Microsoft Defender for Business EDR: Included in Business Premium, but should you pay for another?

EDR: The endpoint protection your antivirus cannot provide

EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) represents the major evolution of traditional antivirus solutions. Where antivirus software compares signatures of known files, EDR continuously monitors the behavior of your endpoints to detect and block advanced cyberattacks: ransomware, fileless attacks, compromises through stolen credentials.

According to the CESIN 2024 report, 92% of cybersecurity professionals have deployed EDRs, and 54% consider them "very effective". But not all BDUs are created equal, and above all: a single BDU is never enough.

Microsoft Defender for Business: EDR already included in your Business Premium license

If your company uses Microsoft 365 Business Premium, you already have Microsoft Defender for Business - a complete EDR solution included in your subscription.

What Defender for Business contains

Microsoft Defender for Business offers :

• Next-generation protection: AI-based behavioral antivirus
• Attack Surface Reduction (ASR ): Rules that prevent dangerous behavior (e.g. preventing Word from launching PowerShell).
• Comprehensive EDR: Behavioral monitoring, IOA (Indicators of Attack) detection, automatic blocking
• Automated investigation and remediation (AIR): automatic incident analysis and corrective action
• Vulnerability management: Identification of software vulnerabilities and prioritization of patches
• Cross-platform protection: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android

Simplified configuration, default security policies, guided onboarding - everything is designed for SMBs without advanced cybersecurity expertise.

The real limitations of Defender for Business

Unlike Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 (the enterprise version), Defender for Business has some important restrictions:

No advanced threat hunting: No Advanced Hunting (custom KQL queries). You're 100% dependent on Microsoft's automatic detections; you can't create your own detection rules.

Limited device timeline: forensic information lacks depth. You can't precisely trace the URL visited before infection, nor track all files modified by a malicious process.

Short data retention: EDR data is retained for a shorter period than with Plan 2, limiting subsequent investigations.

Limit of 300 users: Beyond that, upgrade to Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 is mandatory.

Servers not included: Each Windows or Linux server requires an additional license at $3/month, limited to a maximum of 60 servers.

No advanced native XDR: Business Premium includes access to the Microsoft Defender XDR portal, but without full XDR functionality (advanced cross-domain correlation, advanced automation). To get full XDR, you need the Defender Suite for Business Premium add-on at $10/user/month.

EDR vs XDR: Understanding the difference

EDR: Endpoint protection only

EDR focuses exclusively on endpoints. It collects and analyzes data specific to workstations, servers and mobiles: running processes, network connections, modified files, suspicious activities.

EDR limitation: A typical ransomware attack traverses the network (data exfiltration), lands in a mailbox (phishing), then infects the endpoint. The EDR only sees the last stage - the one on the endpoint. The previous stages (email, network) are invisible to it.

XDR: Extended detection and response

XDR (Extended Detection and Response) extends detection beyond endpoints to cover :

• Endpoints (traditional EDR)
• Network (traffic, abnormal connections)
• Email (phishing, BEC, malware in attachments)
• Cloud (workloads, identities, access)
• SaaS applications

XDR automatically collects and correlates data from these multiple sources to create a unified view of threats. Instead of generating 10 isolated alerts, it reconstructs the complete attack chain: "Phishing email → user clicks → malware download → execution on endpoint → lateral movement on the network".

Concrete benefits of XDR:

• Mean Time To Detection (MTTD) reduction through source correlation
• Reduce mean time to market (MTTI) with full context
• MTTR reduction through cross-domain automation
• Less false positives thanks to contextualization

According to Gartner, XDR represents the natural evolution of EDR - it doesn't replace it, it extends and enriches it.

Microsoft XDR: What do you really have?

With Microsoft 365 Business Premium: You have access to the Microsoft Defender XDR portal and some basic correlation features between Defender for Business (endpoints) and Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 (email).

Limitations: No advanced correlation, no sophisticated cross-domain automation, no XDR threat hunting, no in-depth unified investigation.

To get the full XDR: Add-on Defender Suite for Business Premium ($10/user/month) which adds :

• Defender for Endpoint Plan 2
• Defender for Office 365 Plan 2
• Defender for Identity
• Defender for Cloud Apps
• Full XDR correlation and advanced automation

Microsoft Defender for Business vs. third-party EDRs: The factual comparison

Defender for Business vs CrowdStrike Falcon

CrowdStrike Falcon Pro: $99.99/device/yearCrowdStrikeFalcon Enterprise: $184.99/device/year

CrowdStrike benefits:

• Cloud-native architecture with integrated global threat intelligence (78 trillion daily signals)
• Threat hunting included in Enterprise (Falcon OverWatch)
• Indicators of Attack (IOA) with supervised and unsupervised machine learning
• Ultra-light agent with deployment in minutes
• Proven reputation in MITRE ATT&CK tests (100% detection and protection by 2023)
• Microsoft independence - useful if you want to avoid mono-dependence

CrowdStrike limits:

• Higher price than Defender for Business (already included in Business Premium)
• License complexity often criticized
• Expertise required for optimal operation
• The CrowdStrike incident in July 2024 (8.5 million Windows devices crashed) demonstrated the risks of a faulty update.

