AlienVault USM and Qualys are two of the best cybersecurity solutions out there. Consequently, solutions like these will help your organization prevent and respond correctly and concretely to cyberattacks.
For instance, according to IBM, it takes organizations 287 days on average to detect a breach in their network. In this sense, SMBs are commonly the main target (43%) of attacks that can cost up to $2.56 million in Latin America; would you dare to take risks with your organization?
Because of this, in this blog, we compare two of the best options on the market for you to choose which is the best to protect your organization.
How do We Compare Them?
In this case, we will focus on 3 sections:
- Threat and vulnerability analysis capabilities
- Detection capability
- Audit and compliance reporting capabilities
AlienVault USM vs. Qualys
Threat and Vulnerability Scanning Capabilities
AlienVault USM
In this regard, AlienVault USM enjoys an advantage due to its event correlation and security information and event management (SIEM).
Thanks to the AT&T Alien Labs cybersecurity research team, your organization, as a user, will be able to work with event correlation rules, associating large amounts of logged data with suspicious events.
As a result, you will also be able to extensively monitor the activity of your corporate network users, from session timeouts, the number of days that sessions can remain active, or whether any particular activity should be logged as a threat.
So, how does all this help you?
- Improve your organization’s cybersecurity-related decision making
- Evaluate the effectiveness of cybersecurity initiatives currently in use in the organization
- Detect in real time any suspicious activity before it becomes a real risk
Qualys
First, Qualys does not offer the SIEM functionality that AlienVault does. It addresses this weakness with its File Integrity Monitoring functionality. However, you can create event correlation rules that allow you to address threats on time.
Subsequently, you will get real-time updates and alerts on suspicious activity that it can detect, based on events that are authorized and events that are unexpected and therefore suspicious.
On the other hand, like AlienVault USM, Qualys can monitor user sessions, log activity, launch scans, and activity reports, among many others.
Winner: AlienVault USM
AlienVault USM takes the lead here thanks to its SIEM functionality for managing security information and events and its collaboration with AT&T Alien Labs research teams.
Detection Capability
AlienVault USM
One of the hallmarks of AlienVault USM is its ability to detect threats and vulnerabilities in both on-premises and cloud environments.
So, what cloud environments can you monitor and protect from AlienVault USM?
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud Services
Besides this, you can protect your entire organizational network with the Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS). Therefore, you will be able to monitor network traffic for suspicious activity.
As a result, you will also be able to monitor activity on all endpoints on any network in your organization, automating detection to improve response to irregularities. To complement this, you also have a Host Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) to run, for example, random checks for rootkits, among other threats.
Qualys
Like AlienVault USM, Qualys offers you protection both on-premises and in cloud environments.
What cloud environments can you monitor and protect from Qualys?
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud Services
Qualys also allows you to automate network audits and vulnerability lifecycle management, giving you access to all assets, cloud instances, and endpoints to have real-time knowledge of potential vulnerabilities in your network.
Furthermore, Qualys also offers continuous monitoring functionality in conjunction with vulnerability management to protect, though not as extensively as AlienVault USM with its SIEM capability.
Winner: AlienVault USM
In this regard, AlienVault USM also wins the battle in this section, as Qualys lacks host-based threat detection (HIDS). In addition to this, not having SIEM functionality prevents it from protecting extensively and proactively in the same way that AlienVault would.
Audit and Compliance Reporting Capabilities
AlienVault USM
AlienVault USM helps you keep this section up to date thanks to its pre-built reporting templates for data security compliance.
Hence, these templates use alarms, vulnerabilities, and events collected in the system. With this, is easy to navigate between the different requirements of any audit. In addition, you can create automated workflows to optimize compliance processes.
So, what regulations does AlienVault help you comply with? You have HIPAA, NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), ISO 27001, SOC-2, PCI DSS, and GDPR. Furthermore, you can cover many other regulations for which you can configure custom reports according to your specifications and requirements.
Qualys
Qualys has reporting functionalities such as password audits or controls for Windows user rights, risk assessment, and framework filters, among others.
Moreover, Qualys also offers you the functionality to work with reports for regulations such as SCAP (Security Content Automation Protocol) or PCI DSS, using templates previously designed by Qualys or creating customized templates.
In addition, automation allows Qualys to optimize compliance processes by automating processes and workflows to ease the burden on your agents.
Winner: AlienVault USM
In this case, AlienVault USM has a slight advantage thanks to its ability to generate custom reports for regulations.
While Qualys currently only offers reports for SCAP and PCI DSS, AlienVault USM allows working with pre-built reports for regulations such as HIPAA, NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), ISO 27001, SOC-2, PCI DSS, and GDPR, among others.
AlienVault USM vs. Qualys: Which is The Winner of This Battle?
So, it’s been a close race, but AT&T Cybersecurity’s AlienVault USM is the winner.
Thus AlienVault USM brings together, in a single platform, everything you need to detect, analyze, protect and report any threat or vulnerability issues that could pose a risk to your organization’s digital integrity.
What does AlienVault USM offer you?
- Cybersecurity Information and Event Management (SIEM)
- Up-to-date threat awareness through AlienVault Open Threat Exchange (OTX)
- Leverage the expertise of the AT&T Alien Labs research team
- Automated standards compliance thanks to automatable workflows and processes
So, you will keep at bay any threat or vulnerability that could jeopardize the cybersecurity of your organization’s digital infrastructure.
Would you like to see how AT&T Cybersecurity’s AlienVault USM can protect your organization, tailored to your specific use case? What are you waiting for to try it?
At GB Advisors, we offer you the training, support, and advice you need to choose and deploy software tools like AT&T Cybersecurity’s AlienVault USM in your organization.
Finally, the tool that best fits your organization’s cybersecurity needs is here, contact us!
