Endpoint security has become more complex as workforces spread across home offices, coffee shops, and client sites. Devices that used to connect from a single secure network location now connect from anywhere. The security model needs to account for this, and the combination of managed antivirus and Microsoft Intune provides a framework that does.
Managed vs. Unmanaged Antivirus: A Quick Recap
Unmanaged antivirus runs on a device and catches known threats, but nobody is actively watching the alerts it generates. Managed antivirus, such as Huntress MDR running on top of Microsoft Defender, adds a human security operations layer that investigates alerts, confirms real threats, and takes or recommends action around the clock.
The difference is not technical. It is operational. Detection without someone acting on it is inadequate protection for any organization dealing with real threat actors.
What Microsoft Intune Adds
Microsoft Intune is Microsoft's cloud-based device management platform. It allows organizations to enforce security policies on devices regardless of their physical location, ensuring that every managed device meets your organization's security requirements before it can access corporate resources.
Key capabilities Intune provides:
- Device compliance policies: Define what a compliant device looks like, current OS version, encryption enabled, antivirus active, and require compliance before allowing access to Microsoft 365.
- Application management: Control which applications can be installed on managed devices and push required applications automatically to new devices.
- Configuration profiles: Deploy consistent settings across all managed devices, including security configurations, Wi-Fi profiles, and certificate deployments.
- Remote wipe and lock: If a device is lost or stolen, remotely lock it or wipe corporate data from it without touching personal data on personal devices.
Bringing It Together
Managed antivirus and Intune work at different layers. Managed antivirus protects against active threats on the device. Intune ensures devices are configured and maintained to a secure baseline before they can access your environment.
A device that does not meet your Intune compliance policy, perhaps because it is running an outdated OS or has disabled antivirus, can be blocked from accessing Microsoft 365 automatically. This removes the human element from enforcing security standards and ensures that the enforcement happens consistently across every device rather than relying on users to keep their own devices compliant.
Integration Between Huntress and Intune
Huntress MDR integrates with Microsoft Defender, which is the underlying antivirus managed by Intune. This means Intune policies that require Microsoft Defender to be active and updated are compatible with the Huntress managed layer. Your device management and your threat detection work from the same antivirus foundation rather than requiring separate tools that may conflict.