Microsoft Defender for individuals gets new identity theft monitoring capabilities

Microsoft is working with Experian to bring surveillance capabilities for identity theft protection to its Microsoft Defender for individuals solution. The feature allows Microsoft 365 subscribers to monitor personal and family identity data for security breaches on the public Internet and the dark web.

Microsoft Defender for individuals waslaunched in Juneto help users manage and monitor security protection across all platforms. It is available on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS for all customers with a Microsoft 365 for Personal or Family subscription.

“Identity theft monitoring addresses one of the biggest challenges in preventing identity theft: visibility. We are partnering with Experian® to use their powerful identity monitoring technology to detect, track and alert you when we find identity information on the Internet, the dark web and less common sources such as file sharing, chat rooms and many other places, “Microsoft explained.

In Microsoft Defender, the identity theft monitoring feature can help users track and monitor up to 64 types of identity data for each security breach. These include e-mail addresses, passwords, citizen service numbers, residential addresses, national IDs, passport numbers, bank account information, credit card information and more. The feature can be used by parents who have set up a family profile to manage breaches for all family members.

Once personal data is discovered in a breach, Microsoft Defender customers receive a notification and detailed report. It provides contextual information about the security incident, potential risks and mitigation solutions.

It is also possible for customers to get 24/7 support from identity theft professionals via phone calls. The experts can help reduce the impact of security breaches and provide full-service identity recovery services in the event of fraudulent activity.

“Subscribers who monitor identity theft are insured for the costs associated with restoring their identity (document fees, legal fees, etc.) up to $1 million USD and stolen money caused by the identity theft up to $100K USD,” Microsoft added.

Enable identity theft monitoring in Microsoft Defender for Individuals

1. To get started, open the Microsoft Defender app or go to the My Defender portal and sign in with your personal Microsoft account.
2. Click the Get Started button available on the Identity Theft Surveillance Map on the Defender dashboard.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to create a profile and then add the types of personal information you want to control.

Microsoft notes that the identity theft protection feature is currently available to all US-based customers with Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscriptions. However, there is no word on when the company plans to bring this capability to other markets.

source: petri