Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management
Vulnerability scanner software
Risk-based vulnerability management software
DevSecOps software
Vulnerability management software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$2.00 per user per month
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What is Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management
Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management is a vulnerability management capability within the Microsoft Defender security suite that discovers software and configuration weaknesses on endpoints and prioritizes remediation based on exposure and threat context. It is used by security operations and IT teams to assess device posture, track vulnerabilities, and drive patching and configuration hardening workflows. The product is closely integrated with Microsoft endpoint security telemetry and Microsoft security management portals, which influences deployment and operational fit in Microsoft-centric environments.
Native endpoint telemetry integration
The product leverages endpoint sensor data from Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to continuously assess vulnerabilities and misconfigurations without requiring a separate scanning agent in many deployments. This supports near-real-time visibility for managed Windows endpoints and can extend to other supported operating systems depending on the Defender onboarding method. The tight coupling with endpoint detection and response data helps correlate vulnerabilities with active threats and device exposure.
Risk-based prioritization and scoring
It provides prioritization features that combine vulnerability severity with asset context and observed threat activity to help teams focus remediation on higher-risk items. Security teams can use exposure and security posture insights to sequence patching and hardening work beyond raw CVSS lists. This aligns with programs that need measurable risk reduction and executive reporting.
Microsoft ecosystem workflow alignment
The product integrates with Microsoft security portals and commonly used Microsoft administration tools, which can streamline operations for organizations already standardized on Microsoft security and identity. It supports remediation tracking and reporting within the same ecosystem used for endpoint protection and incident response. This reduces tool sprawl compared with adopting a separate vulnerability management stack for endpoint-focused use cases.
Best fit for Defender-managed endpoints
Coverage and operational value are strongest when endpoints are onboarded to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and managed through Microsoft security tooling. Organizations with heterogeneous endpoint security stacks may face additional integration work or accept reduced fidelity compared with a dedicated, vendor-agnostic vulnerability platform. This can limit suitability for environments where Microsoft endpoint telemetry is not the primary data source.
Limited scope beyond endpoint layer
The product primarily focuses on endpoint software vulnerabilities and configuration posture rather than full-stack vulnerability management across cloud infrastructure, containers, and application code. Teams seeking deep DevSecOps capabilities (such as developer-first code and dependency scanning) may need additional tools and processes. As a result, it may not replace broader platforms that cover build pipelines and cloud-native runtime comprehensively.
Licensing and packaging complexity
Capabilities are tied to Microsoft security licensing and may vary by subscription level and tenant configuration, which can complicate procurement and feature expectations. Organizations often need to map requirements to specific Microsoft Defender plans and understand dependencies on other Defender components. This can increase evaluation time compared with standalone products with a single SKU.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Included in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 & Defender for Servers Plan 1 | Included (no additional charge beyond those plans) | Core Defender Vulnerability Management capabilities are integrated into these plans (device discovery, vulnerability assessment, risk-based prioritization, remediation tracking, continuous monitoring). |
| Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Add-on (for Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 / Microsoft 365 E5 customers) | $2.00 per user/month (annual commitment) | Adds premium vulnerability management capabilities (consolidated inventories, expanded asset coverage, cross‑platform support, advanced assessments and remediation tools). |
| Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management (Standalone) | $3.00 per user/month (annual commitment) | Standalone user subscription to complement other EDR solutions (recommended for customers without Defender for Endpoint Plan 2); includes core+premium capabilities for vulnerability management across endpoints and cloud workloads. |
Seller details
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond, Washington, United States
1975
Public
https://www.microsoft.com/
https://x.com/Microsoft
https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/
