Tenable vs Arctic Wolf -- Vulnerability Management Compared
Arctic Wolf takes a fundamentally different approach from Tenable by delivering vulnerability management as a fully managed service rather than a self-service platform. While Tenable gives security teams powerful tools they operate themselves, Arctic Wolf provides dedicated security engineers who handle scanning, analysis, and remediation guidance on the customer's behalf. This makes Arctic Wolf ideal for understaffed organizations, but limits the control and customization that mature security teams expect.
Choose Arctic Wolf if you want vulnerability management delivered as a fully managed service by dedicated security engineers and lack the in-house expertise to operate scanning tools. Choose Tenable if your security team has the expertise to run a best-in-class vulnerability management program and needs deep scanning coverage, compliance benchmarks, and full platform control.
| Feature | Arctic Wolf | Tenable |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Model | Fully managed service | Self-service platform |
| Staffing Requirement | None (Arctic Wolf team operates) | Requires in-house VM expertise |
| Scan Customization | Limited (managed by provider) | Full control over scan policies |
| Remediation Support | Guided recommendations with business context | Vulnerability data for self-service triage |
| Scanning Engine | Arctic Wolf proprietary | Nessus (200,000+ plugins) |
| MDR Integration | Native Arctic Wolf MDR integration | Third-party SIEM/SOAR integration |
| Cost Structure | Managed service premium | Platform licensing only |
| Time to Value | Fast (provider handles setup) | Longer (requires deployment and tuning) |
Common questions about choosing between Tenable and Arctic Wolf.
Arctic Wolf takes a fundamentally different approach from Tenable by delivering vulnerability management as a fully managed service rather than a self-service platform. While Tenable gives security teams powerful tools they operate themselves, Arctic Wolf provides dedicated security engineers who handle scanning, analysis, and remediation guidance on the customer's behalf. This makes Arctic Wolf ideal for understaffed organizations, but limits the control and customization that mature security teams expect.
Choose Arctic Wolf if you want vulnerability management delivered as a fully managed service by dedicated security engineers and lack the in-house expertise to operate scanning tools. Choose Tenable if your security team has the expertise to run a best-in-class vulnerability management program and needs deep scanning coverage, compliance benchmarks, and full platform control.
Arctic Wolf pricing: Custom pricing based on environment size / Typically $3-5/asset/month. Tenable pricing: Nessus Professional from $3,990/year / Tenable.io from $2,275/year (65 assets) / Enterprise custom pricing. Arctic Wolf's pricing model is per-asset managed service (annual contract), while Tenable uses per-asset (annual subscription) pricing.
Yes, you can migrate from Tenable to Arctic Wolf. 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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