Defender: Microsoft app to protect PCs, Macs, Android and iPhones at the same time

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The new Defender app on different devices

Photo: Matthias Kremp / DER SPIEGEL

In many companies, Microsoft Defender is part of the basic equipment of employees' work equipment.

The group is now opening up its technology to protect against malware, phishing and other cyber attacks for private use.

As a "Microsoft Defender for individuals," the new app is intended to "make the world safer," according to the company.

But how it does that varies greatly depending on the platform you're using it on.

This is a special feature that distinguishes the new Defender from many other protection programs: it runs on all major operating systems, i.e. Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.

What Microsoft even forgot to mention: Malware protection also works on Apple tablets with iPadOS.

In any case, the installation – we tried it on all five platforms – requires users to have a lot of trust in Microsoft's integrity, because the software requires extensive access rights to storage, data and network functions.

On iPhones, for example, you have to agree to set up a VPN, a virtual private network.

Links are checked and blocked if they are identified as harmful.

"Your browsing activities remain on your device and are not sent to Microsoft," the app promises.

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Some placeholders have not yet been replaced with the final text in the apps

Photo: Matthias Kremp / DER SPIEGEL

What is unfortunately always noticeable: In some places the apps seem unfinished.

Sometimes texts are translated carelessly ("to check where the links take you"), sometimes technical placeholders are displayed where text should actually be ("CONTINUE_BUTTON_LABEL").

The quality assurance was sloppy.

In addition, when walking through the apps, it is noticeable that their range of functions is very different.

On Android smartphones, the Defender app offers protection against malware and manipulated apps, and it also checks links for phishing attempts.

On iPhones and iPads, on the other hand, you have to be content with phishing protection.

Macs and PCs should be protected against malware threats.

If you already have antivirus software from another manufacturer installed on your computer, Defender will adapt its protective measures, according to Microsoft.

In addition, the status of these programs should also be displayed in the so-called dashboard.

This dashboard, which can be used on all devices, gives an overview of the registered devices and their security status.

The status is not only displayed for your own devices, but also for the devices of family members if you use the system within a family that uses a Microsoft 365 family subscription together.

A subscription to Microsoft 365 - formerly Office 365 - is the basic requirement for Microsoft Defender for individuals anyway.

Before the app does anything, you have to sign up with an account associated with either a single or family plan.

You don't have to pay a surcharge for it, but you can't buy the new protection software as an individual product either.

In view of the currently still comparatively small range of functions, which is also not the same on all platforms, it would probably be difficult to market the app anyway.

However, Microsoft manager Vasu Jakkal, Corporate Vice President Security, promises: "This is just the beginning." However, he did not say which devices these extensions should come from.