Microsoft Defender for IoT (OT IDS)
About the product
Microsoft Defender for IoT (formerly Azure Defender for IoT) is a passive IDS system designed to monitor industrial networks and detect threats in OT and IoT environments. The solution enables non-intrusive real-time scanning of network traffic by analyzing packets sent between control devices (PLC, HMI, RTU, DCS), gateways, and SCADA systems.
The system is based on passive listening (SPANNing/TAP), so it does not affect the operation of production devices. It uses over 70 industrial protocols (Modbus, DNP3, BACnet, IEC 60870-5-104, OPC, Profinet) to provide full visibility of the OT network, automatically detect devices, and map the communication topology.
Defender for IoT uses an analytics engine to detect anomalies, attack signatures, unusual behavior, and communication changes—all complemented by correlation mechanisms with Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM), Microsoft Defender XDR, and APIs for integration with third-party systems.
Advantages of the product
Passive detection – does not interfere with industrial network operations.
Support for over 70 OT protocols and automatic device recognition.
Real-time OT topology mapping.
Built-in anomaly and attack analysis using signatures and heuristics.
Integration with Microsoft Sentinel and Defender for Endpoint.
Ability to create custom rules and device profiles.
Protection of OT systems, IoT, and non-IT assets.
Support for air-gapped environments through local appliance/VM deployments.
Benefits of Implementaion
Full visibility and oversight of your OT environment without disrupting operations.
Early detection of attack attempts, unauthorized access, and traffic changes.
Better protection for critical infrastructure without the need to install agents.
Simplified compliance with OT security standards (ISA/IEC 62443, NIS2).
Integration with the existing Microsoft Security ecosystem.
Centralization of OT and IT monitoring in a single platform (Sentinel, XDR).