ExchangeDefender Phishing Firewall and Microsoft Defender | ExchangeDefender [ Skip to content ](#main) [ ![ExchangeDefender](/assets/images/xd_logo_blue.png) ](/) Email Security ![Platform Overview](/assets/images/m-xd-pro.png)### ExchangeDefender PRO Enterprise-grade email security made simple for every business. [Sign Up](/sign-up) [Live Demo](/demo) [Email Security Stops spam, malware & phishing in real time. ](/email-security) [Encryption Secure your emails, attachments & sensitive data. ](/corporate-email-encryption) [Web File Sharing Easy, safe cloud file sharing with access control. ](/web-file-server) [Live Archive Locked-in email backup & continuity during outages. ](/livearchive-backup) [Emergency Inbox Keep email flowing without interruption if your provider fails. ](/inbox) [Spearphish Train your team with phishing simulations & risk tracking. ](/spearphishing) Managed Email ### Enterprise-Grade Managed Email Reliable, secure, and fully managed email operations for modern organizations. ![ExchangeDefender](/assets/images/managed_email_menu.png) [Microsoft365/Google Email Management Expert management and security for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace email. ](/managed-email-operations) [AI Advisory Secure, practical AI consulting & implementation for SMBs. ](/management-ai) Company ### ExchangeDefender: 29+ Years of Trust We are a cybersecurity company focused on business email protection, with 29+ years of experience keeping organizations secure, connected, and resilient. ![ExchangeDefender](/assets/images/careers_1.png) [ About Us Learn our purpose, values, and the mission behind every decision. ](/about-us) [ Blog News, product updates and email security insights. ](/blog) [ Capabilities Discover the tech and expertise that keep your email secure around the clock ](/capabilities) [ Careers Be part of a team using modern tech to solve real threats and ship great work. ](/careers) [Partners](/partners) [Docs](/docs) [Contact Us](/contact) Talk to a Human Open menu Menu ---- Email Security [Email Security](/email-security) [Encryption](/corporate-email-encryption) [Web File Sharing](/web-file-server) [Live Archive](/livearchive-backup) [Inbox](/inbox) [Spearphish](/spearphishing) Managed Email [Microsoft365/Google Email Management](/managed-email-operations) [AI Advisory](/management-ai) Company [About Us](/about-us) [Blog](/blog) [Capabilities](/capabilities) [Careers](/careers) [Partners](/partners) [Docs](/docs) [Contact Us](/contact) Talk to a Human June 13, 2023 · [General](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog?category=uncategorized) ExchangeDefender Phishing Firewall and Microsoft Defender ========================================================= [![](https://storage.services.exchangedefender.network/exchangedefender-blog/blog/2023/06/XD-Phishing-1024x512.png)](https://storage.services.exchangedefender.network/exchangedefender-blog/blog/2023/06/XD-Phishing.png) Now and then Microsoft Defender will encounter something potentially dangerous when it's processing your browsing activity. Most of the time it is just the URL of a site they've blacklisted. **Enter ExchangeDefender Phishing Firewall.** We rewrite every URL going through our service to give our users an extra layer of security and prevent malware and phishing. If you've seen the **[xdref.com](http://xdref.com/) l**inks in your email, that's US keeping you from accidentally clicking on a legitimate link and getting a zero-day exploit compromising your PC. Well, Microsoft Defender looks at the same link and its contents and can flag an entire URL of your phishing firewall. Then you end up seeing this: [![](https://storage.services.exchangedefender.network/exchangedefender-blog/blog/2023/06/xdref-defenderwarning.png)](https://storage.services.exchangedefender.network/exchangedefender-blog/blog/2023/06/xdref-defenderwarning.png) How do I get this resolved? --------------------------- Since this URL is exclusively used by you and your clients, make sure you're using ExchangeDefender Outbound Service to route outbound mail (our outbound service strips all the [xdref.com](http://xdref.com/) URLs). Next, please report the problem with the URL to Microsoft at this location: \[\*\*[https://security.microsoft.com/reportsubmission?viewid=url\*\*\](https://security.microsoft.com/reportsubmission?viewid=url)](https://security.microsoft.com/reportsubmission?viewid=url**](https://security.microsoft.com/reportsubmission?viewid=url)) How do I fix it? ---------------- There are two ways to solve this problem within your tenant at Microsoft 365. The fastest way is with PowerShell: **New-TenantAllowBlockListItems -ListType Url -Allow -Entries [xdref.com](http://xdref.com/) -NoExpiration** The more user-friendly way to allow the URL is through the Microsoft Defender Portal at the following URL (make sure you're logged in