CrowdStrike Competitors & Alternatives: A Comprehensive List

Endpoint security is a major element in any company’s cybersecurity arsenal. Endpoints are extremely vulnerable areas at the edge of your network that allow easier access for hackers to exfiltrate data, insert malware, and more. With the right endpoint security in place, you can defend your network effectively. CrowdStrike has been a popular name in endpoint security with its CrowdStrike Falcon platform. However, with the recent news of the CrowdStrike global IT outage, many people are now looking for CrowdStrike alternatives to turn to.

In this blog article, we explore different CrowdStrike Falcon alternatives and how to choose the best one for your company. We also look at the disadvantages of CrowdStrike and how to choose a better CrowdStrike alternative. We then list some of the main CrowdStrike competitors and compare them across several factors. For now, let’s try to understand more about the CrowdStrike Falcon platform first.

What Is CrowdStrike Falcon?

CrowdStrike has always been a renowned name in the cloud computing and endpoint security industry. The cybersecurity firm has several products that boast the usage of advanced technologies and AI to elevate security. The CrowdStrike Falcon platform is said to “drive the convergence of data, security, and IT with generative AI and workflow automation built natively within.” The flagship CrowdStrike Falcon platform is used to stop breaches using cloud-native solutions while actively preventing cyber-attacks stemming from malware, ransomware, phishing, and more. However, the CrowdStrike Falcon platform has been making headlines recently for all the wrong reasons following the global IT outage that took place earlier in the month.

CrowdStrike Global Outage

On the 19th of July, a global IT outage took place and caused the Blue Screen of Death to appear across the world. Several industries reported massive disruptions that halted operations – including airports, healthcare organizations, banks, broadcasting, and more. The outage began when a faulty software update was added to the CrowdStrike Falcon platform which subsequently prevented all Microsoft devices from booting up properly – thereby presenting the Blue Screen of Death.

CEO of CrowdStrike, George Kurtz, has since apologized for the inconvenience caused and has assured us that the matter has been isolated and resolved. This outage represents a major reason why customers might be looking for CrowdStrike alternatives to rely on in the future. Now, let’s look at some of the suggestions made to fix the effects of the CrowdStrike outage thus far.

CrowdStrike Outage Fix

While the CrowdStrike outage may have affected services across industries, many companies are still struggling with the Blue Screen of Death that resulted from the chaos as well. On the 20th of July, Microsoft released a statement to say that it was taking steps to help customers regain regular operations. This included the release of a USB tool that is said to help IT administrators with the repair process. The tool requires you to have administrative privileges and a BitLocker recovery key for each Windows PC. The tech giant then posted several recovery steps to fix PCs that were continually restarting because of the faulty CrowdStrike update.

CrowdStrike itself began guiding customers to its support portal as soon as the outage took place. In its “Remediation and Guidance Hub: Falcon Content Update For Windows Hosts” tab, the company notes that it had identified the trigger for the issue as a Windows sensor-related content deployment and that the changes have since been reverted. Customers have been asked to follow the support portal for further updates as needed.

The CrowdStrike recommended steps to remediate individual hosts include:

1. Rebooting the host to allow it to download the reverted channel file. CrowdStrike strongly recommends putting the host on a wired network (as opposed to Wi-Fi) before rebooting as the host will acquire internet connectivity considerably faster via ethernet.
2. If the host crashes again on reboot:

Option 1: Build automated recovery ISOs with drivers.

• Follow the instructions for Building Falcon Windows Host Recovery ISOs in this manual (PDF) or login to view in the support portal. Updated 2024-07-23 0740 UTC
• Note: BitLocker-encrypted hosts may require a recovery key.

Option 2: Manual process

• Review the following video on CrowdStrike Host Self-Remediation for Remote Users. Follow the instructions contained within the video if directed to do so by your organization’s IT department. Updated 2024-07-22 1510 UTC
• Alternatively, please see this Microsoft article for detailed steps.
• Note: BitLocker-encrypted hosts may require a recovery key.

