Intercept X Endpoint vs Microsoft Defender for Endpoint comparison

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Fortinet Logo
10,056 views|7,518 comparisons
82% willing to recommend
Sophos Logo
20,466 views|17,312 comparisons
95% willing to recommend
Microsoft Logo
60,745 views|47,911 comparisons
94% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Mar 16, 2022

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Defender For Endpoint and Sophos Intercept X based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: Users of Microsoft Defender For Endpoint provide mixed reviews regarding the solution’s deployment. There are some reviewers who say that the setup is easy and straightforward, while other users feel that the initial setup can be complex (especially in regards to the configuration of extra parts), and the deployment can take up to a few months depending on the size of the organization.

    Users of Sophos Intercept X felt the same; Some users found the deployment to be complex and noted that there is definitely a learning curve, while others who have had previous experience found the deployment to be very easy.
  • Features: Valuable features of Microsoft Defender For Endpoint include holistic integration with all Defender products and MCAS, data leak prevention, high stability, attack surface reduction controls, exploit prevention control, application control, scalability, ransomware, and auto-remediation as well as manual-remediation. There are certain things that users find are lacking. Some users mention that other vendors provide a lot more customization when it comes to integration; Others say they encountered some misbehavior between Microsoft Office Suite and Defender; Still other users feel the GUI could be better optimized, the monitoring could be better, onboarding could be a little faster, log collection could be easier, and that the dashboard could be more streamlined. Some reviewers have also experienced some issues with scalability.

    Valuable features of Sophos Intercept X include easy management, easy administration, reliability, synchronized security, a Linux version option, great scalability and stability, behavioral, non-signature-based threat detection, spam filtering features, web filtering, client isolation for use cases, manuscript response, EDR (Enhanced Data Detection and Response), and DLP (Data Loss Prevention). Some users of Sophos Intercept X say that areas that need improvement include deployment on the cloud (which currently needs to be done manually), and that if you have several different components you are dealing with, each is managed under a different umbrella. Other users mention that when there is an event generated by either the firewall or Intercept X and the originating IP address is the same, they should be merged into a single event rather than two. One other helpful opinion by a user noted that the product does not handle USB products very well.
  • Pricing: Microsoft Defender For Endpoint users say the pricing is good. Some users of Sophos Intercept X say the pricing is reasonable and even offers three different tiers, but other reviewers say they would prefer it if the price was lower.
  • Service and Support: Users of Microsoft Defender For Endpoint have the opinion that service and support are just average. A few users of Sophos Intercept X say they feel the same and wish there were faster response times, while other users of Sophos Intercept X say they have been very good, responsive, and adept.

Comparison Results: Based on the parameters we compared, Sophos Intercept X comes out on top. While the Microsoft Defender For Endpoint solution is good, it lacks in certain areas that Sophos Intercept X don’t have to worry about. Overall, users of Sophos Intercept X have mainly positive feedback on the product, agreeing that its set of features is excellent.

To learn more, read our detailed Intercept X Endpoint vs. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Report (Updated: March 2024).
768,857 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"he solution is an anti-malware product that integrates well with other vendor products such as firewalls, SIEM, etc. It captures threat intelligence and gives you better visibility. The product also has sandboxing features.""The most valuable feature is the analysis, because of the beta structure.""The product's initial setup phase is very easy.""The solution was relatively easy to deploy.""We have FortiEDR installed on all our systems. This protects them from any threats.""The ease of deployment and configuration is valuable. It's very easy compared to other vendors like Sophos. Sophos' configuration is complex. Fortinet is a lot easier to understand. You don't need a lot of admin knowledge to do the configuration.""Fortinet FortiEDR made our clients feel secure and more at ease, knowing that they had an EDR solution that would close the gap in their security posture.""I like FortiClient EMS. FortiEDR has a lot of great features like lockdown mode, remote wipes, and encryption. I can set malware outbreak policies and controls for detecting abnormalities. You can also simulate phishing attacks."

