As leaders throughout the endpoint detection and response trade, CrowdStrike and Sophos present high-quality EDR for organizations of all sizes. Selecting between the 2 EDR instruments might be troublesome as a consequence of their comparable options and reputations throughout the trade.
SEE: 10 Myths about Cybersecurity You Shouldn’t Imagine (TechRepublic Premium)
CrowdStrike Falcon XDR and Sophos Intercept X each construct upon their EDR options with enhanced detection and response, often known as XDR.
On this comparability, we clarify which EDR resolution is greatest for you and your group.
Characteristic comparability: CrowdStrike vs. Sophos
| Characteristic | ||
|---|---|---|
| Deep studying | ||
| Malware identification | ||
| Habits evaluation | ||
| Information loss prevention | ||
| Automated remediation | ||
| Endpoint isolation | ||
| Supported platforms | ||
| Free trial | ||
| Beginning worth | ||
|
|
CrowdStrike vs. Sophos pricing
By way of pricing, Crowdstrike’s EDR and XDR might be accessed by way of its Falcon Enterprise or Falcon Elite subscription. Whereas each tiers have CrowdStrike’s EDR resolution, they differ within the extra safety features included within the license.
Under is a rundown of the inclusions and pricing for each:
- Falcon Enterprise: $184.99 per system; contains antivirus, EDR, XDR and managed menace looking.
- Falcon Elite: Contact gross sales for worth quote; contains EDR, XDR, built-in endpoint and identification safety and threat-hunting.
However, Sophos’ EDR and XDR merchandise’ pricing might be attained after answering a short on-line kind. I might’ve most well-liked it if Sophos supplied each this form-based pricing and baseline costs to offer companies an concept on what costs they may anticipate.
SEE: CrowdStrike vs McAfee: EDR Software program Comparability (TechRepublic)
Happily, each CrowdStrike and Sophos supply free trials for his or her endpoint safety merchandise. This permits organizations to check out their software program options with out spending on an preliminary subscription or license.
Head-to-head comparability: CrowdStrike vs. Sophos
APIs and extensions
CrowdStrike maintains an in depth stock of extensions, together with a sturdy API, to additional combine its EDR/XDR resolution with a company’s present expertise stack. These integrations make it simpler for a company to create a complete and sturdy safety panorama whereas together with necessary cloud-based options akin to AWS Safety Hub and Amazon Workspaces.
Sophos additionally gives integrations with companions, though not as many. Sophos’s customized integrations are supposed to increase the performance of present programs, enhancing automation and easing the executive burden.
Accuracy
CrowdStrike was named a “Leader” in the latest Forrester Wave Endpoint Safety, This autumn 2023 report. Forrester highlighted CrowdStrike as a “dominant endpoint” resolution, mentioning its “superior vision” and minimal influence on endpoint efficiency.
In that very same Forrester report, Sophos’ Endpoint software program carried out properly however was not as extremely rated as CrowdStrike. Specifically, Sophos scored in the course of the pack by way of technique, market presence and the power of its present safety choices. This means that, not less than with Forrester’s evaluations, CrowdStrike carried out markedly higher.
System protection
CrowdStrike gives in depth programs protection for all widespread working programs throughout a big selection of potential endpoints, together with Home windows, Mac and Linux. That is true throughout the board for CrowdStrike’s present array of safety merchandise.
SEE: Microsoft Defender vs CrowdStrike: Examine EDR Software program (TechRepublic)
Forrester notes that Sophos has below-average working system protection. Sophos gives full protection for Home windows and MacOS. Whereas Linux is supported, not all Sophos options translate to the Linux surroundings. Nevertheless, Sophos does assist cellular platforms Android and iOS.
Efficiency
CrowdStrike is designed to be light-weight and simple to deploy. Not solely can it’s deployed for rapid use, however it has little system influence. Comparatively, some customers have discovered Sophos resource-intensive — which might have an effect on a company’s effectivity and efficiency.
Visibility
Each CrowdStrike and Sophos are designed to offer 100% visibility into your group’s community and endpoints. These choices present each real-time and historic visibility throughout cloud structure, along with excessive constancy occasion knowledge. Customers notice that CrowdStrike gives in depth and wealthy logging.
Product suite
Many safety merchandise should not utilized in a vacuum however quite included inside a bigger product suite. CrowdStrike gives an in depth array of product choices, starting from choices in endpoint safety to managed providers. Some Falcon merchandise are bundles of different, granular suites, whereas others are standalone. CrowdStrike’s in depth vary of merchandise could also be overwhelming to some customers, nevertheless.
Sophos merchandise embody Sophos Firewall, Sophos Managed Risk Response and the Sophos Central Administration Console — which additional integrates with Sophos Server, Sophos Swap, Sophos Cellular, Sophos Encryption and extra. These merchandise can create a complete Sophos safety ecosystem, and the product line even extends to non-public dwelling safety.
CrowdStrike execs and cons
Professionals
- Simple to deploy and handle.
- Correct menace detection and response.
- Light-weight in comparison with different purchasers.
Cons
- Increased worth level.
- Customer support might be improved.
Sophos execs and cons
Professionals
- Customizable integrations.
- Handy centralized administration console.
- High quality safety towards zero-day threats.
Cons
- Have to contact Sophos for pricing.
- Discovered to be resource-intensive by some customers.
Ought to your group use CrowdStrike or Sophos?
By way of buyer expertise and product capabilities, as measured by Gartner‘s consumer critiques and scores, CrowdStrike Falcon XDR narrowly edges out Sophos Intercept X.
That being mentioned, each EDR/XDR options are extremely sturdy and supply comparable function units. For many corporations, it should come right down to price. CrowdStrike Falcon XDR is famous by MITRE testers in 2023 to have 100% safety, visibility and analytic detection throughout their MITRE Engenuity ATT&CK evaluations. However, Sophos Intercept X with XDR achieved a 99% detection charge of adversary behaviors in the identical take a look at.
Whereas the efficiency scores of each programs are distinctive, CrowdStrike does garner a better total rating. Have in mind, nevertheless, that CrowdStrike comes at a comparatively larger worth level as properly.
As a consequence of that trade-off, CrowdStrike Falcon XDR is probably going the most suitable choice for enterprise organizations that may afford it, whereas Sophos Intercept X is a wonderful resolution for extra budget-conscious corporations.
Methodology
My comparability between CrowdStrike and Sophos’ EDR and XDR options concerned an in depth have a look at their respective safety features, pricing and total worth to companies.
Particularly, I checked out important EDR options akin to menace detection accuracy, efficiency, extensions and API integration, deployment course of and real-time visibility, amongst others.
Evaluation for each options was finished by means of complete analysis of every product’s official documentation, function inclusions and potential use instances for varied sorts of organizations. We additionally took into consideration actual consumer suggestions and third-party critiques from acknowledged assessment websites to spherical out our remaining evaluation and suggestions.
