Microsoft Defender Now Covers Linux Desktops - Just Not for Home Users

Microsoft Defender can now protect Linux desktops, not just Linux servers - but only if a company is paying for it.

A heavy bank vault door standing open with a red glow inside and a keycard reader beside it holding a staff badge, above the title Defender on Linux

Microsoft opened a public preview this week that brings Defender's business security tools to Linux workstations.

If you run Linux Mint or Ubuntu at home, there is nothing new to install - this one is for company PCs only.

Here is what Microsoft announced, who can use it, and what home Linux users can do instead.

What Microsoft Announced

Defender for Endpoint has protected Linux servers since 2020. Microsoft's announcement now extends it to the Linux desktops that developers and engineers use every day.

It works on the same distributions Defender already supports on servers, including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Red Hat, CentOS, SUSE and Oracle Linux. The desktop itself does not matter, so GNOME, KDE and others are all fine.

It brings the full business toolkit:

Antivirus and threat detection that watches for attacks as they happen.
Vulnerability management that flags out-of-date, risky software.
Remote tools for IT teams, including cutting an infected machine off the network.

Companies install it with the same package they already use on Linux servers. Defender then works out on its own whether a machine is a desktop or a server.

Who Can Actually Use It

You need one of three business licences: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 2, Microsoft 365 E5 or Microsoft 365 E7. These are sold to organisations, not to individuals.

It is also still a preview, and features can change before the final release, so businesses should start with a small test group.

What Home Linux Users Can Do Instead

Linux is a smaller target than Windows, but it is not immune. A few habits do most of the work:

Install updates when they appear. Most real attacks rely on holes that a patch has already fixed.
Get apps from your distro's own software store. Random install scripts and files from forums are the riskiest thing you can run.
Use ClamAV if you want a scanner. ClamAV is free and open source, and it is handy for checking files before you pass them on to Windows users.

The same rules apply to anything you download, on any system. Our guide on how to tell if a download is safe shows the warning signs.

Dual-booting?

Windows keeps its own built-in Microsoft Defender, but it cannot see inside your Linux partition. Each system needs looking after on its own - our guide to dual-booting Windows and Linux on one SSD covers the setup.

Thinking About Trying Linux?

This news is one more sign that Linux desktops are going mainstream at work. If you want to try it at home first, our list of the best Linux distros for beginners is the easiest place to start.

You can test any of them without touching Windows. Just make a bootable Ubuntu USB with Rufus and boot from it.

Quick questions

Is Microsoft Defender for Linux free?

No. The new Linux desktop support needs a business licence - Defender for Endpoint Plan 2, Microsoft 365 E5 or Microsoft 365 E7.

Can I install Microsoft Defender on Linux Mint or Ubuntu at home?

Not with a home account. The Linux version is only available to organisations with one of the business licences above.

Which Linux distributions does it support?

The same ones Defender supports on servers, including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Red Hat, CentOS, SUSE and Oracle Linux. Any desktop environment works.

Does Linux need antivirus?

Most home users stay safe with regular updates and apps from the official software store. A free scanner like ClamAV is useful if you often handle files that end up on Windows PCs.