Microsoft Releases Defender for IoT That Can Centrally Manage Iot Devices

Microsoft has released Defender for IoT. That tool is intended to protect Internet-of-things devices on enterprise networks against malware and infiltrations. The tool centralizes the management of IoT equipment within corporate networks.

Microsoft has made Defender for IoT available to every user after it released the tool as a beta at its Ignite developer conference last year. In a blog post The company writes that the tool is intended to secure networks within companies by looking specifically at Internet-of-things devices, such as VoIP devices, printers and televisions. The tool integrates with Microsoft 365 Defender, so system administrators can have the same protection for IoT devices that they can manage through Defender for Endpoint.

Administrators can classify IoT devices into different categories, such as network equipment or specific equipment for business processes. In Defender, they can see what other devices they are connected to or what external connections those devices are making. It is also possible to temporarily disable or manage the devices from a dashboard, or to roll out patches for the devices.

The tool also has capabilities to detect unknown equipment by analyzing network traffic. Defender for IoT integrates with Microsoft’s Security Information and Event Management tool Sentinel. The tool’s software is largely based on that of CyberX, a security company that Microsoft acquired in 2020.