More Fortinet FortiEDR Pros →

"The solution is scalable.""All of the features are very important for anyone who is supporting a large number of computers.""The initial setup is simple.""I like the way it goes beyond the office space. Being a cloud-based solution makes it very easy to manage your endpoints within the office. In this time of COVID, you can also very effectively manage people who are working from home.""Anti-virus captures malicious threats and an aggressive next generation firewall.""The performance is good.""The most valuable feature of Intercept X its ability to stay ahead of the infection. By the time the ransomware spreads to the next machine in line, the data has already been encrypted on that workstation. It didn't matter what the ransomware did because could go in and get it back.""It is a stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

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"Defender's analytics are much better than CrowdStrike's.""The performance of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint has been a valuable feature.""This solution definitely increases our security posture. When you are reviewing your existing fleet or endpoints and based on the configuration that you put out of your Defender for Endpoint, you then receive a security score from Microsoft. Depending on what rules you have configured, what policies you have deployed, and what attack surface reduction rules that you have set up and deployed, it is almost gamifying information security in the sense that you are always trying to achieve a higher score. The more hardening you perform on your endpoints, the better score you receive. This generally tends to give you a better peace of mind, but also makes you secure at the same time.""It's stable.""This is a very go, proactive solution to threat protection using advanced analysis.""The solution has an easy-to-use interface, is always updated, and is user-friendly.""Within its class I think, it has a high and decent detection rate.""Defender provides useful alerts and groups them. It sends an alert to your portal if it detects any malicious activity, and you can group multiple alerts to form an incident."

More Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Pros →

Cons
"ZTNA can improve latency.""The dashboard isn't easy to access and manage.""Once, we had an event that was locked and blocked, but information about it came to us two or three days later.""There's room for improvement in the quick response time and technical support for integration issues, especially when dealing with multiple vendors.""The support needs improvement.""The EDR console should have more extensive reporting. You shouldn't need to purchase FortiAnalyzer. It should be included in the EDR part. The security adviser cloud platform could be improved with more options for exclusive or intensive rules for devices.""The SIEM could be improved.""We've encountered challenges during API deployment, occasionally resulting in unstable environments."

More Fortinet FortiEDR Cons →

"The majority of our systems are MacBooks and their solution release cycle is slow to endorsing or support the MacBook's latest OS or hardware platform. For example, when Sophos macOS Big Sur version 11 was released, it took them a while to support this version of OS. A similar situation occurred when the MacBook M1 hardware CPU was released. They have not fully supported the native M1 CPU to this day. They need to speed up the solutions release cycle.""We are considering switching from this solution as a result of the closer integration needed between the firewall systems and the EDR.""When we load Intercept X, it puts a load on the device. When it is scanning, it slows down the device. A system with basic specifications completely slows down till the scan is complete. They should improve this part.""The pricing could be a bit lower to match the normal retail pricing.""It's a challenge to do system maintenance work on a notebook. You always have to disable Sophos first.""Sophos Intercept X could improve on its setup process. They could make it easier to have a baseline set up for the system, or at least provide more understanding of what the baseline is when you first install it. This could be a matter of lack of training on my part, but it's difficult to receive training on solutions that are not Cisco. Cisco is the only vendor with classes or courses.""This solution is not in the high ratings on many of the top review sites. This solution has to be near the top for me to continue using it.""There is some issue with the reporting and refreshing information on resources that have been eliminated."

More Intercept X Endpoint Cons →

"I would like to see better integration with their other security products to give better visibility from a higher level.""Some of the integrations that Defender should include involve the use of the web app.""The interface isn't necessarily intuitive to a nontechnical person. You can get stuck in the little endpoint security portal. Sometimes, if you uninstall a competitive product, the end user doesn't always know if it's running or if they're protected even though it's silently running. There could be a notification, widget, or something that's resident on the screen for at least a bit, especially if you're doing remote support. You want to talk them through it, but sometimes, we're not allowed to look at the PCs we support.""I would like to have a dashboard that shows an overview of the results for the enterprise.""Its user interface (UI) can be improved. Currently, in the console, you have to dig down for certain things. They've got many different layers to get to things instead of having it all on the surface. You have to go three folds lower to get to specific functionality or click a particular option. It would be good if we can manage the console through menus and instead of three clicks, we can do things in one click. They need to change the UI and work on it in terms of a better user experience.""The solution could improve by providing more integration.""They should come up with pre-built inner workflows.""With regards to the interface, a challenge I found was that there was not enough documentation on how to tune it. I had to read multiple sources on the internet to learn how to configure the tool appropriately."

More Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "I know it is tough to get big budget additions up front, but I highly recommend deploying environment wide and adding the forensic service."
  • "There are no issues with the pricing."
  • "The price is comprable to other endpoint security solutions."
  • "The pricing is typical for enterprises and fairly priced."
  • "I'm not familiar with pricing, but it looks a bit costly compared to other vendors I think."
  • "The pricing is good."
  • "I would rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
  • "The hardware costs about €100,000 and about €20,000 annually for access."
  • More Fortinet FortiEDR Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "We renew the license for one year at $10,000."
  • "The price is pretty good."
  • "When you start going to the EDR technologies and the MTR, it is a little bit expensive. It's a very good technology, and obviously, you're going to pay for it, but the pricing could do a little bit of work."
  • "We were able to eliminate the ransomware using the one-month, full-featured trial license."
  • "Licensing is based on the number of users. They give a discount for editors who are considered as important members. From what I know, Sophos products are not expensive. If you have a license extension, you just need to contact the editor or partner to change the mode of licensing or extend the license to cover more people."
  • "Intercept X for endpoints is around $35 per user per year. The server version is $95 per server per year."
  • "I find the pricing to be a little bit expensive, although it is acceptable, for now."
  • "The price of this product should be reduced because it is a little high."
  • More Intercept X Endpoint Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The product is free of charge and comes integrated into Windows."
  • "The solution is free."
  • "This product is included in the pricing for Windows."
  • "If you don't purchase the advanced threat protection then there is no additional charge."
  • "It is affordable and comes in the Office 365 bundle."
  • "Microsoft Defender ATP is expensive."
  • "I pay for it through the Windows Professional or Standard license. It is a one-time cost for me, and I use the same license."
  • "When compared with other vendors, the pricing is very high."
  • More Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:I suggest Fortinet’s FortiEDR over FortiClient for several reasons. For starters, FortiEDR guarantees solid protection… more »
    Top Answer: Having all monitoring, response, tracking, and mitigation tools in one dashboard provides our analysts and SOC team… more »
    Top Answer:The pricing is significantly high. The implementation of this solution required us to allocate additional funds beyond… more »
    Top Answer:I like that Crowdstrike Falcon allows me to easily correlate data between my firewalls. Its detection and machine… more »
    Top Answer:One of the best features of Sophos Intercept is that it repairs without slowing down the system.
    Top Answer:Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a cloud-delivered endpoint security solution. The tool reduces the attack surface… more »
    Top Answer:We use Symantec because we do not use MS Enterprise products, but in my opinion, Microsoft Defender is a superior… more »
    Top Answer:The CrowdStrike solution delivers a lot of information about incidents. It has a very light sensor that will never push… more »
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    enSilo, FortiEDR
    Sophos Intercept X
    Microsoft Defender ATP, Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection, MS Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender Antivirus
    Learn More
    Interactive Demo
    Fortinet
    Demo Not Available
    Sophos
    Demo Not Available
    Overview

    Fortinet FortiEDR is a real-time endpoint protection, detection, and automated response solution. Its primary purpose is to detect advanced threats to stop breaches and ransomware damage. It is designed to do so in real time, even on an already compromised device, allowing you to respond and remediate incidents automatically so your data can remain protected.

