Forum Discussion
Defender for Linux clients?
Hi all,
I wonder if someone could help answering this one as I can't get proper help from my organisation on this. I am a Ubuntu client platform developer in Sweden at a university and we wish to use MS Defender on Ubuntu desktop clients, but there seems to be very unclear here about the license regarding where this Defender is allowed to be run. We have it on our Windows and Mac clients today. We have a Defender package for Linux server, but can we run it? Our Windows team says it is only for Linux server and the Linux clients are excluded from the same license level as Windows and Mac clients reside on.
I tried searching the internet on this, but there is none to find it seems.
Please help
13 Replies
I still need clearification on this license issue (preferbly from MS themselves).
Other universities seems to have done this, like
https://www.uvic.ca/systems/support/informationsecurity/facultystaffantivirus/linux-install-msde.php
https://oit.colorado.edu/tutorial/edr-download-and-install-microsoft-defender-linux-onboarding-package- What is a "Linux client"?. Linux is Linux, client is only a usage pattern if you ask me.
Jaxilian hi,
Your administrators are right about the Linux client agent, and as you can see below, there is no option to onboard Linux clients in MDE. Their argument is justified for another reason as well, even if you manage to install the Linux Server agent on a Client environment there will most probably be complications with regards to protection policies deployment.
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- The "linux server" package works fine on clients, since there isn't really any difference between Linux clients and servers, other than the packages installed.
jbmartin6 hello,
well, again, your department's argument is justified given that technically there is no license for Linux Clients. Having said that, if an audit takes place, your Linux Client (with Linux Server License) is considered unsilenced.
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- I do not know ,sorry
- I am still waiting on a proper technical answer for this, like which license is needed to run Defender on Ubuntu clients. Also why it is being excluded from the rest
Why is it so hard to get a simple answer on this? Don't people use Defender on Linux clients?
- There probably aren't enough MDE customers using Linux as a client style workstation for MS to work on clarifying this. Just go ahead and do it. That will force MS to clarify the question for you if they even want to.
Jaxilian I guess these words excerpted from same 'licensing requirements page on MSlearn' should better & clearly fully answer your concerns :
"Defender for Endpoint on Linux is available through the Defender for Endpoint Server SKU that is available for both commercial and education customers" 0:-)It works fine on ubuntu desktops, licensing is sadly server sku only unlike macos https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/defender-endpoint/non-windows?view=o365-worldwide#licensing-requirements
- Thank you, but what license level is needed to be able to use Defender on Linux clients? Seems weird if MS allowed Defender on all client OS, but exclude Linux clients
