Microsoft ATP vs Mimecast: What are the differences?

Microsoft ATP and Mimecast: Key Differences

Microsoft ATP (Advanced Threat Protection) and Mimecast are both popular email security solutions. Although they serve a similar purpose, there are several key differences between the two.

1. Integration with Microsoft Suite: Microsoft ATP seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft products such as Office 365 and Exchange Online. This integration allows for a unified experience and easy deployment for organizations that already use Microsoft solutions. In contrast, Mimecast is a standalone solution and may require additional configuration and integration efforts.

2. Threat Intelligence Capabilities: Microsoft ATP benefits from the vast threat intelligence gathered from its vast user base, global visibility, and the Azure Cloud platform. This enables it to quickly identify and mitigate emerging threats. Mimecast, on the other hand, primarily relies on its own threat intelligence sources and may not have the same level of real-time visibility and response capabilities.

3. Email Continuity: Mimecast offers robust email continuity features, providing access to emails and attachments during email server outages or downtime. This ensures uninterrupted email access for users. While Microsoft ATP offers some level of email continuity, it may not provide the same comprehensive features as Mimecast.

4. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Capabilities: Microsoft ATP offers powerful data loss prevention capabilities, allowing organizations to protect sensitive data by identifying, monitoring, and preventing its unauthorized transmission. While Mimecast also offers DLP features, Microsoft ATP benefits from deeper integration with Microsoft's DLP tools, providing a more seamless and comprehensive data protection solution.

5. Real-Time Threat Detection: Microsoft ATP leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect and respond to email-based threats in real-time. Its sophisticated threat detection algorithms analyze email attachments, links, and content to identify and block malicious messages. Although Mimecast also employs advanced threat detection techniques, the real-time detection capabilities of Microsoft ATP are considered highly effective and efficient.

6. Phishing Protection: Both Microsoft ATP and Mimecast provide protection against phishing attacks. However, Microsoft ATP offers additional anti-phishing features such as targeted attack protection (TAP) and impersonation detection. These features enhance the platform's ability to detect and prevent sophisticated phishing attacks targeting specific individuals or organizations.

In summary, Microsoft ATP and Mimecast differ in terms of integration with Microsoft Suite, threat intelligence capabilities, email continuity, data loss prevention capabilities, real-time threat detection, and phishing protection.