AWS Config vs Prisma Cloud: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss the key differences between AWS Config and Prisma Cloud. Both AWS Config and Prisma Cloud are cloud security services, but they have some distinct features and functionalities.

1. Deployment: AWS Config is a service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that enables the assessment, auditing, and evaluation of the configurations of AWS resources. On the other hand, Prisma Cloud is a cloud native security platform that provides comprehensive security and compliance coverage across multi-cloud environments.

2. Scope and Coverage: AWS Config primarily focuses on assessing and auditing the configuration of AWS resources only. It provides detailed visibility into the configuration changes and compliance of AWS resources. In contrast, Prisma Cloud offers broader coverage and can provide security and compliance monitoring for multiple cloud environments like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

3. Compliance Monitoring: AWS Config provides built-in compliance rules to validate the configuration settings of AWS resources against specific compliance frameworks. It helps in ensuring compliance with regulations such as HIPAA, PCI DSS, and CIS AWS Foundations Benchmark. Prisma Cloud also offers compliance monitoring but supports a comprehensive set of industry compliance standards like GDPR, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and NIST.

4. Threat Detection and Response: While AWS Config focuses more on configuration assessment and compliance, Prisma Cloud provides advanced threat detection and response capabilities. It uses machine learning and behavioral analytics to identify and respond to various security threats like network intrusions, malware, and data breaches.

5. Automation and Remediation: AWS Config provides configuration history and change management, but it doesn't have built-in automation and remediation capabilities. Prisma Cloud, on the other hand, offers automation and remediation features like policy-based enforcement and security incident response to address security issues in real-time.

6. Integration and Extensibility: AWS Config can be integrated with other AWS services like AWS Security Hub, AWS CloudTrail, and AWS CloudFormation. It also provides an API for custom integrations and extending its functionality. Prisma Cloud offers similar integration capabilities with popular cloud platforms, and it provides APIs and SDKs for integration with other security tools and platforms.

In Summary, AWS Config focuses on auditing and monitoring the configuration of AWS resources, while Prisma Cloud offers broader coverage, advanced threat detection, compliance monitoring, automation, and integration capabilities across multi-cloud environments.