Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

AWS IoT Device Defender VS Azure Sphere

Compare AWS IoT Device Defender VS Azure Sphere and see what are their differences

AWS IoT Device Defender logo AWS IoT Device Defender

Manage the security of your fleet. With AWS IoT Device Defender, you can audit and monitor device configurations. Get started today.

Azure Sphere logo Azure Sphere

Help protect your connected IoT devices, such as MCUs and crossover modules, development kits, and guardian devices, with Azure Sphere.
  • AWS IoT Device Defender Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-02-05
  • Azure Sphere Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-12

AWS IoT Device Defender features and specs

  • Comprehensive Security
    AWS IoT Device Defender provides a comprehensive security solution specifically designed for IoT devices, which helps in identifying potential security risks and vulnerabilities.
  • Automated Auditing
    It offers automated auditing of security configurations, helping ensure that IoT devices comply with security best practices continuously without manual intervention.
  • Anomaly Detection
    The service enables anomaly detection in device behavior, allowing users to identify unexpected anomalies that might indicate a security breach or device malfunction.
  • Custom Metrics Monitoring
    Users can create custom metrics to monitor specific device attributes or behaviors, providing more tailored and relevant insights into potential security issues.
  • AWS Integration
    It integrates seamlessly with other AWS services, allowing for streamlined operations and leveraging AWS's robust infrastructure and best practices.

Possible disadvantages of AWS IoT Device Defender

  • Complexity
    The setup and management of AWS IoT Device Defender can be complex, especially for users unfamiliar with AWS services, potentially leading to a steep learning curve.
  • Cost
    The cost associated with using AWS IoT Device Defender can be high for large-scale deployments, as it charges based on the number of audits and monitored metrics, which may be prohibitive for small businesses.
  • Dependency on AWS Ecosystem
    Relying on AWS IoT Device Defender means dependence on the AWS ecosystem, which might limit flexibility if users wish to integrate with non-AWS systems or consider multi-cloud strategies.
  • Limited Offline Capability
    The service predominantly operates online, so devices or solutions that require significant offline capabilities might find it challenging to use AWS IoT Device Defender effectively.

Azure Sphere features and specs

  • Comprehensive Security
    Azure Sphere provides end-to-end security features that include hardware root of trust, defense in depth, and certificate-based authentication, which help protect IoT devices from evolving threats.
  • Cloud Connectivity
    Azure Sphere is designed to securely connect devices to the internet and enable seamless integration with Azure IoT services, allowing for efficient data management and analytics.
  • Simplified Development
    The platform includes a secure operating system and development tools that simplify the process of building and deploying secure applications for IoT devices.
  • Automated Software Updates
    Azure Sphere provides over-the-air updates, ensuring that devices consistently receive the latest security patches and software improvements automatically.
  • Scalability
    Azure Sphere is built to scale, making it suitable for small-scale deployments as well as large, complex IoT ecosystems, helping businesses grow without sacrificing security or performance.

Possible disadvantages of Azure Sphere

  • Initial Cost
    Implementing Azure Sphere may involve higher upfront costs due to the requirement of specific hardware and integration, which might not be suitable for all budgets.
  • Limited Hardware Compatibility
    The platform is designed to work with specific certified devices, which restricts the choice of hardware compared to more open systems.
  • Learning Curve
    Developers may face a learning curve when starting with Azure Sphere, especially if they are not familiar with Microsoft's ecosystem or IoT security best practices.
  • Dependency on Azure
    To fully leverage the capabilities of Azure Sphere, users might feel a dependency on Microsoft's Azure cloud services, which could lead to vendor lock-in.
  • Complex Deployment for Large Scale
    While Azure Sphere supports large-scale deployment, managing and orchestrating thousands of connected devices securely and effectively can become complex and require additional planning and resources.

AWS IoT Device Defender videos

AWS Tutorials - Working with AWS IoT Device Defender

Azure Sphere videos

Azure Sphere Overview

More videos:

  • Review - Introducing Azure Sphere
  • Review - Azure Sphere MT3620 Development Kit

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to AWS IoT Device Defender and Azure Sphere)
Monitoring Tools
61 61%
39% 39
Data Dashboard
56 56%
44% 44
IoT Platform
59 59%
41% 41
Online Services
21 21%
79% 79

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Azure Sphere seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

AWS IoT Device Defender mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of AWS IoT Device Defender yet. Tracking of AWS IoT Device Defender recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Azure Sphere mentions (2)

  • BitLocker, TPM and Pluton | What Are They and How Do They Work
    Pluton is a dedicated physical chip that runs on Azure sphere architecture. It is very much out of band and is technically physically on the same die as the CPU, but the CPU has no control over it at all because it has its own dedicated self-maintaining operating system. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Operating System in the IoT space
    Microsoft developed a Linux-based operating system for IoT devices called Azure Sphere. But it hasn't really caught on. Source: about 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing AWS IoT Device Defender and Azure Sphere, you can also consider the following products

Azure IoT Hub - Manage billions of IoT devices with Azure IoT Hub, a cloud platform that lets you easily connect, monitor, provision, and configure IoT devices.

Armis - The leading enterprise-class agentless device security platform to address the new threat landscape of unmanaged and IoT devices.

Symantec Critical System Protection - Symantec Critical System Protection is a flexible and compact behavioral security engine built with application whitelisting infused with anti-exploits for managed or standalone IoT devices.

Cyberbit - Cyberbit provides the most widely used Cyber Range training and simulation platform, as well as SOAR, ICS Security and EDR for IT/OT detection and response.

Broadkey - BroadKey: Key Provisioning Software IP for IoT security. Hardware Root of Trust via unclonable device identities. Deploy any time in device lifecycle.

Trend Micro Deep Security - Excellent hybrid cloud security doesn't require your business to sacrifice operational performance. Trend Micro lets you keep business moving securely.