---
title: "Update Microsoft Defender for Endpoint antivirus services for enhanced protection"
url: "https://support.paratira.ai/en/article/update-microsoft-defender-for-endpoint-antivirus-services-for-enhanced-protection"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2025-07-01T14:53:15.702Z"
---

# Update Microsoft Defender for Endpoint antivirus services for enhanced protection

The platform identifies outdated Microsoft Defender for Endpoint antivirus services and recommends updating these services to enhance protection. Failing to maintain current antivirus services leaves endpoints vulnerable to emerging threats, reduces malware detection capabilities, and weakens overall security posture.

## Recommendation Impact Across KPIs

| KPI | Impact | Calculated? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Reliability:** | No direct reliability impact identified | ❌ |
| **Security Compliance:** | PRIMARY REC - Enhanced threat detection and compliance with NIST security standards | ✅ |
| **Economic:** | No direct economic impact identified | ❌ |
| **User Experience:** | No direct user experience impact identified | ❌ |
| **Environment:** | No direct environmental impact identified | ❌ |

## Score Calculation

### 1\. Data Ingestion

-   Asset Type: Endpoint
-   Current Antivirus Status
-   Engine Update Status
-   Platform Update Status
-   Signature Update Status

### 2\. Data Enrichment

-   Mapping to NIST compliance standards
-   Current vs. required version status
-   Device health status mapping

### 3\. Health Score

-   Calculate the Health score based on NIST Score \* NIST Asset Weight
-   Multiplier applied based on length of compliance since recommendation loaded
-   Source: DataTable-NIST

## Example Graph

Pie chart showing the distribution between healthy and unhealthy devices based on their Microsoft Defender for Endpoint antivirus service status. This visualization helps identify the proportion of endpoints requiring updates.

## Business Opportunities

### Product Sales Opportunity

As a provider this recommendation provides an opportunity to sell Microsoft Defender for Endpoint licenses and related security products for comprehensive endpoint protection.

### Professional Services Opportunity

The recommendation provides an opportunity for professional services to assist organizations in updating and configuring Microsoft Defender for Endpoint antivirus services, ensuring optimal protection and compliance with security standards.

## Remediation Guidance

To resolve the recommendation the following steps are recommended:

1.  Review Current Antivirus Configuration
2.  Assess Antivirus Service Version

Identify Outdated Components

Update Antivirus Services

1.  Enable Automatic Updates
2.  Manually Update if Necessary

Deploy Latest Security Features

Verify Updated Protection Features

1.  Run a Full System Scan
2.  Test Detection Capabilities

Review Security Policies

Monitor Endpoint Health

1.  Enable Threat Alerts

Track Endpoint Performance

Maintain Ongoing Protection

1.  Regular Updates
2.  Review Security Settings

User Awareness

Post-Update Review

1.  Evaluate Endpoint Security Post-Update
2.  Feedback and Adjustments

## Supporting Information

### Supported Data Sources

-   Microsoft Defender Graph API

### Recommendation Categorisation

-   Security
-   Endpoint Protection
-   Compliance

### Supported Instances

-   Microsoft Defender for Endpoint enabled devices

### API Information

-   API Endpoint: https://api.securitycenter.microsoft.com/api/deviceavinfo
-   Monitored Properties:
-   avIsEngineUpToDate
-   avIsPlatformUpToDate
-   avIsSignatureUpToDate