Carbon Black vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

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Our analysts compared Carbon Black vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Endpoint Security Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Product Basics

Formerly known as Bit9 + Carbon Black, Carbon Black Enterprise Protection is an endpoint protection software developed specifically to protect enterprises from advanced security threats.

CBEP is comprised of three components, delivering comprehensive protection for businesses. CB Protection stops malware, ransomware and non-zero day attacks. CB Response is an advanced endpoint detection and response (EDR) tool, built around scalability and attack review. CB Defense is an antivirus combined with an EDR solution, delivered via the cloud.
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Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is an advanced security solution designed to protect businesses against sophisticated cyber threats. Ideal for enterprises of all sizes, it offers robust features such as endpoint protection, detection and response, and automated investigation and remediation. Users commend its seamless integration with other Microsoft 365 services. According to one user, "Defender for Endpoint's unified security platform simplifies our cybersecurity strategy." While praised for its efficacy, some users note a learning curve during implementation. Pricing varies based on organizational needs. Users generally perceive it favorably, with one stating, "Microsoft Defender for Endpoint stands out in its ability to provide comprehensive security without compromising user experience, setting it apart from competitors."

Pros
  • Integrated with Microsoft 365 services.
  • Advanced endpoint protection.
  • Automated investigation and remediation.
  • Effective against sophisticated cyber threats.
  • Seamless user experience.
Cons
  • Initial implementation may have a learning curve.
  • Varied pricing based on organizational needs.
  • Requires careful configuration for optimal performance.
  • May not suit smaller businesses with simpler needs.
  • Dependency on Microsoft ecosystem for full functionality.
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$36/Endpoint, Annually
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$5/User, Monthly
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Tailored to your specific needs
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Product Assistance

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Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
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Product Insights

  • Enhanced Threat Detection: Carbon Black utilizes advanced behavioral analytics and machine learning to identify and alert on potential threats more accurately, reducing the chances of false positives and ensuring that real threats are promptly addressed.
  • Improved Response Times: With its automated response capabilities, Carbon Black can quickly isolate infected endpoints, preventing the spread of malware or other threats across the network, thereby minimizing potential damage.
  • Comprehensive Visibility: Offering deep visibility into endpoint activities, Carbon Black enables IT teams to track and analyze every process, network connection, and registry key change, facilitating detailed forensic investigations and threat hunting.
  • Scalable Protection: Designed to protect environments of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises, Carbon Black scales seamlessly with your organization, ensuring consistent security posture regardless of your growth rate.
  • Cloud-Based Architecture: Leveraging a cloud-native platform, Carbon Black simplifies deployment and management of endpoint security, eliminating the need for additional infrastructure and reducing the overall complexity and cost.
  • Customizable Policies: Carbon Black allows for the creation of tailored security policies that can adapt to the unique needs of different departments or user groups within an organization, ensuring that security measures do not hinder productivity.
  • Reduced IT Workload: By automating routine security tasks and providing a centralized management console, Carbon Black reduces the burden on IT staff, allowing them to focus on strategic initiatives rather than constant firefighting.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Carbon Black helps organizations meet various regulatory requirements by providing comprehensive logging, reporting, and data protection capabilities, ensuring that sensitive information is safeguarded against breaches.
  • Integration Capabilities: With its open API, Carbon Black integrates smoothly with other security tools and systems, enhancing the overall security ecosystem and enabling a more coordinated defense strategy against threats.
  • Proactive Risk Management: By continuously monitoring for and analyzing suspicious behaviors, Carbon Black enables organizations to proactively manage their risk posture, staying one step ahead of potential security breaches.
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  • Advanced Threat Protection: Defender for Endpoint provides robust protection against a wide range of advanced threats, including malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks. It employs cutting-edge threat intelligence and machine learning to proactively identify and block malicious activities, keeping your organization's endpoints secure.
  • Real-Time Threat Detection: With its real-time monitoring and detection capabilities, the platform continuously scans for suspicious behavior and indicators of compromise. It swiftly identifies and responds to potential threats, reducing the dwell time of attackers within your network.
  • Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Defender for Endpoint offers EDR functionality, enabling security teams to investigate and respond to incidents effectively. It provides detailed insights into endpoint activities, helping organizations understand the scope and impact of security incidents.
  • Automated Incident Response: The platform streamlines incident response with automation. It can isolate compromised devices, remediate threats, and even roll back changes made by attackers, minimizing the impact of security breaches.
  • Threat Intelligence Integration: Microsoft integrates global threat intelligence into Defender for Endpoint, enhancing its ability to identify and mitigate emerging threats. This intelligence is continuously updated to keep defenses current against evolving attack techniques.
  • Cloud-Powered Security: Leveraging the cloud, Defender for Endpoint can scale effortlessly to protect organizations of all sizes. It benefits from the vast computing power of Microsoft's cloud infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance and protection.
  • Centralized Security Management: The platform offers a unified management console, allowing organizations to oversee and configure security policies across all endpoints from a single interface. This simplifies administration and ensures consistent security posture.
  • Integration with Microsoft 365: For organizations using Microsoft 365, Defender for Endpoint seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft security services, creating a cohesive security ecosystem. This integration enhances visibility and control over security threats.
  • User and Device Risk Assessment: Defender for Endpoint assesses the risk associated with both users and devices. It evaluates user behavior and device health, enabling organizations to enforce access policies based on risk levels.
  • Threat Analytics and Insights: The platform provides detailed analytics and insights into security threats and trends. This data helps organizations make informed decisions to strengthen their security posture and adapt to evolving threats.
  • Reduced Security Complexity: By consolidating security functions into a single solution, Defender for Endpoint simplifies security management. It reduces the need for multiple security tools and streamlines operations, ultimately lowering the total cost of ownership.
  • Compliance and Reporting: The platform assists organizations in meeting regulatory compliance requirements by offering reporting and auditing capabilities. It helps organizations maintain transparency and demonstrate adherence to security standards.
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  • Central Whitelist: CBEP operates with a central database of whitelisted software. Meaning that software is analyzed for threats and then ranked in the program’s database, preventing rogue software from taking over.
  • Continuous Monitoring: Carbon Black employs a “continuous monitoring” technique, meaning it is always watching to ensure threats don’t sneak by. CBEP constantly records threats giving you instant feedback on your current security configuration.
  • Visualization Chains: Scrutinize every angle of an attack with visualization chains, showing how the threat entered, and where it went after that.
  • Installation Diversity: Carbon Black Enterprise Security is built to run on Windows, MacOS, Red Hat Linux and CentOS.
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  • Antivirus and antimalware protection
  • Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
  • Automatic investigation and remediation
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Product Ranking

