AWS - GuardDuty vs Inspector
AWS Inspector
AWS Inspector is an automated vulnerability management service. It monitors Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) and Elastic Container Registry (ECR) and scans for software vulnerabilities and unintended network exposure.
AWS GuardDuty
GuardDuty is an intelligent threat detection service that monitors AWS accounts, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instances, Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS) clusters, and data stored in Amazon Simple Storage Service (S3).
Differences between the two services
| Inspector | GuardDuty |
|---|---|
| Inspector monitors EC2, ECR. | GuardDuty monitors EC2, EKS, S3. |
| Inspector identifies vulnerabilities that may be used by malicious actors. | GuardDuty identifies abuse as it is happening (in realtime). |
| Inspector begins a scan when an event occurs that may introduce a new vulnerability. (new software, update etc) | GuardDuty keeps scanning in realtime. GuardDuty analyses live streams of logs and network activity. |
| Inspector looks for exposure, vulnerabilities, and deviations from best practices. These are common and generic vulnerabilities, not specific to any account. | GuardDuty looks for potential malicious activity. It uses Machine Learning to detect anomalous behavior, so it specific to your account / application. |
| Inspector may need a software agent to be installed on your server. For some services (EC2 vulnerability scanning), the SSM agent is required. The agent may be pre-installed on some servers, or may have to be manually installed. | GuardDuty does not require any installation. |
| Inspector does not have the option of automated preventative actions. The fixes have to be manual. | GuardDuty allows automated preventative actions. |
| Inspector monitors infrastructure security issues. It does not monitor user activity. | GuardDuty monitors user activity. Failed Logins, Port scanning, API calls, Attacker recon etc. |
| With Inspector, in cases where the SSM agent has to be installed, it may consume AWS resources and increase costs. | GuardDuty operates independently of the user's AWS resources and has no impact on performance. |
| Inspector offers a 15 day free trial. | GuardDuty offers a slightly longer 30 day free trial. |
Which one - GuardDuty or Inspector - is more critical for information security ?
While both services are important in their own way, GuardDuty is more critical for information security.
- GuardDuty monitors a broader range of services than Inspector.
- GuardDuty scans in realtime by analysing logs and network activity, Inspector fires scans based on events (new software package, updates etc).
- GuardDuty uses Machine Learning to update threat indicators. Inspector does not use Machine Learning.
- Broadly, GuardDuty monitors user activity. Inspector monitors infrastructure issues.
However, the following points need to be considered.
- GuardDuty generates real time alerts. It is necessary for someone to monitor and review the alerts.
- Inspector flags issues before they are abused. GuardDuty flags issues in realtime.
In conclusion, both services are important, but GuardDuty offers more and is more critical for information security.
Equivalent of both services in GCP, Azure
GCP: Security Command Center
GCP Security command center is a Security and risk management platform for Google Cloud.
The service monitors both user activity (threat detection, network activity, log analysis), as well as infrastructure issues (misconfiguration, vulnerabilities, outdated libraries).
So the GCP Security Command Center is the GCP equivalent of both AWS Inspector and AWS GuardDuty.
Azure Sentinel
Azure Sentinel (or Microsoft Sentinel) is a security information and event management service.
The service analyses log data and uses machine learning to provide real time monitoring and alerts. The service also allows for automatic responses to detected threats.
Based on these features, Azure Sentinel is the rough equivalent of AWS GuardDuty.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Microsoft Defender for Cloud (formerly Azure Security Center) is a unified infrastructure security management system.
The service provides security alerts, scores, vulnerability assessment, recommendations, and security posture management.
Unlike Inspector/GuardDuty - which can only be used on AWS infrastructure - Defender for cloud can be used on GCP or AWS systems as well.
Based on these features, Azure Security Center is the rough equivalent of AWS Inspector.