When to choose CrowdStrike: You want absolute excellence in behavioral detection and threat hunting, you prefer an independent cybersecurity pure-player, and you have the resources to fully exploit its advanced capabilities.

Defender for Business vs SentinelOne Singularity

SentinelOne Singularity Control: $79.99/endpoint/yearSentinelOneSingularity Complete: $179.99/endpoint/year (including full EDR, 14-day retention, AI assistant)

SentinelOne benefits:

• Autonomous AI agent operating locally - protection even when not connected to the cloud
• Automatic detection and remediation without cloud dependency
• Longer EDR data retention than CrowdStrike by default
• Intuitive interface and rapid deployment
• Good price/performance balance for SMEs
• MITRE ATT&CK 2024 tests: 100% detection of tested techniques

SentinelOne limits:

• Requires reboot for activation (vs. instantaneous with CrowdStrike and Microsoft)
• No automatic agent update (manual installation)
• Threat intelligence must be licensed from a third party
• No native identity protection (ITDR)
• Lower MDR results: 88.4% detection with MTTD of 47 minutes (MITRE Managed Services 2024)

When to choose SentinelOne: You have disconnected sites requiring offline protection, you want a stand-alone solution with less complexity than a full SOC, and you're looking for good value for money.

Defender for Business vs Trellix EDR

Trellix EDR: Starting price $25,000 (non-public pricing, on request)

Trellix advantages:

• Behavioral detection reduces alert noise
• AI-guided analysis for investigations
• Integrated single-agent architecture
• Good for organizations with McAfee/FireEye legacy

Trellix limits:

• Opaque and generally higher pricing
• Less mindshare (1.2% vs. 10% for CrowdStrike)
• Less mature native XDR

When to choose Trellix: You already have a McAfee/FireEye ecosystem in place, and you prefer to reduce false positives through behavioral analysis.

The verdict: Is Microsoft Defender for Business competitive?

Pour une PME de <300 utilisateurs avec Microsoft 365 Business Premium :

Defender for Business is already paid for in your license (~20€/user/month for all Business Premium). Marginal cost = 0€.

Comparison of annual cost per user:

• Defender for Business (included): €0 additional charge
• SentinelOne Control: ~€70/year
• SentinelOne Complete: ~€158/year
• CrowdStrike Pro: ~88€/year
• CrowdStrike Enterprise: ~€162/year

In terms of capacity:

• Endpoint protection: comparable to third-party solutions for most SME scenarios
• Behavioral detection: Robust, based on threat intelligence from Microsoft worldwide
• Automation: Good (AIR), but limited vs. Plan 2
• Investigation: Limited vs CrowdStrike or Plan 2, sufficient for standard incidents

Verdict : Defender for Business offre un excellent rapport valeur pour PME de <300 utilisateurs. Activer et configurer correctement Defender for Business avant d'investir dans un EDR tiers.

When a third-party BDU is justified:

• Need advanced expert threat hunting beyond Defender Plan 2
• Specific regulatory requirements (third-party certifications required)
• Deliberate multi-vendor strategy (defense-in-depth)
• Critical offline protection (disconnected sites without cloud connectivity)
• Mistrust in the wake of the Microsoft incident or a desire for technological independence

And for companies >300 users?

Microsoft remains highly competitive in the enterprise:

Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 licenses include Defender for Endpoint, and Microsoft 365 E5 even includes Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 - the full version with advanced threat hunting, advanced hunting (KQL queries), full timeline, 6 months data retention.

