Azure Security Center vs Prisma Cloud: What are the differences?

Introduction

Azure Security Center and Prisma Cloud are two popular cloud security platforms that provide comprehensive solutions for protecting cloud workloads, data, and applications. While both platforms offer robust security features, there are key differences between them. In this article, we will explore and compare the key differences between Azure Security Center and Prisma Cloud.

1. Architecture: Azure Security Center is a native cloud solution provided by Microsoft that integrates with Azure services, allowing users to manage and secure Azure resources. It provides a centralized view of the security posture and offers recommendations to remediate vulnerabilities. On the other hand, Prisma Cloud is a multi-cloud solution that supports various cloud providers, including Azure, AWS, and Google Cloud. It provides holistic security across multiple cloud environments and offers compliance monitoring, threat detection, and incident response capabilities.

2. Scope: Azure Security Center primarily focuses on securing Azure resources such as virtual machines, containers, databases, and Azure Active Directory. It offers built-in security policies and recommendations specific to Azure services. In contrast, Prisma Cloud offers a broader coverage by securing resources across multiple cloud providers, making it suitable for organizations with a multi-cloud or hybrid cloud architecture.

3. Compliance: Azure Security Center allows organizations to enforce compliance with industry standards such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001. It provides compliance assessments, recommendations, and continuous monitoring to help maintain a compliant environment. Prisma Cloud also offers compliance capabilities by providing predefined policies, continuous scanning for misconfigurations, and audit trails. However, it goes a step further by offering compliance checks and mappings against various industry standards, simplifying compliance management.

4. Threat Intelligence: Azure Security Center leverages Microsoft's vast threat intelligence database to detect and respond to security threats. It utilizes machine learning algorithms to analyze log data and identify suspicious activities. Prisma Cloud, on the other hand, provides comprehensive threat detection capabilities by combining machine learning, behavioral analytics, and threat intelligence from various sources. It offers real-time threat alerts, security incident investigation, and automated response.

5. Container Security: Azure Security Center includes container security capabilities that help protect containerized workloads deployed on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). It provides vulnerability scanning, image signing, and runtime protection for containers. Prisma Cloud, being a multi-cloud solution, offers container security features across various container orchestration platforms like Kubernetes, Docker, and AWS ECS. It provides container vulnerability management, compliance checks, and runtime defense mechanisms.

6. SaaS Security: Prisma Cloud includes security features specifically designed for Software as a Service (SaaS) applications. It offers visibility and control over SaaS applications by integrating with popular SaaS providers such as Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and Google Workspace. It provides capabilities like data loss prevention (DLP), shadow IT detection, and real-time activity monitoring for SaaS applications. Azure Security Center does not offer specific features for securing SaaS applications.

In summary, Azure Security Center is a native cloud security solution focused on securing Azure resources, while Prisma Cloud is a multi-cloud security platform that provides comprehensive security across multiple cloud providers. Azure Security Center offers native integration with Azure services and focuses on securing Azure resources, while Prisma Cloud offers a broader coverage across different cloud providers and includes features like compliance management, threat intelligence, and SaaS application security.