Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Now on Apple Silicon

 In another timely and important sign of the times, Microsoft has confirmed that it has updated its Defender for Endpoint security solution with native support for M1 Macs. Microsoft continues to develop its presence on the Mac, with improvement following improvement for the platform.

Intel and M1 Macs supported

The news means you can now use the same app across both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. The update is available to beta channel members now and will reach everyone else in the next few weeks.

With native M1 support, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint on Mac no longer requires the Rosetta 2 emulator to function on M1-based Big Sur devices. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint does not explicitly take any action on the Rosetta 2. If the Rosetta 2 is no longer needed on a device, it is the responsibility of a user or an organization to remove it.

This news is particularly relevant following a commitment from Big Tech and the US White House to join forces on cybersecurity. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is an industry-leading, cloud-powered endpoint security solution offering vulnerability management, endpoint protection, endpoint detection and response, and mobile threat defense in a single unified platform.

Endpoint protection is essential for remote work

The Forrester Wave: Endpoint Security Software as a Service, Q2 2021 report has a lot of praise for this as a security tool, saying:

“The focus on endpoint security has increased as cyber risks shift from the network to the endpoints, prompted by increasing amounts of homeworkers and the bulk movement of data from enterprise network-connected data centers to edge devices.”

The solution supports zero trust, which is emerging to be a critical component in remote enterprise security. “We are operating in the most complex cybersecurity landscape we’ve ever seen. Sophisticated and determined attackers are the norm,” writes Microsoft’s Vasu Jakkal Corporate Vice President, Security, Compliance and Identity.

One thing is for certain, the cybersecurity environment remains challenging, and solutions like these and others will become more important, not less, in every home and enterprise.

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