CrowdStrike vs Palo Alto Cortex XDR -- Endpoint & EDR Compared
Palo Alto Cortex XDR leverages the company's extensive network security heritage to deliver a powerful XDR platform that correlates endpoint, network, and cloud telemetry. While CrowdStrike leads in pure cloud-native EDR, Cortex XDR excels when paired with Palo Alto's firewall infrastructure for unified network and endpoint visibility.
Choose Cortex XDR if your organization uses Palo Alto firewalls and wants unified network-endpoint visibility with automated root cause analysis. Choose CrowdStrike if you want a vendor-neutral, lightweight cloud-native EDR with industry-leading managed threat hunting.
| Feature | Palo Alto Cortex XDR | CrowdStrike |
|---|---|---|
| XDR Approach | Network + endpoint + cloud data stitching | Endpoint-first with cloud-native telemetry |
| Network Integration | Native Palo Alto NGFW integration | Third-party network data ingestion |
| Threat Intelligence | Unit 42 research team | CrowdStrike Intelligence + OverWatch |
| MITRE ATT&CK Results | Consistently top performer | Consistently top performer |
| Root Cause Analysis | Automated cross-source RCA | Process tree and threat graph analysis |
| Agent Weight | Moderate (additional host firewall features) | Lightweight single-purpose agent |
| Vendor Ecosystem | Best with Palo Alto stack | Vendor-neutral, broad integrations |
| Pricing | Custom, typically bundled | From $59.99/device/year |
Common questions about choosing between CrowdStrike and Palo Alto Cortex XDR.
Palo Alto Cortex XDR leverages the company's extensive network security heritage to deliver a powerful XDR platform that correlates endpoint, network, and cloud telemetry. While CrowdStrike leads in pure cloud-native EDR, Cortex XDR excels when paired with Palo Alto's firewall infrastructure for unified network and endpoint visibility.
Choose Cortex XDR if your organization uses Palo Alto firewalls and wants unified network-endpoint visibility with automated root cause analysis. Choose CrowdStrike if you want a vendor-neutral, lightweight cloud-native EDR with industry-leading managed threat hunting.
Palo Alto Cortex XDR pricing: Custom pricing / Typically bundled with Palo Alto security stack. CrowdStrike pricing: From $59.99/device/year (Falcon Go) / Enterprise custom. Palo Alto Cortex XDR's pricing model is per-endpoint or platform subscription, while CrowdStrike uses per-device subscription pricing.
Yes, you can migrate from CrowdStrike to Palo Alto Cortex XDR. The migration process depends on your specific setup and the features you use. Both platforms offer APIs that can facilitate automated migration. Consider running both tools in parallel during the transition to ensure zero downtime.
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