Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management

Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management is a risk-based vulnerability management solution from Microsoft that helps organisations continuously discover, assess, and remediate vulnerabilities across their technology infrastructure. It works as an add-on to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 and is part of Microsoft's broader security suite, providing organisations with a centralised view of vulnerability risk.

The product uses agent-based and agentless scanning to cover Windows, macOS, Linux endpoints, network devices, cloud workloads, containers, and servers. Rather than relying on periodic vulnerability scans, Defender Vulnerability Management provides continuous discovery and monitoring, detecting vulnerabilities even when devices are offline or outside the corporate network. It covers endpoints, servers, cloud infrastructure, and network devices in a single console, offering comprehensive coverage of an organisation's attack surface.

Risk prioritisation uses Microsoft's threat intelligence and breach likelihood predictions to help MSPs focus remediation efforts on the most critical vulnerabilities affecting their most important assets. The platform provides contextual remediation guidance, built-in workflows for ticket creation, and application blocking capabilities to accelerate protection. Pricing starts at £1.54 per user per month, billed as an add-on to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (checked September 2026). It requires Defender for Endpoint P2 or an equivalent Microsoft security licence as a prerequisite. A free trial is available for hands-on evaluation before purchasing.

Defender Vulnerability Management integrates natively with Microsoft 365 Defender, Defender for Endpoint, and Microsoft's broader security stack, making it a natural fit for organisations already using Microsoft security solutions. The platform is cloud-based with no self-hosted option and includes a multi-tenant console suitable for MSPs managing multiple customer environments. MSPs should confirm that the per-user add-on licensing model aligns with their cost structure and that their existing ticketing and RMM platforms can consume the remediation data and export findings.

Defender Vulnerability Management is a strong choice for MSPs already deep in the Microsoft security ecosystem who want vulnerability management tightly integrated with Defender for Endpoint. It excels at continuous monitoring and risk prioritisation using Microsoft's threat intelligence. However, it is an add-on licence requiring Defender for Endpoint P2, which increases overall per-user costs. If your customers use competing RMMs or lack Microsoft security licences, Qualys VMDR or Tenable Vulnerability Management may offer more flexibility. Before adoption, confirm the per-user licensing works for your cost model and that existing tooling can consume remediation data, or plan to work primarily within Defender's native console.