Microsoft Intune - Compliance Policy (AntiVirus)

In *Microsoft Intune**, a **Compliance Policy* is used to ensure that devices meet specific security and configuration requirements before they are granted access to company resources. When it comes to **Antivirus compliance**, Intune allows IT admins to enforce security standards related to antivirus protection on managed devices.
*Key Aspects of Compliance Policy in Intune for Antivirus:*
1. *Require Antivirus Protection*
Intune can check if an antivirus solution is installed, enabled, and up to date on a device.
This ensures that devices have active protection against malware and threats.
2. *Microsoft Defender Antivirus Integration*
If using **Microsoft Defender Antivirus**, Intune can enforce policies such as:
**Real-time protection**: Ensuring Defender is actively scanning for threats.
**Signature updates**: Verifying that the latest virus definitions are installed.
**Tamper protection**: Preventing unauthorized modifications to antivirus settings.
3. *Third-Party Antivirus Support*
Intune can detect third-party antivirus software through Windows Security Center.
If an organization allows non-Microsoft antivirus solutions, Intune can still check for their status (enabled/disabled).
4. *Compliance Actions*
If a device **fails the antivirus compliance check**, Intune can take action, such as:
Sending a warning notification to the user.
Marking the device as **non-compliant**.
Blocking access to corporate resources (when combined with *Conditional Access* in Azure AD).
5. *Reporting and Monitoring*
Intune provides compliance reports, showing which devices meet the antivirus requirements and which do not.
IT admins can use *Microsoft Defender for Endpoint* for deeper threat insights and compliance enforcement.
*Example Compliance Policy Setting for Antivirus in Intune (Windows Devices):*
*Antivirus required:* Yes
*Real-time protection required:* Yes
*Up-to-date virus definitions required:* Yes
*Defender Antimalware enabled:* Yes
*Conclusion*
Using *Compliance Policies in Intune* to enforce antivirus requirements helps organizations maintain security by ensuring that all managed devices are protected from malware threats before they can access corporate data.