Defender for Endpoint Gets Jailbreak Detection and Built-in Tunnel VPN

Microsoft’s security software Defender for Endpoint can now detect whether an iOS device is jailbroken. The software on Android will also now have a VPN function via Microsoft’s Tunnel gateway. The company is coming with multiple features for the Defender mobile app.

Microsoft writes in a blog post that it is coming with several new features for the iOS and Android apps from Defender for Endpoint. This makes Mobile Application Management generally available. Previously, administrators could only use the software on phones signed in through Mobile Device Management, but now Defender can be run without administrators having to run Microsoft’s own Intune. MAM works with AirWatch, MobileIron and MaaS360, among others.

Defender also gets a detection for iOS devices with a jailbreak. Administrators can see whether an iPhone has been jailbroken in their administrator software. According to Microsoft, such devices sometimes run great security risks, for example because apps can be installed outside the App Store. If a jailbreak is detected, the administrator will receive a warning and the device will be placed in the highest risk category.

Microsoft is also making the Tunnel VPN function definitively available for Android. That function was already available via a separate app. With the Tunnel vpn function, users can set up a vpn to their organization via Intune, but they no longer have to make a separate connection because the vpn is directly in Defender for Endpoint. Existing Tunnel users will automatically switch to the Defender for Endpoint app, according to Microsoft. System administrators can continue to use the Endpoint Manager software to manage the Tunnel VPN.