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.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

snort

snort

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.

Categories:
network intrusion-detection prevention logging analysis

Snort Features

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

Pricing

  • Open Source

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

ntopng

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.

Categories:
monitoring analysis network-traffic bandwidth protocols

Ntopng Features

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

Pricing

  • Open Source

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