Microsoft Is Making Anti-Virus Software For Macs

The world is truly turning upside down. Microsoft has been embracing non-Windows platforms for a while now but its announcement of a new security product that can be used to protect Macs is something of a surprise. As part of its update to the core components of its unified endpoint security platform, the new Threat & Vulnerability Management software that was announced yesterday will be available for Mac devices.

Microsoft said it has been working closely with industry partners to enable Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) for non-Windows devices while keeping a centralised “single pane of glass and updating the product name to Microsoft Defender ATP.

There are two key parts for cross-platform support for Microsoft Defender ATP on Mac:

  • A new user interface on Mac clients called Microsoft Defender ATP. The user interface brings a similar experience to what customers have today on Windows 10 devices.
  • Reporting for Mac devices on the Microsoft Defender ATP portal.

Microsoft Defender ATP can be installed on computers running macOS Mojave, macOS High Sierra, or macOS Sierra. It will carry out all the usual security software tasks you expect such as scanning a computer, detecting threats, and quarantining or removing dangerous files. The software is kept up-to-date using Microsoft’s AutoUpdate tool for the Mac.

Microsoft Defender ATP customers can apply for access to the preview. Customers will be contacted by email to confirm their participation.

Comments


Leave a Reply