Huntress MSP Partners Beta Test Managed Antivirus Endpoint Security Service

Huntress is expanding beyond managed detection and response (MDR) and threat hunting services for MSPs. The latest move involves beta testing a managed antivirus service that leverages Microsoft Defender.

The managed antivirus service "enables MSPs and IT administrators to harness and centrally manage the endpoint security capabilities of Microsoft Defender Antivirus," Huntress says.

Huntress partners will have the option of using Managed AV in place of or alongside existing endpoint security solutions, and the service will be available at no additional cost, the company adds.

The Huntress Managed Antivirus Service arrives at a key time for MSPs and MSSPs, many of which are re-evaluating their endpoint protection strategies amid continued ransomware attacks that some AV products fail to identify and mitigate.

Huntress: Key Security Moves Designed for MSP Partners

The managed antivirus service beta test arrives roughly two weeks after Huntress acquired network-aware endpoint detection and response (EDR) security technology from Level Effect. That acquisition essentially allows Huntress to blend MDR and EDR technology into a single solution for MSP and MSSP partners.

Huntress raised $18 million in Series A funding from ForgePoint Capital​ in February 2020. By June of 2020, Huntress unveiled an expandable security platform that regularly gains more and more security services designed for MSPs and IT professionals, much in the way that Microsoft 365 continually gains more SaaS applications over time.