CrowdStrike Intelligence also warned that it had identified a Word document on the 22nd of July that contained macros to download an unidentified stealer - now tracked as Daolpu. The document impersonates a Microsoft recovery manual and initial analysis suggests the activity is likely criminal.

If users are still having issues even after rebooting, CrowdStrike recommends booting up into safe mode and then deleting the corrupted file through these steps:

1. Boot your Windows computer into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment.
2. Navigate to the %WINDIR%\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory.
3. Locate the file matching "C-00000291*.sys" and delete it.
4. Boot the host normally.

Note: BitLocker-encrypted hosts may require a recovery key.

For many customers, CrowdStrike has been an unyielding source of cybersecurity protection. However, the platform isn’t always the best option for most companies in the long run. Let’s take a look now at some of the limitations of the CrowdStrike platform.

CrowdStrike Disadvantages and Limitations

Many companies are seeking out CrowdStrike alternatives after the debacle recently that caused the global IT outage. However, there are some constructive disadvantages to using the CrowdStrike platform as well. These include:

• High Costs: The CrowdStrike platform is considerably more expensive than many other endpoint security products. For smaller and more budget-conscious businesses, CrowdStrike’s subscription-based premiums might not be the best option.
• Complexity: The CrowdStrike interface is user-friendly, however, the advanced features might be overwhelming and difficult for many IT teams to work with – especially in smaller companies that might not have an IT background.
• Cloud Limits: CrowdStrike solution is cloud-native and cannot be installed on-premises – drastically limiting usability.
• Integration Flaws: CrowdStrike can be quite difficult and tedious to integrate with other security tools.
• Rookie DLP Solution: The CrowdStrike DLP platform has only just entered the market and has not reached the level of experience and know-how of other DLP solutions on the market.
• OS Compatibility: CrowdStrike has limited OS compatibility for some features which means that they may not be fully supported on operating systems other than Microsoft. This can be challenging for companies using a diverse OS that includes Mac or Linux devices.
• Privacy Concerns: CrowdStrike offers detailed monitoring that might raise privacy concerns and will require a clear monitoring policy and user consent procedures.
• Lack of Activity Monitoring: CrowdStrike Falcon cannot use activity monitoring and behavior analytics features.

While these are all great reasons for seeking out CrowdStrike competitors and looking for a CrowdStrike alternative, it’s equally important to know what to look for in your new platform.

What to Consider When Choosing Competitors & Alternatives

CrowdStrike Falcon alternatives come in various shapes and sizes. As CrowdStrike competitors race to advance features and platforms, it’s key to know which factors to consider when choosing your CrowdStrike alternative. Some of these factor include:

1. Integration: A good alternative to CrowdStrike will include elevated integration capabilities. Your endpoint security needs to be compatible with your existing infrastructure. This will create a comprehensive and seamless wall of security for your company.
2. Centralized Management: To properly control and manage endpoints, you need a simplified and unified dashboard. This will ensure full transparency and faster response times.
3. Cost-Effectiveness: Many companies might struggle to commit to a more expensive endpoint security platform. Ensure that your budget aligns with what you need from your solution.
4. Flexible Deployment: Understand the needs of your company in terms of cloud-based solutions, scalability, and more. This will help to find a solution that fits, adjusts, and adapts to your specific needs and infrastructure.
5. Effective Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Data loss can be disastrous for any company. Your endpoint security solution needs to have advanced DLP features to prevent any threats to data safety.

Now that we have a firm grasp of the factors to consider when choosing CrowdStrike alternatives, we can get right into the list of CrowdStrike competitors that might suit your company’s needs better.

A List of CrowdStrike Competitors and Alternatives

When it comes to choosing an alternative to CrowdStrike, you need to scour all the available CrowdStrike competitors for the best fit. To make matters easier, we’ve rounded up some of the main CrowdStrike Falcon competitors:

Sangfor Endpoint Secure

Sangfor Technologies is a leading IT company that provides advanced cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity solutions. The company is dedicated to innovation and excellence and has established itself globally as a pioneering name in the industry.

