12 Microsoft 365 Security Features and Best Practice Guidance – 5: Defender for Endpoint

HybrIT Marketing
May 16
3 min read

What is it?

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is an advanced endpoint security platform designed to help enterprise networks prevent, detect, investigate, and respond to threats. It’s a key layer in Microsoft’s wider security stack, providing real-time threat protection, endpoint detection and response (EDR), and integration with Microsoft 365 Defender.

There are different levels of Defender for Endpoint depending on your Microsoft 365 licence, and it’s crucial to understand how Business Premium and E3 compare.

Why is this important?

Not all Defender features are created equal and your licence determines what protection you’re actually getting
Small and medium businesses using Business Premium get strong coverage, but may lack some advanced tools
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 is included with Microsoft 365 E3, providing foundational endpoint protection features
Understanding the differences helps you make better licensing, security, and cost-saving decisions

What are the differences by comparison?

Here’s how Defender for Endpoint differs by plan:

Plan	Defender for Endpoint Inclusion	Key Features
Microsoft 365 Business Premium	Includes Defender for For Business	Next-gen protection Attack surface reduction rules Device control (USB, apps, etc.) Integration with Microsoft 365 Defender portal Basic reporting and alerting
Microsoft 365 E3	Not included by default	Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 or 2 must be purchased separately E3 focuses more on compliance, identity, and core security features Lacks endpoint detection without an add-on
Microsoft 365 E5	Includes Defender for Endpoint Plan 2	All Plan 1 features Advanced endpoint detection and response (EDR) Threat and vulnerability management Automated investigation and response (AIR) Endpoint behavioural analytics

Add-on Bundles

Microsoft offers several add-on security bundles to help organisations enhance their Microsoft 365 security posture, particularly for those on E3 or Business Premium who don’t get the full suite by default.

Here are the most relevant add-on security bundles:

Add-on	Who it's for	What's included
Defender for Endpoint Plan 1	Business Premium or E3 users needing baseline endpoint protection	Next-gen protection, attack surface reduction, device control, Defender portal integration
Defender for Endpoint Plan 2	Organisations wanting advanced endpoint capabilities	Everything in Plan 1 plus EDR, threat and vulnerability management, automated investigation and response, behavioural analytics
Microsoft 365 E5 Security Add-on	E3 users wanting full E5-level security features	Defender for Endpoint Plan 2, Defender for Identity, Defender for Office 365 Plan 2, Defender for Cloud Apps, Azure AD Premium P2
Defender for Business (Standalone)	Small businesses (up to 300 users) on Business Standard	Equivalent to Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 features without upgrading to Business Premium

How HybrIT can help configure this

HybrIT supports clients with:

Auditing existing Microsoft 365 security licensing
Identifying gaps in endpoint protection
Recommending the right Defender plan based on needs and budget
Configuring policies for protection, detection and response
Onboarding endpoints and setting up real-time alerts
Monitoring threat activity and tuning rules through our Managed Security service

Whether you're on Business Premium or E3, we help you get the most out of Defender.

Best practice tips

Know what plan you have – don’t assume endpoint protection is included
Use attack surface reduction rules – easy to configure, high impact
Enable tamper protection – prevents malware disabling your defences
Onboard all endpoints – laptops, desktops, and servers
Monitor alerts regularly – or let a managed service provider do it for you
Use threat analytics (Plan 2) – spot trends and respond early
Train your users – endpoint protection only works if users avoid risky behaviour