One of the best features that came with the launch of Windows 10 was the current Windows Defender , a totally free antivirus installed as standard on the PC that allows us to be protected against all the threats that plague the network. Although this is not the first time that Microsoft has tinkered with antivirus (let’s remember the Essentials Security disaster), it is the first time that it has managed to offer users an antivirus to match. And now, Microsoft has gone one step further, finally offering a comprehensive solution for users: Microsoft Defender for Individuals . Yes, paid.
The first thing that this new security solution offers us is a centralized panel from where we will be able to control the security of all the devices that we use within the family environment. In other words, we will be able to protect both any Windows PC (obviously), as well as other operating systems, such as macOS, Android and iOS. The only system that has been left out of this solution has been Linux.
Thanks to this new panel we will be able to control and protect all the devices that we use within the family environment. Ideally, protect them with Windows Defender, but the panel is also ready to work with other security solutions, such as Norton or McAfee.
Once installed and configured, Microsoft Defender constantly scans all devices for malware so we can be sure we have the best possible protection. In addition, it will notify us when there are other security problems so that we can solve them as soon as possible. In addition, any change in security is notified to the administrators of this antivirus for personal use so that they can find out about it and fix it (if applicable) as soon as possible.
And the price of this antivirus?
This new security solution is based on Microsoft Defender for Endpoint , an enterprise-grade security solution specialized in centralizing the security of large computer networks in companies. What Microsoft has done has been to bring this same concept, adapted, to all kinds of home users and families. But, in order to use it, we will have to be subscribed to Microsoft 365 , either the personal or family edition. Therefore, Microsoft Defender for Individuals becomes part of the Microsoft subscription, along with Office and OneDrive‘s terabyte of cloud storage.
If we already paid for the Microsoft subscription, we simply have to go to the following link and download the antivirus on all the devices we want to protect. The downloads are made directly from the official application stores (Apple‘s App Store, Android’s Play Store, etc.), so we won’t have to make any weird configurations on the PC.
It is possible that in the future Microsoft will also include Linux within the protected systems, just as it already does in the version for companies. But, for now, the penguin’s free system is outside this security ecosystem (although, to be honest, it doesn’t need it either).