Sangfor’s Endpoint Secure platform provides a holistic response to malware infections and APT breaches across a network while being easy to scale, manage, and operate. The advanced product ensures seamless integration across cloud-native or on-premises infrastructure and can easily be a CrowdStrike AV alternative of choice. Sangfor Endpoint Secure can also detect an advanced ransomware attack in just 3 seconds – as shown in this simulated attack.

Pros of Sangfor Endpoint Secure

• Automated response to phishing and web intrusions
• Advanced ransomware protection and recovery
• Kills ransomware in just 3 seconds
• Threat correlation between endpoint, network, and cloud
• Cost-effective CrowdStrike alternative
• Compatible with the majority of Operation Systems, including legacy OS

Cons of Sangfor Endpoint Secure

• Limited presence outside of APAC & EMEA
• Limited public forum support

Kaspersky

Kaspersky Lab is a Russian cybersecurity and anti-virus provider. The global IT firm offers a wide range of products that protect and strengthen operations. The Kaspersky Endpoint Security platform protects computers running macOS against viruses and other computer security threats. With file, web, and network threat protection features, the platform ensures that cyber threats are mitigated efficiently.

Pros of Kaspersky

• Efficient threat detection
• Proactive monitoring
• Seamless integration
• Remotely managed FileVault encryption
• Central management server for endpoint deployment and maintenance control

Cons of Kaspersky

• Difficulties managing Windows updates
• Issues with the client update application
• Privacy concerns in terms of Russian connection

Trend Micro XDR

Trend Micro is a global cybersecurity company that uses global threat research to ensure digital safety. The company’s platforms are designed to protect organizations with diverse clouds, networks, devices, and endpoints. The Trend Micro XDR platform uses advanced threat defense techniques suitable for various platforms while offering central visibility for swift and improved detection and response.

Pros of Trend Micro XDR

• Insight from global threat intelligence and research
• Simplified Mitre Attack mapping
• Automatically correlates data across security layers
• Automatic detection and response
• Customizable

Cons of Trend Micro XDR

• Poor integration with other security tools
• False positives
• Lack of training materials
• Costly

Sophos

Sophos is a British company that develops and sells managed security services and cybersecurity software and hardware. This includes managed detection and response, incident response, and endpoint security software. Sophos Intercept X is an advanced endpoint protection solution that combines EDR, XDR, and Managed Threat Response (MTR) capabilities into a comprehensive endpoint protection solution.

Pros of Sophos

• Ease of Use
• Uses a combination of next-generation techniques
• Instant malware removal to ensure no attack remnants remain
• Deep learning to detect new malware
• Root cause analysis to provide insight into threats

Cons of Sophos

• High resource usage
• Slow performance
• Poor customer support
• Compatibility issues
• Difficult configuration

Avast

Avast delivers all-in-one cybersecurity solutions and is used by over 400 million users. Avast Endpoint Protection solutions like Next-gen Antivirus and automated Patch Management work together to protect devices, data, and applications while saving both time and money.

Pros of Avast

• Holistic approach to security
• Cost-effectiveness
• Continuous monitoring
• Automated remediation

Cons of Avast

• High resource usage
• Installation difficulties
• Lack of maintenance material

ESET

ESET is a science-driven, global cybersecurity company based in the EU. The company is dedicated to protecting the progress that technology enables. ESET Protect provides a user-friendly interface and strong endpoint security capabilities. The platform combines next-gen prevention, detection, and proactive threat-hunting.

Pros of ESET

• Cloud-based sandboxing technology to protect against ransomware
• Full disk encryption
• Easily accessible console to improve TCO of security management
• Single-pane-of-glass remote management for visibility of threats, users, and quarantined items
• Company endpoints and mobiles are protected via advanced multilayered technology

Cons of ESET

• Can be costly
• Slow performance
• Steep learning curve to manage
• Compatibility issues

Symantec

Symantec is a subsidiary of Broadcom and provides advanced cybersecurity and cloud platforms. Symantec Endpoint Security (SES) offers comprehensive protection and is designed to protect against malware attacks for traditional and mobile devices.

