Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management

Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management is the natural choice for Microsoft-first organisations running Defender for Endpoint across their estate. The continuous telemetry from Defender agents, native Intune integration for patch deployment to managed devices, and zero additional deployment overhead make it the most operationally efficient VM solution for Microsoft environments.

The limitation mirrors the rest of the Microsoft security portfolio: the value is heavily Microsoft-centric. Non-Windows OS coverage and network device assessment are less comprehensive than Tenable or Qualys. External attack surface management requires Defender EASM as a separate product.

The verdict: Microsoft Defender VM is right for Microsoft-first enterprises that want vulnerability management integrated into their Defender for Endpoint deployment at no additional licensing cost for E5 customers. Organisations with diverse OS environments should evaluate Tenable or Qualys.

Last reviewed: May 2026

Strongest: Scan performance

Watch out for: Vuln metrics & KPIs

Best for

Microsoft 365 E5 customers wanting to add vulnerability management without additional vendor cost.

Not suitable for: Multi-OS environments without Microsoft Defender for Endpoint deployed