Microsoft 365 E3 (approx. €36/user/month) :

• Includes Defender for Endpoint Plan 1 (basic endpoint protection)
• To get Plan 2: Microsoft Defender Suite add-on or upgrade to E5

Microsoft 365 E5 (approx. €57/user/month) :

• Includes complete Defender for Endpoint Plan 2
• Complete Microsoft XDR (email correlation, endpoints, identity, cloud apps)
• Threat analytics, advanced hunting, automated investigation & response
• Microsoft Threat Experts available as an add-on

Annual cost comparison for 500 users:

Microsoft option E5:

• 500 users × €57/month = €28,500/month = €342,000/year
• Includes: Endpoint Plan 2, full XDR, Office 365, Teams, etc.
• • Outsourced MDR: 500 × €10/month = €5,000/month = €60,000/year
• Total: €402,000/year

CrowdStrike Enterprise option:

• Microsoft 365 E3 licenses: 500 × €36 = €18,000/month = €216,000/year
• CrowdStrike Enterprise: 500 × €162/year = €81,000/year
• • Outsourced MDR: €60,000/year
• Total: €357,000/year

SentinelOne Complete option:

• Microsoft 365 E3 licenses: €216,000/year
• SentinelOne Complete: 500 × €158/year = €79,000/year
• • Outsourced MDR: €60,000/year
• Total: €355,000/year

Verdict for >300 users:

Microsoft E5 is still very competitive because you get :

• Full EDR Plan 2 (CrowdStrike/SentinelOne equivalent in functionality)
• Built-in native XDR
• Advanced email protection (Defender for Office 365 Plan 2)
• Identity protection (Defender for Identity)
• Cloud apps protection (Defender for Cloud Apps)
• All the Microsoft productivity suite

For a company already in the Microsoft ecosystem with E3, upgrading to E5 or adding Defender Suite is often more cost-effective than a third-party EDR, especially considering native integration and reduced complexity.

Third-party BDUs remain relevant for:

• Deliberate multi-vendor strategy
• Need for specific functionalities (e.g. SentinelOne offline protection)
• Third-party certification requirements
• Dominant non-Microsoft environments (Linux/macOS heavy)

The truth nobody tells: A BDU without MDR/SOC is almost useless

Whatever EDR you choose - Microsoft, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, Trellix - the reality is stark: without 24/7 expert human supervision, your EDR is largely ineffective.

The problem: Unmanned alerts

An EDR generates hundreds or even thousands of alerts every month. Without SOC or MDR :

• Nobody's sorting: Real threats drown in false positives
• No one investigates: "Suspicious behavior" alert requires contextual analysis
• No one responds: Detection is useless without rapid remediation
• Nobody's hunting: Advanced threats (APTs) require proactive threat hunting

Cyber attacks don't stop at 6pm on Fridays

Reality check: Cybercriminals operate 24/7. Ransomware is often deployed at weekends or at night to maximize damage before detection. An attack launched on Friday evening at 10pm and detected on Monday morning at 9am has had 59 hours to propagate, encrypt your data and exfiltrate your critical information.

Without continuous monitoring:

• Weekend BDU alerts remain unprocessed until Monday
• A night-time compromise can paralyze your business in the morning
• Attackers take advantage of off-peak times to advance unopposed
• Average detection time soars without 24/7 monitoring

With MDR 24/7:

• Continuous human surveillance, even at 3 a.m. on a Sunday
• Immediate response to critical incidents in less than 15 minutes
• Escalate to your teams only if necessary
• Contain threats before they spread

This is exactly why outsourced MDR is so critical for SMBs: you get expert analysts monitoring your systems while you sleep, without having to recruit 3 analysts to rotate 24/7 in-house.

MDR: The missing brick

MDR (Managed Detection and Response) services combine :

• 24/7/365 monitoring by certified SOC analysts
• Intelligent triage: Eliminate false positives, prioritize real threats
• Forensic investigation: in-depth incident analysis
• Guided response: Coordinated remediation, intervention playbooks
• Proactive threat hunting: Active search for latent threats
• SIEM/SOAR integration: Correlation with other security sources

Figures that speak for themselves

According to cybersecurity experts (Orange Cyberdefense, Silicon.fr April 2025, IMS Networks):

• EDR requires a dedicated or managed SOC to be effective
• 81% of companies use an EDR (CESIN 2022), but many without an adequate SOC
• Attackers are increasingly able to disable unsupervised BDUs
• The average time to detect a violation is 277 days without active supervision.

Cost of an MDR service

Outsourced MDR service: €5 to €15 per endpoint/month depending on service level

• Basic Micro-SOC: ~€5-8/endpoint/month
• Standard MDR: ~10-12€/endpoint/month
• MDR premium with threat hunting: ~€15-20/endpoint/month

Internal SOC:

• 3 analysts minimum (24/7 coverage): ~€200,000/year
• SIEM/SOAR tools: €20,000 - €100,000/year
• Continuing education: €10,000 - €30,000/year
• Total: €230,000 - €330,000/year minimum

For an SME with 50-200 users, outsourced MDR is infinitely more cost-effective.