first): [**https://security.microsoft.com/tenantAllowBlockList**](https://security.microsoft.com/tenantAllowBlockList) Microsoft tends to move its security components around a lot so if the URL changes login to the Microsoft 365 Defender Portal and go to: **Policies & Rules> Threat Policies > Rules section > Tenant Allow/Block Lists**. **To learn more** about Microsoft Defender and how to manage its security policies on this topic please see the following **[KB article](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/office-365-security/tenant-allow-block-list-urls-configure?view=o365-worldwide)**. **Tip:** ExchangeDefender recommends executing this process when the client is onboarded, but it will work at any time. --- [ Previous post Top 2023 Technologies: Inbox, Encryption, and Troubleshooting Solutions for Email Issues May 30, 2023 ](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2023/05/top-2023-technologies-inbox-encryption-and-troubleshooting-solutions-for-email-issues) [ Next post Troubleshooting Email Delivery with ExchangeDefender Logs June 15, 2023 ](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2023/06/troubleshooting-email-delivery-with-exchangedefender-logs) Related Posts ------------- [ 1 May ](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2026/05/exchangedefender-new-ui-is-live)### [ExchangeDefender New UI is Live](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2026/05/exchangedefender-new-ui-is-live) [Read more: ExchangeDefender New UI is Live](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2026/05/exchangedefender-new-ui-is-live) [ ![](https://storage.services.exchangedefender.network/exchangedefender-blog/blog/2026/04/xd10.png) 2 Apr ](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2026/04/announcing-exchangedefender-10)### [Announcing ExchangeDefender 10](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2026/04/announcing-exchangedefender-10) [Read more: Announcing ExchangeDefender 10](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2026/04/announcing-exchangedefender-10) [ ![](https://storage.services.exchangedefender.network/exchangedefender-blog/blog/2025/12/christmas-1.jpg) 25 Dec ](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2025/12/merry-christmas)### [Merry Christmas](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2025/12/merry-christmas) [Read more: Merry Christmas](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2025/12/merry-christmas) Search the blog Search Recent Posts ------------ - [ExchangeDefender New UI is Live](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2026/05/exchangedefender-new-ui-is-live) - [Announcing ExchangeDefender 10](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2026/04/announcing-exchangedefender-10) - [Merry Christmas](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2025/12/merry-christmas) - [Why IoT Devices Are a Hidden Security Risk for Your Business](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2025/11/why-iot-devices-are-a-hidden-security-risk-for-your-business) - [Top 5 IT Problems Small Businesses Face in 2025 — and How to Fix Them](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog/2025/10/top-5-it-problems-small-businesses-face-in-2025-and-how-to-fix-them) Categories ---------- - [Archiving](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog?category=archiving) (21) - [Business Continuity](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog?category=business-continuity) (13) - [Compliance](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog?category=compliance) (8) - 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[Webinars](https://www-preview.exchangedefender.com/blog?category=webinars) (44) Solutions --------- - [Stop Spam & Malware](/email-security) - [Hands-Free Email Backup](/livearchive-backup) - [Instant Email Recovery](/inbox) - [Send Private Emails](/corporate-email-encryption) - [Train Against Email Threats](/spearphishing) - [Share Files Safely](/web-file-server) Company ------- - [About ExchangeDefender](/about-us) - [Compliance & Legal](/our-compliance) - [Become a Partner](/partners) - [Support Portal Login](https://support.exchangedefender.com/) - [Microsoft 365 Email Management](/managed-email-operations) - [AI Advisory Service](/management-ai) ![ExchangeDefender](/assets/images/dark-xd-logo.png)USA: +1 (407) 465-6800 United Kingdom: 0800 8620149 Australia: +61 0390010641 Fax: +1 (954) 839-8737 [ ](https://www.facebook.com/ExchangeDefender) [ ](https://www.twitter.com/XD_Defender) [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/exchangdefender) [ ](/blog) © 2026 Own Web Now Corp - All rights reserved </> with ❤️ in Orlando [SLA](/sla) [TOS](/tos) [PRIVACY](/privacy-end-users) [AUP](/aup) We're Here to Help 👋 -------------------- Tired of AI 🤖 and hold music? 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