesn't take up a lot of resources either, so that's welcomed.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Performance
    Microsoft
    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is easy on memory and resources on clients.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Support Rating
    Microsoft
    The first time I tried to onboard my macOS endpoints to MDE I struggled for quite a bit. I had to reach out to Microsoft's MDE support team. The tech was very helpful in walking me through the steps during a screen share session
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    Support is pretty good overall. Since it's a Microsoft product, there are a number of different options for either end-users or IT Admins to get help with this product. This includes phone support, email, web KB articles, community forums, etc. This support is also available 24/7, which can't be said the same for every AV product out there. Also, organizations can opt to buy into Enterprise support, which gives the added benefit of faster response times, training by the vendor, etc.
    Incentivized
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    Implementation Rating
    Microsoft
    Deployment was handled by our team here and everything went pretty smoothly. We did have a few hiccups in our test group, but that only took a bit to get ironed out.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Alternatives Considered
    Microsoft
    Cylance's policy is to block everything and requires an active person to monitor and unblock legitimate processes. As updates and software continue to evolve, it is a full-time job to be a Cylance administrator. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a set-and-forget solution that catches threats when they occur and leaves you to focus on your work unimpeded.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    Microsoft System Center Endpoint Protection was the logical choice for our organization since we were utilizing so many other Microsoft solutions. We have since realized the need for more advanced threat protections and primarily use SCEP as an additional level of protection. Our primary protection is being provided by Carbon Black because of it's advanced heuristics and behavioral analysis capabilities
    Incentivized
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    Scalability
    Microsoft
    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is easily scaled from small orgs to giant enterprises.
    Incentivized
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    Microsoft
    No answers on this topic
    Return on Investment
    Microsoft
    • Reduced incidents of security breaches lead to lower remediation costs and avoid potential financial losses and reputational damage.
    • Reduces the need for additional third-party security solutions and training, thereby lowering overall security management costs.
    • Increased efficiency and productivity of IT staff lead to better allocation of resources and cost savings.
    • Reduces the risk of fines and sanctions associated with non-compliance, ensuring business continuity and protecting revenue.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Microsoft
    • The Windows 11 version of SCEP is significantly better than the Windows 10 and older iterations, and it has saved us from virus issues in the past.
    • This is faster and less work to deploy to a pc when we build and deploy them.
    • No extra admin and costs for AV licensing in our case, which makes renewal times easier on IT Management.
    Incentivized
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    ScreenShots

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Screenshots

    Screenshot of blocked activitiesScreenshot of Detects & respondsScreenshot of discovers vulnerabilityScreenshot of Eliminates blind spotsScreenshot of Risk management