Microsoft Defender vs Carbon Black

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and VMware Carbon Black Endpoint are leading endpoint detection and response security solutions. See how these EDR tools compare.

What is Microsoft Defender?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, formerly known as Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection, is the tech giant’s enterprise endpoint security platform. It is a cloud-based solution that scales as you add more endpoints to your network. Built-in artificial intelligence features provide automation solutions to adapt to emerging threats and your dynamic network needs.

In addition to discovering and securing endpoints such as computers and phones, Microsoft Defender also searches for network devices such as routers. It aims to maximize visibility across all endpoints and streamline remediation processes to enable reliable, scalable security. That includes addressing network vulnerabilities such as misconfiguration.

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Although Defender is a Microsoft product, it works on macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and more – not just Windows… even IoT devices fall under this umbrella.

What is Carbon Black?

VMware Carbon Black Endpoint is a EDR software solution that consolidates multiple endpoint security functions into a single platform. Carbon Black focuses on the prevalence of legacy devices and security appliances, with the goal of modernizing endpoint security to address today’s advanced threats. It achieves this by relying on automation, continuous monitoring and simplification.

Carbon Black’s defense recognizes the need for agility in a rapidly changing cybersecurity environment. Comprehensive automation features and threat detection reduce response times to stop threats before they have a chance to cause widespread damage. Other protections include ransomware prevention tools, custom threat intelligence, regulatory compliance, and interoperability with the rest of your security stack.

VMware Carbon Black Endpoint is cloud native and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux systems. The supported endpoints cover everything from computers to servers and virtual machines.

Microsoft Defender vs. Carbon Black: Feature Comparison

Head-to-head comparison: Microsoft Defender vs. Carbon Black

Endpoint Detection and Response

Microsoft Defender’s EDR uses a query-based hunting tool that allows you to create custom detections to proactively find and fix vulnerabilities. The EDR system retains raw data for up to 30 days and updates user and device information every 15 minutes. As many companies adopt device carry-over policies to reduce costs and improve efficiency, endpoint environments can change quickly. This quick update helps to keep that in mind.

Carbon Black’s EDR aims to streamline the process to reduce the burden on IT teams. Users can customize how they group and define endpoints, and Carbon Black will continuously monitor and log their activities. Carbon Black’s defense, in particular, doesn’t let anything run on the network until it’s approved. While this can slow down whitelisting, it provides total visibility across your network.

Cloud Security Analytics

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint also includes cloud security analytics, which automates ongoing security analytics. The feature uses cloud-powered analytics to search for both known and unknown threats, flagging unusual activity even if it can’t classify it. It will also assess the security health of your network and recommend next steps to enable ongoing security improvements.

Similarly, Carbon Black’s cloud security analytics continuously monitors for both known and unknown threats. It also automatically blocks access to known malware sites. When it detects an attack, it provides insight into the root cause and provides contextual information for remediation and future improvements. Carbon Black’s solution also includes behavioral analytics that help the system learn how devices and users interact with the system, flagging compromised accounts.

Ransomware Protection

Ransomware Attacks doubled in frequency in 2021, affects a third of all global organizations, so Microsoft Defender also includes anti-ransomware measures. The platform uses Intel’s Threat Detection Technology to monitor CPU patterns typical of ransomware attacks. When it detects ransomware-like activity, it warns users and automatically blocks the threat.

VMware Carbon Black also looks for ransomware activity, but it goes one step further by using Canary files. These decoy files are a tempting target for ransomware, but do not interact with any other part of the system. That way, when something tries to access these folders, Carbon Black recognizes it as ransomware and isolates the system to contain the threat.

Choosing between Microsoft Defender and Carbon Black

Both Microsoft Defender and Carbon Black are most commonly used in the mid-market, but many Carbon Black users are enterprises, while Defender uses more small businesses. This distinction is mainly a matter of support and ease of use. Carbon Black requires more existing security knowledge and expertise to get the most out of it, while Defender’s controls may be more familiar to a less experienced audience.

Companies in technology-focused industries with more existing security infrastructure may prefer Carbon Black for its integrations and third-party support. Microsoft Defender, on the other hand, works best with other Microsoft products, which may limit its usefulness for some businesses. However, it is sufficient for those in industries that rely less on a diverse software selection.

Overall, Carbon Black is best for advanced threat prevention and in-depth analytics, while Microsoft Defender’s simplicity and ease of use are its main selling points. Review your needs and existing digital infrastructure to decide which is best for your situation.