Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Application Control

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides application control to restrict unauthorized or untrusted applications from executing on endpoints. By enforcing policies that allow only approved software, this feature reduces the attack surface and prevents malware from exploiting unknown or rogue applications. It enhances endpoint security through centralized control and ensures consistent adherence to enterprise application usage standards.

Asset Management

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint includes asset management capabilities that offer real-time visibility into all connected devices, software inventories, and configurations. It helps security teams maintain an accurate inventory of digital assets, detect unauthorized endpoints, and assess exposure. This feature supports compliance efforts and improves security operations through centralized monitoring and lifecycle tracking of all endpoint assets.

Automated Remediation

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint features automated remediation to swiftly contain and resolve detected threats. Upon identifying malicious activity, it can automatically isolate endpoints, terminate harmful processes, and revert unauthorized changes. This minimizes response time and reduces human effort, ensuring consistent, policy-driven resolution of incidents across environments with little to no manual intervention.

Behavioral Analysis

Behavioral analysis in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint continuously observes endpoint activities to detect anomalies and suspicious patterns. It identifies deviations from normal behavior—such as unusual file access or system calls—that may indicate a threat. This approach enables the detection of sophisticated or zero-day attacks, helping uncover stealthy threats that bypass traditional security mechanisms.

Device Control

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint includes device control to manage and restrict the use of peripheral hardware like USB drives and external storage devices. Administrators can enforce data access policies, preventing unauthorized file transfers and reducing insider threat risks. This feature strengthens endpoint protection by limiting potential attack vectors introduced through connected devices.

Endpoint Intelligence

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint delivers endpoint intelligence by collecting and analyzing behavioral, process, and configuration data from all devices. This enables security teams to identify risks, assess vulnerabilities, and gain actionable insights into ongoing and historical threat activities. The intelligence supports proactive decision-making, improves incident response, and strengthens overall endpoint defense strategies.

Firewall

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integrates host-based firewall capabilities to control network traffic on each endpoint. Administrators can configure custom rules to manage inbound and outbound connections, block malicious IP addresses, and enforce compliance with security policies. This adds a layer of protection against network-based threats and helps prevent lateral movement during attacks.

Incident Reporting

Incident reporting in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides detailed summaries of threat detections, impacted assets, timelines, and actions taken. These reports support incident investigations, compliance documentation, and stakeholder communication. By offering clear visibility into security events and response efforts, this feature enhances transparency, speeds up post-incident reviews, and guides future prevention strategies.

Malware Detection

Malware detection in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint combines real-time protection, signature-based scanning, cloud-delivered intelligence, and behavioral monitoring. It detects various malware types, including ransomware, worms, and rootkits, even in early stages. This multi-layered detection engine ensures comprehensive endpoint protection against both known and emerging threats in dynamic attack environments.

System Isolation

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint offers system isolation to contain threats by disconnecting compromised devices from the network while preserving remote management capabilities. This action prevents malware spread and protects critical resources. Isolated systems remain accessible for investigation and remediation, allowing incident responders to analyze and resolve threats without risking further exposure.

Threat Intelligence

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integrates advanced threat intelligence from Microsoft’s global security network. It enriches alerts with contextual data, attacker behavior profiles, and up-to-date indicators of compromise. This intelligence enhances detection accuracy, accelerates investigation, and equips security teams with the insights needed to identify, prioritize, and neutralize threats effectively across the enterprise.

Vulnerability Prioritization

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint features vulnerability prioritization by evaluating software flaws based on exploitability, severity, and threat context. It uses threat intelligence and device risk scores to rank vulnerabilities, guiding remediation efforts to address the most critical risks first. This targeted approach optimizes patching strategies and reduces exposure to active or imminent threats.

Web Control

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint includes web control to regulate users’ access to websites by enforcing safe browsing policies. It can block access to malicious, inappropriate, or non-compliant web content based on categories or reputation scores. This helps prevent phishing attacks, data leakage, and exposure to harmful domains, supporting secure and policy-aligned internet usage.