Cisco Umbrella vs Tenable.sc: What are the differences?

# Key Differences Between Cisco Umbrella and Tenable.sc

Cisco Umbrella and Tenable.sc are both essential security tools for organizations, but they serve different purposes and have distinct features. Here are the main key differences between Cisco Umbrella and Tenable.sc:

1. **Functionality**: Cisco Umbrella primarily focuses on securing the DNS layer and stopping threats at the network level by providing DNS security, web filtering, and threat intelligence. On the other hand, Tenable.sc, formerly known as SecurityCenter, is a vulnerability management solution that helps organizations identify, prioritize, and remediate security vulnerabilities across their network infrastructure.

2. **Deployment Options**: Cisco Umbrella offers cloud-delivered security services, providing organizations with the flexibility to protect users both on and off the network without the need for additional hardware. In contrast, Tenable.sc is typically deployed on-premises and enables organizations to have full control over their vulnerability management infrastructure.

3. **Scope of Protection**: While Cisco Umbrella focuses on preventing malware and malicious activities at the DNS layer, Tenable.sc is more geared towards identifying and managing vulnerabilities in systems and applications. Cisco Umbrella offers protection against phishing attacks, botnets, and malware, while Tenable.sc helps organizations discover weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers.

4. **Reporting and Analytics**: Tenable.sc provides detailed reporting and dashboards that offer insights into vulnerabilities, compliance issues, and the overall security posture of an organization. These analytics help security teams make informed decisions about their security strategy. On the other hand, Cisco Umbrella offers visibility into internet activity and threat intelligence but may not provide the same depth of vulnerability data and reporting as Tenable.sc.

5. **Integration Capabilities**: Tenable.sc offers seamless integration with other security tools and platforms, allowing organizations to centralize their security operations and improve overall threat detection and response capabilities. Cisco Umbrella also integrates with other security solutions but is more focused on enhancing network security through its DNS layer protection.

6. **Scalability**: Both Cisco Umbrella and Tenable.sc are scalable solutions, but the scalability requirements may vary based on the size and complexity of an organization's network. Tenable.sc can scale to adapt to growing networks and increasing security needs, while Cisco Umbrella's cloud-based architecture allows for easy scalability without the need for major hardware investments.

In Summary, Cisco Umbrella and Tenable.sc serve different security functions, with Umbrella focusing on DNS layer security and threat prevention, while Tenable.sc concentrates on vulnerability management and risk prioritization within an organization's infrastructure.