The commercial security market is saturated with expensive platforms that promise comprehensive protection. For many organisations, these tools are neither affordable nor necessary.
The open-source security ecosystem has matured significantly. Tools like Wazuh for SIEM and endpoint detection, OpenVAS for vulnerability scanning, and Suricata for network intrusion detection provide capabilities that rival their commercial counterparts.
The trade-off is operational: open-source tools require more hands-on configuration, integration, and maintenance. But for organisations with competent IT teams -- or a managed service partner like STG -- the cost savings are substantial.
We typically recommend a hybrid approach. Use open-source tools where they perform well and commercial solutions where the operational burden of self-management outweighs the cost savings. The key is making informed decisions rather than defaulting to the most marketed option.
A well-architected security stack built on open-source foundations can provide continuous monitoring, automated alerting, and comprehensive logging at a fraction of the cost of an all-commercial approach.