#15

among all
Endpoint Security Software

#52

among all
Endpoint Security Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Carbon Black
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
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Attack Prevention Attack Surface Reduction Endpoint Detection And Response (EDR) Exploit Prevention Managed Detection And Response (MDR) Services Mobile Capabilities Platform Capabilities Vulnerability Management 93 100 98 97 92 38 59 100 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 201 reviews
Great User Sentiment 64 reviews
93%
of users recommend this product

Carbon Black has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 93% when considering 201 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

88%
of users recommend this product

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 88% when considering 64 user reviews from 1 recognized software review sites.

4.6 (42)
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5.0 (4)
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4.7 (148)
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4.2 (7)
4.4 (64)

Awards

Carbon Black stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Vulnerability Management.

Vulnerability Management Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Management Console: It has an intuitive management console that helps with policy management.
Client Performance: It is lightweight and does not affect client system performance.
Zero-Day Threats: It protects against zero-day threats.
Security Policies: Security policies can be set up across the entire network.
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Effective Threat Detection: Users praise Defender for Endpoint's ability to detect and mitigate a wide range of threats effectively, including malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks.
Seamless Microsoft Integration: The product seamlessly integrates with the Microsoft ecosystem, making it convenient for organizations already using Microsoft services.
Real-Time Monitoring: Real-time monitoring and threat detection provide immediate visibility into security incidents, allowing for swift responses.
Automated Incident Response: Users value the platform's automated incident response capabilities, which reduce the manual effort required for handling security incidents.
Centralized Management: Organizations can easily manage security policies across all endpoints from a centralized console, simplifying administration and ensuring a consistent security posture.
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Reporting: It does not have comprehensive reporting capabilities.
Time-Consuming: The deployment or removal of software is time-consuming.
Updates: Users report that its dashboard and notifications can be slow.
Navigation: It can be difficult to navigate through different options and tools on the console.
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Resource Intensive: Users have reported that Microsoft Defender for Endpoint can be resource-intensive, impacting the performance of older or less powerful devices.
Complex Configuration: Some users find the initial setup and configuration complex, especially those without extensive cybersecurity expertise. This can lead to misconfigurations that affect security effectiveness.
False Positives: Like many security solutions, Defender for Endpoint can generate false positives, flagging legitimate activities as suspicious, potentially causing disruptions and requiring additional investigation.
Cloud Dependency: Users in areas with unreliable or limited internet connectivity may face limitations due to the platform's cloud dependency, impacting security when offline.
Cost for Small Businesses: Pricing concerns have been raised, particularly by small businesses, who may find it less budget-friendly, potentially straining their cybersecurity budgets.
Learning Curve: Users transitioning from other security solutions may encounter a learning curve when adapting to the platform's features and functionalities, affecting operational efficiency.
Compatibility Challenges: Some users have reported compatibility issues with specialized or legacy software, necessitating additional configuration or exceptions, which can add complexity to deployments.
Endpoint Management: Effective endpoint security relies on proper configuration and maintenance of devices. Neglected or misconfigured endpoints can be more vulnerable to threats, requiring vigilant management.
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Carbon Black Endpoint protection provides its users with protection against a full spectrum of advanced cyber threats. It captures and stores endpoint activity, which provides comprehensive information of any suspicious activity and allows users to keep their devices safe. Enterprises facing advanced security threats should consider this software suite.

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Users consistently praise Microsoft Defender for Endpoint for its robust security features, with one user commending its "advanced endpoint protection" and another highlighting its "seamless integration with Microsoft 365 services." Many appreciate the automated investigation and remediation capabilities, emphasizing its effectiveness against sophisticated cyber threats. While the product's efficacy is widely acknowledged, some users mention a learning curve during the initial implementation. One user notes, "The implementation process had its challenges, but the benefits far outweighed the initial hurdles." Pricing variability based on organizational needs is a common concern, with users suggesting careful consideration to align the solution with budgetary constraints. Comparatively, users believe Microsoft Defender for Endpoint stands out from competitors, offering comprehensive security without compromising user experience. One user succinctly states, "It's a top-tier solution in its ability to provide holistic security." However, a few users caution that optimal performance may require careful configuration, and dependence on the Microsoft ecosystem for full functionality may not be suitable for all organizations. Despite these considerations, the prevailing sentiment is positive, with users appreciating the product's efficacy in safeguarding against evolving cyber threats.

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Screenshots

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