A clear statement

EDR alone is based on a "presumption of breach" - it acts after the attacker has entered. EDR solutions are based on post-execution remediation, meaning that attackers are already in the network when alerts go up.

A BDU without MDR = A smoke detector without firefighters.

Our strategic recommendation for SMEs

Scénario 1 : PME <300 utilisateurs avec Microsoft 365 Business Premium

What you already have:

• Microsoft Defender for Business (EDR)
• Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 (basic email protection)
• Defender XDR portal access (limited functionality)

Recommended strategy:

Step 1 - Activate and configure:

• Deploy Defender for Business on ALL endpoints
• Configure Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) policies
• Activate AIR (Automatic Investigation and Remediation)
• Configure alerts to your ticketing tool

Step 2 - Subscribe to an MDR:

• Outsourced Micro-SOC service: €5-10/endpoint/month
• 24/7 monitoring, alert triage, guided response
• This is the critical investment - don't neglect it

Step 3 - Evaluate add-ons if budget:

• Defender Suite for Business Premium ($10/user/month) if you need full XDR
• Server licenses ($3/server/month) for your mission-critical servers

Realistic total cost for 50 users:

• Microsoft 365 Business Premium: €1,000/month (already paid)
• Server licenses (5 servers): $15/month = ~€14
• MDR service: 50 × €8 = €400/month
• Total EDR+MDR safety: ~€414/month for effective protection

Scenario 2: Company >300 users

Choice A - Microsoft E5 (recommended if already Microsoft):

• Microsoft 365 E5: Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 included
• Full native Microsoft XDR
• Excellent integration with your existing ecosystem
• Outsourced MDR or in-house SOC depending on size
• Advantage: All-in-one, less complexity, competitive overall cost

Choice B - Microsoft E3 + Defender Suite:

• Microsoft 365 E3 (less expensive)
• Microsoft Defender Suite add-on to get Plan 2
• Good option if you don't need full E5 functionality
• Outsourced MDR or in-house SOC

Choice C - Third-party BDU (if specific requirements):

• Microsoft 365 E3 for productivity
• CrowdStrike Enterprise or SentinelOne Complete for EDR
• Advantages: Vendor independence, pure-player expertise, specific certifications
• Cost: Similar to E5 but with multi-vendor complexity
• Outsourced MDR or in-house SOC mandatory

Choice D - Hybrid approach (high security):

• Microsoft E5 for standard endpoints
• CrowdStrike or SentinelOne for critical assets (double layer)
• Unified MDR covering both solutions
• Maximum defense-in-depth approach

Scenario 3: Regulatory or high security requirements

Defense-in-depth approach:

• Full Microsoft XDR (E5 or Defender Suite)
• Third-party EDR on critical assets (double layer)
• In-house SOC with tier 2/3 analyst
• MDR outsourced tier 1 + internal escalation
• Central SIEM (Sentinel, Splunk) with multi-source correlation

Conclusion: The winning equation

Microsoft Defender for Business représente un excellent point de départ pour les PME <300 utilisateurs. Il offre des capacités EDR solides, incluses dans Business Premium, sans coût additionnel de licence.

BUT: An EDR alone - whether Microsoft, CrowdStrike or SentinelOne - is never a complete defense.

The winning equation for SMEs:

Microsoft Defender for Business EDR (already paid)
+ Outsourced MDR/Micro-SOC service (€5-15/endpoint/month)
+ Team training in incident response
= Effective protection against modern cyberthreats

For organizations >300 users or advanced needs:

Tier 1 EDR (Microsoft Plan 2, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne)
+ In-house SOC or premium outsourced MDR
+ XDR for multi-domain correlation
+ Proactive threat hunting
= Mature defense in depth

EDR vs XDR: what's next?

• EDR: Protect your endpoints. Necessary but insufficient on its own.
• XDR: Extends protection to email, network, cloud, identity. Correlates signals for unified vision. It's the natural evolution as your cyber maturity increases.
• MDR: Transforms detection (EDR/XDR) into effective response via 24/7 human expertise. This is absolutely critical.

The real question is not "which BDU to choose?" but "how to transform detection into effective response?"

And this response necessarily involves human expertise - whether in-house (SOC) or outsourced (MDR).

Don't let your Microsoft EDR sleep in your license. Activate it. Configure it. And above all: link it to a competent MDR service.

IT Systemes offers :

• Microsoft Defender for Business audit and deployment
• Optimal configuration of EDR security policies
• Managed Micro-SOC and MDR services for SMEs
• Migration to Microsoft or third-party XDR solutions
• Incident response training for teams

Contact us for an audit of your endpoint security posture and a recommendation tailored to your business challenges.

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