Digi43
← Back to News
SecurityPublished ·6 min read·Digi43 Editorial

Choosing EDR for SMBs: Defender for Business, CrowdStrike, or SentinelOne

Endpoint Detection and Response replaces traditional antivirus. A short guide for Vietnamese SMBs with 50-200 endpoints to budget.

Traditional antivirus (Kaspersky, Bitdefender, Symantec) only catches known malware via signatures. EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) flags suspicious behavior — including ransomware not yet in any database. After the 2023-2025 ransomware wave that hit Vietnamese businesses, EDR moved from nice-to-have to baseline.

Three options most common in Vietnam

  • Microsoft Defender for Business: bundled with Microsoft 365 Business Premium — fits <300 users, no extra license
  • CrowdStrike Falcon Go: ~USD 5-8/endpoint/month, cloud console, CrowdStrike threat intelligence
  • SentinelOne Singularity Core: ~USD 6-9/endpoint/month, auto-rollback for ransomware
Cybersecurity dashboard with alerts and threat intel
Cybersecurity dashboard with alerts and threat intel

When Defender for Business is the right pick

If you already run Microsoft 365 Business Premium (~USD 22/user/month), Defender for Business is included — saving 60-80% versus a third-party EDR. It covers anti-phishing, anti-ransomware, web protection, and attack surface reduction. Sufficient for 80% of VN SMBs.

When to step up to CrowdStrike or SentinelOne

  • Past ransomware or breach incident — you need deep threat hunting
  • Specific compliance mandate (ISO 27001, PCI-DSS)
  • Internal SOC that needs high-quality threat intelligence feeds
  • 300+ endpoints and need for 24/7 Managed Detection and Response (MDR)

Digi43 distributes all three through manufacturer-approved channels — Defender for Business bundled with M365, and CrowdStrike and SentinelOne with volume pricing. Endpoint inventory assessment is complimentary.

Need advice on your software project?