Markets, Technology

Microsoft Launching Cybersecurity Products At Steep Discount To Competitors

Priced at $12/user/month, Microsoft is undercutting comparable competing products by roughly 50%. Competitive threats and lower margins may loom for existing cybersecurity companies.

  • Standalone cybersecurity products Identity & Threat Protection’ and ‘Information Protection & Compliance’ will be available February 1, 2019
  • Priced at $12/user/month, Microsoft is undercutting comparable competing products by roughly 50%
  • Competitive threats and lower margins may loom for existing cybersecurity companies Symatec, MacAfee and FireEye

On February 1, 2019, Microsoft (MSFT) will make two cybersecurity products available to its Microsoft 365 enterprise suite. Identity & Threat Protection’ and ‘Information Protection & Compliance’ will be standalone products.

These products already exist as part of the Microsoft 365 E5 suite, the most high-end subscription bundle available, but is being made available to existing and prospective customers that do not commit to the most high-end Microsoft 365 subscriptions, but who still want to benefit from the firm’s security and compliance tools.

Identity & Threat Protection will include Microsoft Threat Protection and be priced at $12/user/month and likely much cheaper when purchased in bulk. Industry experts expect enterprise clients buying in bulk to be quoted about $6/user/month.

This price undercutting could prove to become a competitive issue for existing players like MacAfee, Symantec (SYMC) and FireEye (FEYE), all of which are offering similar suite of products for approximately double Microsoft’s $12 pricepoint.

Article By: Fatimah Aminu
Fatimah is an experienced editor at various financial and consumer publishing houses. She obtained a master’s degree in Publishing from NYU, where she earned a bachelor of fine arts degree. She is currently earning a second masters degree at CUNY online in Psychology. Fatimah covers healthcare, cannabis and technology.