Microsoft Defender for Office 365 ICES Vendor Ecosystem Boosts Email Security
A unified framework to enhance email security with third-party integrations and centralized threat management.
Key Takeaways:
- Microsoft introduces a unified vendor ecosystem for Defender for Office 365.
- Seamless integration with third-party email security tools boosts protection and visibility.
- New features simplify threat management through a centralized dashboard and unified quarantine.
Microsoft has launched a new vendor ecosystem for Defender for Office 365, designed to seamlessly integrate trusted third-party email security solutions. This unified framework enhances threat protection, streamlines operations, and empowers organizations with greater visibility and control.
The Microsoft Defender for Office 365 ICES vendor ecosystem addresses the growing complexity of email security by creating a unified framework that integrates Microsoft’s native defenses with trusted third-party solutions. This approach allows organizations to take increasingly sophisticated threats like phishing and business email compromise. It also helps to simplify security operations, improve threat visibility, and support compliance with layered security requirements.
What are the key benefits of the ICES vendor ecosystem?
Microsoft highlighted various benefits of the ICES vendor ecosystem. It provides a single interface to view and manage quarantined email from both Defender for Office 365 and third-party vendors. It also offers consolidated dashboards that display performance metrics across all integrated tools to offer a clear view of threat detection effectiveness.
Additionally, organizations can build a layered defense strategy by combining Microsoft’s native protections with external security solutions. Microsoft notes that seamless integration with cloud-based, API-enabled vendors streamlines operations by centralizing workflows and insights within the Defender portal.
“This partner ecosystem is about creating a cohesive defense fabric that enhances SOC efficiency with Microsoft Defender for Office 365 as the foundation. The ecosystem also provides flexibility, scalability, and preparedness for the complexities of contemporary enterprise security,” Microsoft explained.
How to get started with integration
To get started with ICES vendor ecosystem integration, administrators will need to verify that they have Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 or Microsoft 365 E5 licenses. Then, choose any approved third-party security vendor (Darktrace/EMAIL or KnowBe4 Defend Platform).
Once connected with the third-party security provider, the solution is automatically and smoothly integrated into your existing security setup without requiring additional configuration. Administrators can monitor threat activity by using the unified dashboards and quarantine in Defender for Office 365.
Unified Quarantine and dashboard features
The Unified Quarantine feature enhances integration between Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and its ICES partners by consolidating quarantined messages from various sources into a single interface. This unified approach simplifies threat management for administrators by ensuring consistent policy enforcement, improved transparency, and greater operational efficiency.
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 offers a unified dashboard that clearly shows which threats were blocked by Defender and third-party tools. This helps security teams assess the effectiveness of each solution, identify overlaps, and recognize contributions to overall protection.
Microsoft notes that the ICES ecosystem is currently available to select partners, including Darktrace and KnowBe4. The company plans to expand this ecosystem to more vendors later this year, and you can find more details on this support page.
Rabia has a master's degree in Software Engineering and she has years of experience writing professionally about Microsoft products and other technologies. Rabia has also written for OnMSFT.com as well as Windows Report. She is always up to date on t...
