Cisco vs Microsoft

About Microsoft

Microsoft Defender offers threat prevention, detection and response capabilities. Microsoft Defender coordinates protection across endpoints, identity, email, apps and cloud. Security Copilot agents come ready to use in Microsoft Entra, Microsoft Intune, Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Sentinel.^{[11][15][16][23]}

Microsoft Defender is a threat protection solution designed to protect individuals, businesses and enterprises from malicious cyberthreats. Microsoft Defender has the purpose of preventing, detecting and responding to attacks across devices, identities, applications, email, data, workloads and cloud environments. XDR capabilities are included with eligible Microsoft plans and supported Defender products. Microsoft offers cloud security for hybrid and multicloud environments across the full application lifecycle, from code to runtime. Microsoft offers vulnerability management with continuous vulnerability assessment, risk-based prioritization and remediation. Microsoft offers email and collaboration security against phishing and advanced cyberthreats such as business email compromise.^{[1][11][12][17][26][27]}

Microsoft Defender Suite focuses on threat protection and detection and response across endpoints, identities, email and SaaS apps. The integrated security operations center (ISOC) is included in the Defender Suite. Microsoft Defender Suite is offered on its own or as part of Microsoft 365 E5. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint licenses include protection for up to 5 devices per user license. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 protects against email-based threats and secures collaboration tools including Microsoft Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive. Microsoft offers expert-led services to help defend against threats, build cyber resilience and modernize security operations. Microsoft offers AI-powered threat hunting across endpoints, identities, emails, cloud apps and cloud workloads.^{[1][11][12][14][19]}

Microsoft offers a cloud-native SIEM built for AI. The cloud-native SIEM from Microsoft includes a built-in data lake. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) was renamed Microsoft Entra ID in 2023. To purchase Microsoft Entra, customers start with Microsoft Entra ID P1 or P2 license subscriptions, which can also be purchased as part of a Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 license. Microsoft Entra Suite extends Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 to enable secure workforce use of apps and AI with continuous, adaptive identity and network access controls across employees, apps and networks. Microsoft Entra Suite requires a subscription to Microsoft Entra ID P1 or a package that includes Microsoft Entra ID P1. Identity Governance enforces least privilege access and automates access lifecycles.^{[1][12][15][23]}

Microsoft Intune offers advanced endpoint management and security capabilities available as standalone add-ons or as part of the Intune Suite. The advanced capabilities include Endpoint Privilege Management (EPM), Enterprise App Management (EAM), Advanced Analytics, Remote Help, Microsoft Cloud PKI, Microsoft Tunnel for Mobile Application Management (MAM), Firmware-over-the-Air (FOTA) updates and Specialized Device Management. Microsoft Intune Plan 1 is the endpoint management solution included in most Microsoft 365 enterprise licenses, covering cross-platform device management, built-in security, mobile application management and endpoint analytics. Select advanced Intune capabilities are now included in Microsoft 365 E3 and E5.^[1][16]

Microsoft Purview offers a unified approach to help organizations secure and govern data across their heterogenous data estate. Microsoft Purview enables organizations to secure and govern a data estate across on-premises, multicloud and SaaS environments, and across structured and unstructured data. Microsoft offers data security to discover, classify and protect sensitive data across a data estate. Microsoft Purview features are purchased through different licenses or on a pay-as-you-go basis. Microsoft Purview Suite (formerly Microsoft E5 Compliance Suite) provides advanced data security and compliance capabilities. Microsoft 365 E5 includes Office apps, identity and endpoint protection, and all Microsoft Purview Suite capabilities.^{[1][13][14][24]}

Microsoft 365 Business Premium is a solution for small and medium-sized businesses. Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Microsoft Defender for Business, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1, Microsoft Entra ID Plan 1, Microsoft Intune Plan 1 and Microsoft Purview, along with Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, Clipchamp and Copilot Chat. Microsoft points organizations with more than 300 users to its enterprise offerings. Ford Motor Company uses Microsoft Security solutions to protect its data and operations. Providence Care uses Microsoft 365 E5 for healthcare security. Auckland Transport uses Microsoft Security Copilot for citywide cybersecurity. KPMG deployed Microsoft Defender for Cloud and Microsoft Purview for sensitive data that might be exfiltrated or overshared by AI apps.^{[1][12][13][14][15][17][18][25][26]}