Microsoft Ships Antivirus For macOS as Windows Defender Becomes Microsoft Defender (arstechnica.com)

Microsoft is bringing its Windows Defender anti-malware application to macOS -- and more platforms in the future -- as it expands the reach of its Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) platform. From a report: To reflect the new cross-platform nature, the suite is also being renamed to Microsoft Defender ATP, with the individual clients being labelled "for Mac" or "for Windows." macOS malware is still something of a rarity, but it's not completely unheard of. Ransomware for the platform was found in 2016, and in-the-wild outbreaks of other malicious software continue to be found. Apple has integrated some malware protection into macOS, but we've heard from developers on the platform that Mac users aren't always very good at keeping their systems on the latest point release. Further reading: Microsoft launches previews of Windows Virtual Desktop and Defender ATP for Mac.

Comments

the audacity

[izzo nizzo]

This is the height of arrogance. Microsoft's poor architecture is responsible for all the spam and viruses and e-waste in the world. They're the reason why everyone has to rely on Google rather than running their own SMTP. They created entire industries of fraud that have led much of the developing world into lives of crime.

Re:the audacity

[Anonymous Coward]

Microsoft single handedly ruined the evolution of computers. What if we had a ubiquitous and long-standing history of a really good OS instead of Windows? Imagine how much better things would be.

And now Microsoft stoops to spyware and purposefully introduced insecurities with Windows 10.

Telemetry vector?

[kbonin]

Reminds me of Microsoft Visual Studio Code - lots of people at work raved about this app, but when I tried it on my MacBook its as full of telemetry as any Windows 10 app - no thanks! (Without Radio Silence to firewall outbound connections...) Since A/V normally has elevated permissions, and Microsoft's attitude about telemetry seems to be 'your computer and your data are ours and you can't do anything about it', how can we trust this?

Make a Linux version also!

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

I can't wait to be able to install security software from a company with as sterling a track record as Microsoft's on my servers!

Also, totally unrelated, today is World Down Syndrome Day, and I have a MCSE.

Expanding it's data collection to MacOS now?

[QuietLagoon]

Since the Windows 10 data collection system doesn't run on Macs, is Microsoft using Microsoft Defender as a foot in the door to get data collection installed on Macs?