Troubleshoot configured Defender AV settings with effective settings in Defender
To ensure Microsoft Defender Antivirus (Defender AV) provides full protection and leverages all its capabilities, it must be configured with the correct antivirus settings. Since Defender AV can be managed through multiple methods, it’s essential to monitor and identify potential...
AiTM/ MFA phishing attacks in combination with “new” Microsoft protections (2025 edition)
Adversary-in-the-middle phishing attacks are still more common in use, in the last year and the start of 2025 there is still a more visible increase in AiTM/ MFA phishing. Since the removal of basic authentication from Exchange Online more and...
How to store Defender XDR data for years in Sentinel data lake without expensive ingestion cost
In recent years, an increasing number of customers have requested options to extend retention in Microsoft Defender XDR beyond the default 30 days at a low cost, all with the requirement of having the KQL experience available. Blog information: Feature is...
Configure automatic Attack Disruption in Microsoft Defender XDR
Microsoft Defender XDR includes a powerful response capability with the name Attack Disruption. As part of the Defender XDR solution attack disruption capabilities can protect the environment against sophisticated, high-impact attacks. Attack Disruption works automatically; however, it still needs manual...
Common mistakes during Microsoft Defender for Endpoint deployments
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) is part of Microsoft Defender XDR and can be deployed via multiple configurations. During my experience with the product, I deployed/ reviewed and evaluated many Defender for Endpoint instances and configured new instances for many...
How to check and block “malicious” browser extensions with Microsoft Defender and Intune?
In the past years, malicious browser extensions have been on the rise and are more popular to be used as part of cyberattacks. With the use of malicious extensions, it is possible to gain data/ cookies or gain initial access...
How to use Microsoft Security Exposure Management (XSPM)
Microsoft Security Exposure Management is a new product/feature in the Defender XDR suite. This blog will explain more about it and the difference between Vulnerability Management/ Secure Score and XSPM since there is still a difference between the Microsoft Security...
Configure File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) using Defender for Endpoint
Previously the File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) feature in Defender for Server P2 was based on the MMA and/or Azure Monitor Agent. Since the MMA agent is almost retired/ EOL, Microsoft decided to switch to a new technique and release the...
How to check for a healthy Defender for Endpoint environment?
When using Defender for Endpoint it is important to make sure the agent are healthy. I performed many reviews/ configurations in the past years and onboarded around a million devices to Defender for Endpoint for small and larger “enterprise” customers....
Automatic attack disruption in Microsoft Defender XDR and containing users during Human-operated Attacks
Microsoft announced last year a new feature with the name; Automatic Attack Disruption in Defender XDR (Microsoft 365 Defender). Since October last year, Microsoft expanded the Automatic attack disruption feature with the support of human-operated attacks and the ability of...
