snort vs ntopng

Struggling to choose between snort and ntopng? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

snort is a Security & Privacy solution with tags like network, intrusion-detection, prevention, logging, analysis.

It boasts features such as Real-time traffic analysis and packet logging, Protocol analysis and content searching/matching, Can be used as a packet sniffer/logger, Plugin architecture for detection and pre-processors, Built-in rules for detecting common attacks/vulnerabilities and pros including Open source and free, Highly customizable detection rules, Large community support, Can integrate with other security tools, Available on multiple platforms.

On the other hand, ntopng is a Network & Admin product tagged with monitoring, analysis, network-traffic, bandwidth, protocols.

Its standout features include Real-time network traffic monitoring, Web-based interface for easy access and visualization, Network statistics and insights into bandwidth usage, Monitoring of protocols, connections, top talkers, and more, Supports sFlow, NetFlow, and SPAN/port mirroring for traffic analysis, Customizable dashboards and reporting, Alerting and anomaly detection, Application-based traffic analysis, IPv4 and IPv6 support, REST API for integration and automation, and it shines with pros like Open source and free to use, Intuitive web UI for easy access, Real-time visibility into network traffic, Customizable dashboards and flexible, Scales to monitor high-speed networks, Supports common flow protocols for broader device support.

Feature	snort	ntopng
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Security & Privacy	Network & Admin

Product Overview

snort

Description: Snort is an open-source network intrusion detection and prevention system. It can perform real-time traffic analysis and packet logging on IP networks to detect suspicious activity and attacks.

ntopng

Description: ntopng is an open source network traffic monitoring and analysis tool. It provides real-time network statistics and insights into bandwidth usage, protocols, connections, and more. ntopng has a web-based interface for easy access and visualization.

Key Features Comparison

snort Features

• Real-time traffic analysis and packet logging
• Protocol analysis and content searching/matching
• Can be used as a packet sniffer/logger
• Plugin architecture for detection and pre-processors
• Built-in rules for detecting common attacks/vulnerabilities

ntopng Features

• Real-time network traffic monitoring
• Web-based interface for easy access and visualization
• Network statistics and insights into bandwidth usage
• Monitoring of protocols, connections, top talkers, and more
• Supports sFlow, NetFlow, and SPAN/port mirroring for traffic analysis
• Customizable dashboards and reporting
• Alerting and anomaly detection
• Application-based traffic analysis
• IPv4 and IPv6 support
• REST API for integration and automation

Pros & Cons Analysis

snort

Pros

• Open source and free
• Highly customizable detection rules
• Large community support
• Can integrate with other security tools
• Available on multiple platforms

Cons

• Complex installation and configuration
• Prone to false positives
• Must be manually updated and maintained
• Higher resource usage than some alternatives
• Not ideal for very high traffic networks

ntopng

Pros

• Open source and free to use
• Intuitive web UI for easy access
• Real-time visibility into network traffic
• Customizable dashboards and flexible
• Scales to monitor high-speed networks
• Supports common flow protocols for broader device support

Cons

• Can be resource intensive for underpowered hardware
• Steeper learning curve than some alternatives
• Limited historical data retention without database
• Requires additional components for full functionality

Pricing Comparison

snort

• Open Source

ntopng

• Open Source