Enterprise security already inside Microsoft 365 — XDR across endpoint, identity, email, and cloud
Microsoft Defender XDR is the security platform that Microsoft 365 E5 customers are already paying for — and most aren't fully using. Defender for Endpoint (P2) covers EDR across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. Defender for Identity catches Active Directory lateral movement. Defender for Office 365 protects email from phishing and BEC. Microsoft Sentinel adds SIEM and SOAR. For Microsoft-first organizations, the question isn't whether to use Defender — it's whether to use it well. Compare Select helps organizations activate and configure the full Defender XDR suite they're already licensed for.
Microsoft Defender XDR (formerly Microsoft 365 Defender) is Microsoft's integrated extended detection and response platform, correlating signals from Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Identity, Defender for Office 365, and Defender for Cloud Apps into a unified investigation experience. Built into Microsoft 365 E3/E5 licensing, Defender XDR is the most widely deployed enterprise security platform in the world — often underutilized by organizations that pay for E5 but don't activate all security workloads. Microsoft Sentinel extends Defender XDR with cloud-native SIEM and SOAR capabilities. For Microsoft ecosystem organizations, Defender XDR represents the lowest-cost path to comprehensive XDR coverage.
Deployment model: Cloud-native SaaS (Microsoft 365 tenant); agent for endpoint (Defender for Endpoint MDE). Pricing model: Included in Microsoft 365 E3/E5 licensing; Sentinel billed per GB ingested. Typical price range: Included in M365 E5 ($57/user/month); M365 E3 ($36/user/month) includes Defender P1. Pricing is negotiable at volume — Compare Select benchmarks quotes against real transacted deals before you sign.
Enterprise EDR across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android — behavioral detection, threat hunting, attack surface reduction, and automated investigation via Microsoft AI.
Active Directory and Azure AD threat detection — catches lateral movement, pass-the-hash, Kerberoasting, and privilege escalation attacks using behavioral analysis of AD traffic.
Advanced threat protection for Exchange Online and SharePoint — zero-hour auto purge for phishing, safe links, safe attachments, and attack simulation training.
Cloud-native SIEM with 300+ data connectors, KQL-based threat hunting, AI-powered anomaly detection, and automated playbooks via Logic Apps integration.
AI security analyst integrated across the Defender XDR suite — natural language threat investigation, incident summarization, and automated remediation guidance.
Microsoft Secure Score continuously measures your security posture against Microsoft recommendations — providing a prioritized remediation roadmap for improving Defender coverage.
| Alternative | How it compares |
|---|---|
| CrowdStrike Falcon | CrowdStrike has superior threat intelligence and EDR detection; Defender XDR is often already licensed in M365 E5 and integrates natively with Microsoft stack |
| SentinelOne Singularity | SentinelOne has better autonomous response; Defender XDR covers identity, email, and cloud app security that SentinelOne endpoint doesn't include |
| Palo Alto Networks | Palo Alto has better NGFW and network security; Defender XDR dominates in M365-native environments at zero incremental licensing cost |
Compare Microsoft Defender XDR against every alternative in our Cybersecurity & SASE comparison, or browse the full vendor directory. Ready for pricing? Talk to a Compare Select advisor — our guidance is free and vendor-neutral.