Microsoft Defender XDR will add an AI-powered Email summary via Security Copilot on the Email entity page, launching in public preview mid-April 2026 and generally available by mid-May 2026. It provides concise threat insights, timeline analysis, URL and attachment assessments, requiring Security Copilot access and SCUs.
Migrating from a non-Microsoft HIPS to attack surface reduction rules leads 96 Defender updates
Week of 30 March 2026 recorded 3 new, 88 updated, 3 removed Microsoft Defender documentation changes and 2 relevant Message Center announcements. The most active areas were Endpoint, Office 365, Defender XDR.
- Migrating from a non-Microsoft HIPS to attack surface reduction rules
Endpoint · Vulnerabilities and exposure
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/migrating-asr-rules.md.
- Accounts
Identity · Identity protection
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/security-posture-assessments/accounts.md.
- Security Operations Guide for Teams protection
Office 365 · Email and collaboration
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/mdo-support-teams-sec-ops-guide.md.
- Fixed Reported Inaccuracies
Vulnerability Management · General
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-vulnerability-management/fixed-reported-inaccuracies.md.
- Microsoft Defender XDR: Email summary powered by Security Copilot on the email entity page
Defender XDR · General
Microsoft Defender XDR will add an AI-powered Email summary via Security Copilot on the Email entity page, launching in public preview mid-April 2026 and generally available by mid-May 2026. It provides concise threat insights, timeline analysis, URL and attachment assessments, requiring Security Copilot access and SCUs.
Review the linked Microsoft Learn changes that apply to your managed platforms, policies, applications, and rollout plans. The archive preserves the source diff for verification.
This period briefing was assembled from the tracked Microsoft Learn and Message Center changes.
Updates this week
Microsoft Defender XDR
12 updatesUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-xdr/experts-on-demand.md.
UrlClickEvents
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-xdr/advanced-hunting-urlclickevents-table.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-xdr/advanced-hunting-cloudpolicyenforcementevents-table.md.
Start Using Mdex Xdr
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-xdr/start-using-mdex-xdr.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-xdr/exclude-analytics-rules-correlation.md.
Automatic Attack Disruption
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-xdr/automatic-attack-disruption.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-xdr/communicate-defender-experts-xdr.md.
Alert Policies
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-xdr/alert-policies.md.
Alert Policies
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-xdr/alert-policies.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-xdr/advanced-hunting-graph.md.
Microsoft Secure Score will add a new recommendation to block outbound traffic from mshta.exe in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, starting public preview in late March 2026. This reduces risk from attacks using mshta.exe, requires admin action to enable, and impacts compliance monitoring and data access.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
36 updatesAndroid Support Signin
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/android-support-signin.md.
Migrating Asr Rules
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/migrating-asr-rules.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/evaluate-mdav-using-gp.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/whats-new-in-microsoft-defender-endpoint.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/microsoft-defender-endpoint-releases.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/microsoft-defender-endpoint-releases.md.
Run Analyzer Linux
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/run-analyzer-linux.md.
Tamperprotection Macos
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/tamperprotection-macos.md.
Run Analyzer Linux
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/run-analyzer-linux.md.
Run Analyzer Linux
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/run-analyzer-linux.md.
Added Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-off-board-endpoints.md.
Added Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-offboard-endpoints.md.
Added Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-off-board-endpoints.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-off-board-endpoints.md.
Linux Off Board Endpoints
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-off-board-endpoints.md.
Linux Off Board Endpoints
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-off-board-endpoints.md.
Linux Offboard Endpoints
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-offboard-endpoints.md.
Linux Offboard Endpoints
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-offboard-endpoints.md.
Linux Off Board Endpoints
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-off-board-endpoints.md.
Linux Off Board Endpoints
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-off-board-endpoints.md.
Linux Off Board Endpoints
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-off-board-endpoints.md.
Offboard devices
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/offboard-machines.md.
Offboard devices
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/offboard-machines.md.
Offboard devices
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/offboard-machines.md.
Offboard devices
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/offboard-machines.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/whats-new-in-microsoft-defender-endpoint.md.
Linux Off Board Endpoints
RemovedRemoved Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-off-board-endpoints.md.
Linux Offboard Endpoints
RemovedRemoved Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-offboard-endpoints.md.
Linux Offboard Endpoints
RemovedRemoved Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/linux-offboard-endpoints.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/defender-endpoint-demonstration-attack-surface-reduction-rules.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/troubleshoot-asr-rules.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/migrating-asr-rules.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/attack-surface-reduction-rules-reference.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/onboard-client.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/microsoft-defender-antivirus-using-powershell.md.
Troubleshoot Asr
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-endpoint/troubleshoot-asr.md.
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
31 updatesUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/configure-junk-email-settings-on-exo-mailboxes.md.
Quarantine End User
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/quarantine-end-user.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/mdo-support-teams-quick-configure.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/quarantine-admin-manage-messages-files.md.
Quarantine End User
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/quarantine-end-user.md.
Submissions Teams
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/submissions-teams.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/configure-junk-email-settings-on-exo-mailboxes.md.
Quarantine End User
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/quarantine-end-user.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/mdo-support-teams-sec-ops-guide.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/submissions-teams.md.
Submissions Teams
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/submissions-teams.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/mdo-support-teams-quick-configure.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/defender-for-office-365-whats-new.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/mdo-support-teams-sec-ops-guide.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/mdo-support-teams-sec-ops-guide.md.
Mdo Support Teams About
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/mdo-support-teams-about.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/defender-for-office-365-whats-new.md.
Teams Message Entity Panel
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/teams-message-entity-panel.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/quarantine-admin-manage-messages-files.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/quarantine-end-user.md.
Mdo Privacy
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/mdo-privacy.md.
Bulk email detection
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/anti-spam-bulk-complaint-level-bcl-about.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/anti-spam-bulk-complaint-level-bcl-about.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/anti-spam-bulk-complaint-level-bcl-about.md.
Anti Spam Policies Configure
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/anti-spam-policies-configure.md.
Anti Spam Protection About
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/anti-spam-protection-about.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/recommended-settings-for-eop-and-office365.md.
Anti Spam Policies Configure
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/anti-spam-policies-configure.md.
Anti Spam Protection About
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/anti-spam-protection-about.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/recommended-settings-for-eop-and-office365.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-office-365/tenant-allow-block-list-email-spoof-configure.md.
Microsoft Defender for Identity
12 updatesAccounts
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/security-posture-assessments/accounts.md.
Accounts
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/security-posture-assessments/accounts.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/exclusions.md.
Exclusions
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/exclusions.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/deploy/install-sensor.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/deploy/create-directory-service-account-gmsa.md.
Exclusions
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/exclusions.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/deploy/create-directory-service-account-gmsa.md.
Install Sensor
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/deploy/install-sensor.md.
Install Sensor
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/deploy/install-sensor.md.
Multi Forest
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/deploy/multi-forest.md.
Remediation Actions
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-identity/remediation-actions.md.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
2 updatesProxy Intro Aad
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-cloud-apps/proxy-intro-aad.md.
Tutorial Suspicious Activity
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-for-cloud-apps/tutorial-suspicious-activity.md.
Fixed Reported Inaccuracies
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-vulnerability-management/fixed-reported-inaccuracies.md.
Fixed Reported Inaccuracies
UpdatedUpdated Microsoft Defender documentation in defender-vulnerability-management/fixed-reported-inaccuracies.md.
Updated Microsoft Defender documentation in unified-secops-platform/microsoft-threat-actor-naming.md.
