What is the best Microsoft solution for system or endpoint security, including antivirus protection and remote device management?

Question

We currently utilize Microsoft 365 Standard licenses in our organization and are in the process of bolstering our security measures. We have identified the need for remote device management, including the ability to clean wipe and lock laptops, the capability to restrict external storage device access, and a suitable solution for antivirus protection. While we've learned that Microsoft Intune can address these requirements, we want to ensure we're considering all available options within our existing licensing plan. Could you please provide insights into the effectiveness of Intune as an antivirus solution and the recommended configurations and best practices for using Microsoft Intune to protect against malware, provide antivirus capabilities, and enable remote device management (clean wipe and lock) specifically for our laptop devices ?

Answer 1

@sindhu sneha, Thanks for posting in Q&A. Agree with Rahul, In General, Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution that can help with remote device management, including the ability to clean wipe and lock laptops, restrict external storage device access, and provide antivirus capabilities. Intune integrates with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and different Mobile Threat Defense partners to help protect managed devices, personal devices, and apps. It also has policies to help manage updates, including updates to store apps.

As for the effectiveness of Intune as an antivirus solution, it can configure and manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans on Windows devices. However, it is important to note that Intune is not a standalone antivirus solution, and it is recommended to use it in conjunction with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for a more comprehensive security solution.

Best practices for using Microsoft Intune to protect against malware, provide antivirus capabilities, and enable remote device management include configuring policies for device compliance, conditional access, and app protection. You can also use Intune to deploy security baselines to devices and configure device configuration profiles to enforce security settings.

Hope the above information can help.

References:

• Protect data and devices with Microsoft Intune
• Microsoft Intune securely manages identities, manages apps, and manages devices
• Use Microsoft Intune to configure and manage Microsoft Defender Antivirus
• Microsoft Intune planning guide - Step 1 - Determine your objectives

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