

ESET Endpoint Protection Platform and Microsoft Defender for Identity are key players in the cybersecurity space, focusing on endpoint and identity protection, respectively. ESET stands out in threat detection and resource efficiency, while Microsoft Defender integrates well within its ecosystem, excelling in identity protection and analytical capabilities.
Features: ESET Endpoint Protection Platform boasts ThreatSense technology for thorough threat detection, a lightweight antivirus engine, and features like Antispyware, Host-Based Intrusion Prevention System, and a centralized management console. Microsoft Defender for Identity offers comprehensive identity protection, seamless integration with Microsoft 365 applications, advanced threat detection, and extensive monitoring of network activities.
Room for Improvement: ESET users highlight issues like complex uninstallation processes, limited heuristic detection, and lack of iOS compatibility. Pricing structure improvements are needed, especially for virtual machine environments. Microsoft Defender for Identity faces challenges with false positives and the agent installation process in on-premises setups. Enhancements in integration for a smoother user experience and more detailed reporting are also desired.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: ESET offers flexible deployment across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments, though support can vary by region. Microsoft Defender for Identity, tailored for Microsoft cloud environments, requires Azure integration. While its support is effective, reliance on Microsoft's ecosystem can be limiting outside of it.
Pricing and ROI: ESET provides competitive pricing favorable for small to medium businesses, with a strong ROI in security and resource management. Microsoft Defender for Identity is often bundled with Microsoft licensing, offering cost advantages within Microsoft 365 ecosystems, though pricing complexity depends on specific plans and use cases.
I saw the return on investment with ESET Endpoint Protection Platform within months.
They have great technical support.
Normally, I cannot give a ten for support of all brands, as it is not always possible to get full support from companies.
Generally, the support is more effective than other providers like Oracle.
The quality of support is very good, but troubleshooting can take time due to complex setups and the need to provide many logs.
The people I normally use for support are very knowledgeable, especially when they help remote in and get to where I need to go and show me much faster and help me understand what I should be doing.
In terms of scalability, I can rate it eight or nine out of ten.
Their support is phenomenal, offering quick assistance.
Minimal system performance impact is very important when choosing endpoint protection solutions, and I believe ESET uses minimum hardware of the PC.
In a Microsoft-centric organization, especially with Azure infrastructure and Office 365, Microsoft Defender for Identity is scalable.
In terms of stability, I can rate it at nine out of ten.
Our experience with ESET Endpoint Protection Platform's centralized management console is mostly fine for managing security policies across endpoints.
Microsoft Defender for Identity is quite robust and built on Azure hyperscale infrastructure, with a 99% availability.
We do not see any issues with the stability of Microsoft Defender for Identity.
Having recently started using it, reliability is affirmed, but manual investigation is often performed to verify if alerts identified by auto-remediation are accurate.
A lightweight version of ESET might be beneficial as many of our clients have older CPUs and RAM.
When we were using CrowdStrike, it used to detect and block pirated software, but ESET Endpoint Protection Platform is not doing that.
Extensive APIs to easily integrate our own systems with the platform for user configuration via their company portal.
If Microsoft could develop a feature that indicates when impossible travel is caused by VPN connections, it would prevent unnecessary password resets and session disruptions, especially for VIP users in organizations.
One improvement I would recommend is the integration of an admin application within Teams, allowing easy access to attack information on a mobile platform.
Reducing false positives is something we've been working on with Microsoft.
The pricing of ESET Endpoint Protection Platform is a bit high compared to other competitors.
I would rate ESET Endpoint Protection Platform a five for pricing on a scale from 1 to 10, where 1 is cheap and 10 is expensive.
If they can reduce the costs, organizations will be happy, and it will compensate for using the Azure environment, which is more expensive on the infrastructure as a service side.
Ensuring a fair price according to market standards.
From an organization perspective, using E5 licenses is value for money, especially if Azure and Office 365 are already in use.
The best feature of ESET Endpoint Protection Platform is that I get all the details about which user is using it, how much time they spend on websites, and all related information.
Machine learning, especially through live detection, detects threats that are blocked based on reputation or sandbox detection.
The most valuable feature is the cloud administration.
We receive an advance report of risky users, allowing us to take preemptive action before an attack causes damage to organization details.
The most valuable feature is its hybrid artificial intelligence, which gathers forensic data to track and counteract security threats, much like the CSI series in effect.
The advanced threat protection is one of the strengths of Microsoft Defender for Identity, as it utilizes user and entity analytics and can detect indicative attacks.
| Product | Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Defender for Identity | 4.5% |
| ESET Endpoint Protection Platform | 2.3% |
| Other | 93.2% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 68 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 18 |
| Large Enterprise | 21 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 8 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 4 |
| Large Enterprise | 14 |
ESET Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) is a cybersecurity solution designed to protect businesses of all sizes against a wide array of cyber threats. Its advanced technologies and user-friendly interface provide robust security for endpoint devices, such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices, without compromising performance. ESET's approach combines multiple layers of protection, including traditional signature-based detection with advanced heuristic analysis, behavioral monitoring, and machine learning, to effectively counter both known and emerging threats.
ESET's Endpoint Protection Platform is based on a multi-layered defense strategy, which utilizes various technologies like cloud-based scanning, network attack protection, and exploit blockers. This strategy ensures solid protection against malware, ransomware, phishing attacks, and advanced persistent threats (APTs), offering businesses peace of mind regarding their digital security. ESET's platform protects computers, mobile devices, file servers and virtual environments. It’s available as a standalone product and as a part of a wider enterprise cybersecurity bundle, ESET PROTECT Enterprise, which also includes file server security, disk encryption, a cloud sandbox and EDR.
ESET PROTECT Advanced
The ESET PROTECT Advanced provides best-in-class endpoint protection against ransomware & zero-day threats, backed by powerful data security.
Performance and Compatibility
ESET is widely acclaimed for its light system footprint, ensuring that endpoint protection does not come at the expense of performance. This efficiency is crucial for maintaining operational productivity without sacrificing security. Moreover, ESET's solutions are compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android.
Centralized Management
ESET Endpoint Protection Platform is managed via ESET Security Management Center, a centralized management console that provides real-time visibility into on-premise and off-premise endpoints. This simplifies the administration of security policies, streamlines the detection and response processes, and provides detailed reporting capabilities, making it easier for IT professionals to maintain a secure and compliant IT environment.
Microsoft Defender for Identity offers real-time threat detection and protection for hybrid Active Directory environments. It integrates with Microsoft 365 components for seamless security and monitors advanced behaviors, enhancing identity protection across cloud and on-premises environments.
Microsoft Defender for Identity provides detailed threat insights and user behavior analytics to detect unauthorized access and notify anomalies. It allows setting custom detection rules, enhancing threat response automation. While it needs improvements in cloud security, SIEM integration, and access controls, users leverage its ability to mitigate identity threats like suspicious logins and ransomware. Enhanced integration with Microsoft security products ensures a coordinated threat response for identity control and privilege management.
What are the key features of Microsoft Defender for Identity?In specific industries, organizations implement Microsoft Defender for Identity to secure on-premises and hybrid Active Directory environments through user and entity behavior analytics, malicious activity detection, and integration with Microsoft security tools. This approach enhances security posture assessment and helps mitigate identity threats like identity harvesting and unauthorized access.
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