    Fortinet FortiEDR Features

    Fortinet FortiEDR has many valuable key features, including:

    • Easily customizable
    • Real-time proactive risk mitigation & IoT security
    • Pre-infection protection
    • Post-infection protection
    • Track applications and ratings
    • Reduce the attack surface with risk-based proactive policies
    • Achieve analysis of entire log history
    • Optional managed detection and response (MDR) service

    Fortinet FortiEDR Benefits

    Some of the key benefits of using Fortinet FortiEDR include:

    • Protection: Fortinet FortiEDR provides proactive, real-time, automated endpoint protection with the orchestrated incident response across platforms. It stops the breach with real-time postinfection blocking to protect data from exfiltration and ransomware encryption.

    • Single unified console: Fortinet FortiEDR has a single unified console with an intuitive interface, which makes management easier. The solution automates mundane endpoint security tasks so your employees don’t need to do it.

    • Cost savings: With Fortinet FortiEDR you can eliminate post-breach operational expenses and breach damage costs.

    • Flexibility: Fortinet FortiEDR can be deployed on premises or on a secure cloud instance. With Fortinet FortiEDR, endpoints are protected both on- and off-line.

    • Scalability: Because Fortinet can be deployed quickly and has a small footprint, it is easy to scale up to protect hundreds of thousand endpoints.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by Fortinet FortiEDR users.

    An Owner at a security firm says, "The features that I have found most valuable are the ability to customize it and to reduce its size. It lets you run in a very small window in terms of memory and resources on legacy cash registers. The customer has literally about 800 cash registers. That was the use case for Fortinet FortiEDR - to get that down into a tiny space. The only way to do that was to use this product because it had that ability to unbundle services that were a surplus.”

    Chandan M., Chief Technical Officer at Provision Technologies LLP, mentions, “The ease of deployment and configuration is valuable. It's very easy compared to other vendors like Sophos. Sophos' configuration is complex. Fortinet is a lot easier to understand. You don't need a lot of admin knowledge to do the configuration.” He also adds, “The security is also very good and the firewall response is good.”

    Harpreet S., Information Technology Support Specialist at Chemtrade Logistics, explains, "It notifies us if there's any suspicious file on any PC. If any execution or similar kind of thing is happening, it just alerts us. It doesn't only alert. It also blocks the execution until we allow it. We check whether the execution is legitimate or not, and then approve it or keep it blocked. This gives us a little bit of control over this mechanism. Fortinet FortiEDR is also very straightforward and easy to maintain."

    DeAndre V., Senior Network Administrator at a financial services firm, states, “The dashboard is easy to follow and use. The deployment and uninstalling were easy. I like the detailed information about the path of a file that might be suspicious. Being able to check that out was easy to follow. Exceptions are easy to create and the interface is easy to follow with a nice appearance.

    Sophos Intercept X Endpoint is a comprehensive cybersecurity solution that combines the power of artificial intelligence (AI) with Sophos' deep expertise in cybersecurity to provide unmatched protection against sophisticated cyber threats, including ransomware, malware, exploits, and zero-day vulnerabilities. Sophos Intercept X Endpoint stands out for its innovative approach to endpoint security, leveraging advanced technologies and expert services to provide comprehensive protection. Its focus on prevention, detection, and response, combined with ease of use and scalability, makes it a preferred choice for organizations looking to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses.

    Harness the Power of a Deep Learning Neural Network

    Achieve unmatched endpoint threat prevention. Intercept X uses deep learning, an advanced form of machine learning to detect both known and unknown malware without relying on signatures.

    Deep learning makes Intercept X smarter, more scalable, and more effective against never-seen-before threats. Intercept X leverages deep learning to outperform endpoint security solutions that use traditional machine learning or signature-based detection alone.

    Stop Ransomware in Its Tracks

    Block ransomware attacks before they wreak havoc on your organization. Intercept X with XDR includes anti-ransomware technology that detects malicious encryption processes and shuts them down before they can spread across your network. It prevents both file-based and master boot record ransomware.

    Any files that were encrypted are rolled back to a safe state, meaning your employees can continue working uninterrupted, with minimal impact to business continuity. You get detailed post-cleanup information, so you can see where the threat got in, what it touched, and when it was blocked.

