Microsoft Defender for Endpoint vs VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (formerly Microsoft Defender ATP) and VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard (formerly Cb Defense) are endpoint security platforms designed to detect and prevent network security threats. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (not to be confused with Microsoft Defender, the free antivirus bundled with Windows 10) is part of the Microsoft 365 Enterprise suite and is designed primarily for use on Windows machines.

VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard is a stand-alone cloud solution designed for enterprise deployment across a variety of operating systems. This is likely why most of its users are from mid-sized companies who need a robust security solution without committing to an entire suite of products.

Features

Both products offer full-fledged malware prevention and mitigation features, but they each have unique strengths as well.

The biggest value point for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is that it’s already integrated with Windows and the larger Microsoft platform. This makes it easy to configure and deploy for Windows users and companies that have already invested in the Microsoft ecosystem of products and services. Additionally, its tight Windows integration means that it uses very few system resources when compared to other third-party antivirus solutions. Users report that it’s highly active and thorough when searching for threats. Automatic updates, both to its database of threats and the software itself, help lighten the maintenance load for IT teams.

Reviewers on TrustRadius praise VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard for doing exactly what it’s supposed to do with a high degree of effectiveness: identify and mitigate threats before they ever infect a target. It offers a high degree of visibility and control for endpoints, including quarantine options for suspicious machines. It can be configured to track and protect systems outside of the primary network too, and is backed up by a solid, helpful support team.

Limitations

Despite their effectiveness, each platform has its weaknesses. Before committing to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard, consider the limitations of each product.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint may be thorough, but that can be a drawback as well. Overzealous threat detection can result in annoying false positives for end-users, especially if they’re using non-standard applications. Its Windows-focused design can also be frustrating for customers who want to deploy to an Apple or Linux machine. And for some users with smaller-scale deployments, the cost of implementing Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is too high to justify.

VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard users report that the product has complicated setup requirements and a non-intuitive user interface. Customers say that it requires plenty of patience and training to learn to use the system properly. Some users needed dedicated VMware specialists to help them implement and learn the platform. If not configured properly, the system can generate far too much noise—and proper configuration is time-consuming, requiring users to create individual rules for a wide array of scenarios. Although it can be deployed on Linux machines, some users report that the Linux implementation isn’t completely mature as of this writing, although VMware and Carbon Black are continuing to improve the feature set and functionality of the platform on Linux.

Pricing

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is available as part of the Microsoft 365 E5 solution for enterprises, which is priced at $57.00 per user per month and includes other Microsoft products and services such as Excel, Outlook, Teams, and Active Directory. To purchase, contact a Microsoft sales representative.

Pricing for VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard is available via a quote from the vendor. This product is also available through third-party resellers. VMware Carbon Black Cloud Endpoint Standard is available from resellers like CDW for $52.99 per user per year.