On October 31, 2025, Field Effect, a prominent player in the cybersecurity sector, announced a significant milestone: it officially gained membership in the prestigious Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI). This recognition is awarded to a select group of security vendors that meet Microsoft’s stringent criteria for technical prowess and certification standards. Field Effect's inclusion in this exclusive group showcases its unwavering commitment to providing advanced threat detection and reliable, fully integrated protection within Windows environments.
The Microsoft Virus Initiative, a program aimed at fortifying the Windows ecosystem, has historically included fewer than 100 members since its launch two decades ago. This elite group boasts some of the industry's most reputable names, including Bitdefender, CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, and Trend Micro. Remarkably, Field Effect stands out as one of only two Canadian companies to join this esteemed list. Achieving this membership entails a rigorous approval process that demands compliance with strict integration standards and successful completion of third-party certification testing. These evaluations aim to validate the effectiveness, interoperability, and performance of the security solutions.
Matt Holland, the Founder and CEO of Field Effect, expressed his enthusiasm about this achievement, stating, "Joining the Microsoft Virus Initiative aligns with our company philosophy of our technology and products being openly evaluated and continuously scrutinized." He further elaborated that, similar to their involvement in the MITRE MDR evaluation, being accepted into MVI necessitates a commitment to transparency as a vital aspect of the assessment process—a challenge they embrace head-on.
With the new MVI membership, Field Effect is set to enhance its operational capacity significantly. The forthcoming Next-Generation Antivirus solution can now function as a protected process, will be registered as the primary antivirus provider for systems, and can prompt Microsoft Defender to switch to passive mode. These enhancements are critical for achieving compatibility with existing antivirus solutions, ensuring that clients receive optimum protection devoid of potential conflicts or lapses in performance.
Moreover, acceptance into the MVI program mandates passing acknowledged third-party certification tests to gauge the effectiveness of detection and remediation strategies against real-world threats. Field Effect has successfully met these stringent criteria, affirming its products' capabilities in counteracting a wide array of cybersecurity risks.
The Microsoft Virus Initiative is an integral component of Microsoft's Windows Resiliency Initiative, which empowers organizations to construct robust, secure, and future-ready IT frameworks. As a member of MVI, Field Effect will work in close collaboration with Microsoft and other security partners to enhance the security posture of Windows users on a global scale.
Holland remarked, "Field Effect is on the path to being the cybersecurity technology leader to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and mid-market companies. We anticipate that our involvement in the MVI community will not only aid our mission but also allow us to contribute to the broader effort of improving cybersecurity offerings across the industry."
Founded to make state-of-the-art threat protection accessible for organizations regardless of size, Field Effect’s leading solution, the Field Effect Managed Detection and Response (MDR), delivers intelligence-grade prevention, detection, and response across all network environments, cloud services, and endpoints.
To learn more about Field Effect and its offerings, visit
www.fieldeffect.com.