Pros of Symantec

• Behavioral isolation
• Active Directory security
• Threat Hunter technologies.
• Protection for corporate and remote employees
• Single-agent and console architecture
• Defends against living-off-the-land attacks

Cons of Symantec

• Lack of updates
• Inefficient HIPS/HIDS
• Resource intensive
• Manual XDR correlation

SentinelOne Singularity Platform

SentinelOne provides autonomous cybersecurity solutions for various IT environments. The company's main focus is on endpoint security, cloud security, and identity security. SentinelOne Singularity platform predicts malicious behavior across all vectors and rapidly eliminates threats with a fully automated incident response protocol.

Pros of SentinelOne

• Unified Next-Gen Antivirus, EPP, EDR, and XDR
• AI automation
• Threat detection
• Real-time incident response

Cons of SentinelOne

• False positives
• Update issues
• Agent issues
• Compatibility issues
• Steep learning curve

Harmony Endpoint

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. is a global company that offers cybersecurity solutions to governmental and business entities. These platforms are designed to safeguard against a variety of cyber threats including malware and ransomware. The Harmony Endpoint solution is a comprehensive endpoint security platform that unifies prevention, detection, and response using a prevention-first approach powered by ThreatCloud AI.

Pros of Harmony Endpoint

• Single-managed console
• Threat-hunting capabilities
• Endpoint scanning
• Easy usage
• Cloud administration

Cons of Harmony Endpoint

• Performance issues
• Agent issues
• Resource consumption
• Integration issues with SIEM
• Slow updates

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft has been a global tech company for decades with several platforms, products, and services across the board. The Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a complete endpoint security solution that uses AI-powered technology to deliver preventative protection, post-breach detection, automated investigation, and response.

Pros of Microsoft Defender

• Automatic attack disruption
• Security-specific generative AI to rapidly investigate and respond to incidents
• Recommendation from Microsoft Secure Score

Cons of Microsoft Defender

• Compatibility issues
• Poor support
• Low customization
• False positives
• Resource usage

Cortex XDR

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. is an American cybersecurity company that specializes in advanced firewalls and cloud-based platforms. The Cortex XDR is a sophisticated product that can block advanced malware, exploits, and file-less attacks with a comprehensive endpoint security stack.

Pros of Cortex XDR

• Behavioral Threat Protection
• AI automation
• Cloud-based analysis
• 100% score in MITRE Engenuity ATT&CK Evaluation
• User-friendly and flexible

Cons of Cortex XDR

• False positives
• Poor customer service
• Limited product support
• Tedious deployment

ThreatDown Endpoint Detection and Response

Malwarebytes is an anti-malware software for Microsoft Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Android, and iOS that finds and removes malware. The ThreatDown EDR platform combines enterprise-grade protection against a range of threats, including malware, ransomware, zero-day exploits, and phishing. The product mitigates the spread of infection using accelerated investigation workflows to detonate malware securely in a sandbox environment.

Pros of ThreatDown

• User friendly
• Easy administration and setup
• 72-hour one-click Ransomware Rollback capabilities
• Enhanced threat detection

Cons of ThreatDown

• Poor customer support
• False positives
• Missing features
• Compatibility issues

We can further deduce the best CrowdStrike alternatives by comparing platforms according to several factors to consider when choosing the right cybersecurity product – as tabulated below.

As customers search for new and reliable CrowdStrike alternatives and rifles through CrowdStrike competitors, it’s important to understand what your company needs and what your company deserves in terms of cybersecurity. For more information on Sangfor’s Endpoint Secure solution as an alternative to CrowdStrike or to read about Sangfor’s cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity platforms, visit www.sangfor.com today.

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