    Intelligent Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

    The first EDR designed for security analysts and IT administrators

    Intercept X Advanced with EDR allows you to ask any question about what has happened in the past, and what is happening now on your endpoints. Hunt threats to detect active adversaries, or leverage for IT operations to maintain IT security hygiene. When an issue is found remotely respond with precision. By starting with the strongest protection, Intercept X stops breaches before they start. It cuts down the number of items to investigate and saves you time.

    • The strongest protection combined with powerful EDR
    • Add expertise, not headcount
    • Built for IT operations and threat hunting

    Extended Detection and Response (XDR)


    Intercept X Advanced with XDR is the industry’s only XDR solution that synchronizes native endpoint, server, firewall, email, cloud and O365 security. Get a holistic view of your organization’s environment with the richest data set and deep analysis for threat detection, investigation and response for both dedicated SOC teams and IT admins.

    • Cross reference indicators of comprise from multiple data sources to quickly identify, pinpoint and neutralize a threat
    • Use ATP and IPS events from the firewall to investigate suspect hosts and identify unprotected devices across your estate
    • Understand office network issues and which application is causing them
    • Identify unmanaged, guest and IoT devices across your organization’s environment

    Managed Detection and Response

    • Threat Hunting - Proactive 24/7 hunting by our elite team of threat analysts. Determine the potential impact and context of threats to your business.
    • Response - Initiates actions to remotely disrupt, contain, and neutralize threats on your behalf to stop even the most sophisticated threats
    • Continuous Improvement - Get actionable advice for addressing the root cause of recurring incidents to stop them for occurring again

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a comprehensive security solution that provides advanced threat protection for organizations. It offers real-time protection against various types of cyber threats, including malware, viruses, ransomware, and phishing attacks.

    With its powerful machine-learning capabilities, it can detect and block sophisticated attacks before they can cause any harm. The solution also includes endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities, allowing organizations to quickly investigate and respond to security incidents. It provides detailed insights into the attack timeline, enabling security teams to understand the scope and impact of an incident.

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint also offers proactive threat hunting, allowing organizations to proactively search for and identify potential threats within their network. It integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft security solutions, such as Microsoft Defender XDR, to provide a unified and holistic security approach. With its centralized management console, organizations can easily deploy, configure, and monitor the security solution across their entire network.

    Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a robust and scalable security solution that helps organizations protect their endpoints and data from evolving cyber threats.

    Sample Customers
    Financial, Healthcare, Legal, Technology, Enterprise, Manufacturing ... 
    Flexible Systems
    Petrofrac, Metro CSG, Christus Health
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm21%
    Comms Service Provider11%
    Manufacturing Company11%
    Pharma/Biotech Company5%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company16%
    Government8%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm15%
    Manufacturing Company15%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Real Estate/Law Firm6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    Government7%
    Construction Company6%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm19%
    Computer Software Company16%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    Energy/Utilities Company7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Educational Organization22%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Government8%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business50%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise34%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business31%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise50%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business62%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise21%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business37%
    Midsize Enterprise20%
    Large Enterprise43%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business40%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise43%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise32%
    Large Enterprise45%
    Buyer's Guide
    Intercept X Endpoint vs. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Intercept X Endpoint vs. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    768,857 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Intercept X Endpoint is ranked 7th in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) with 101 reviews while Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is ranked 1st in Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) with 182 reviews. Intercept X Endpoint is rated 8.4, while Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Intercept X Endpoint writes "A standard offering with good threat analysis but reduces machine performance". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Microsoft Defender for Endpoint writes "Eliminates the need to look at multiple dashboards by automatically providing one XDR dashboard to show the security score of each subscription". Intercept X Endpoint is most compared with CrowdStrike Falcon, Kaspersky Endpoint Security for Business, SentinelOne Singularity Complete, Fortinet FortiClient and Seqrite Endpoint Security, whereas Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is most compared with Symantec Endpoint Security, CrowdStrike Falcon, SentinelOne Singularity Complete, Cortex XDR by Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet FortiClient. See our Intercept X Endpoint vs. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint report.

    See our list of best Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) vendors and best Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) vendors.

    We monitor all Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.