Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

tcpdump VS Suricata

Compare tcpdump VS Suricata and see what are their differences

tcpdump logo tcpdump

tcpdump is a common packet analyzer that runs under the command line.

Suricata logo Suricata

Suricata is a high performance Network IDS, IPS and Network Security Monitoring engine.
  • tcpdump Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-27
  • Suricata Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-11-06

tcpdump features and specs

  • Powerful packet capturing
    tcpdump offers comprehensive capabilities for capturing network packets, providing detailed insights into network traffic, which makes it a powerful tool for network diagnostics and analysis.
  • Wide compatibility
    Being a widely used tool, tcpdump is compatible with numerous operating systems, including Linux, Unix, and macOS, ensuring accessibility across different platforms.
  • Filter flexibility
    tcpdump supports a wide range of filtering options that allow users to capture specific types of traffic, ensuring efficient and targeted packet capture.
  • Command-line interface
    tcpdump is a command-line tool, which provides advanced users the ability to script and automate tasks, making it highly efficient for those familiar with command-line operations.
  • Free and open-source
    tcpdump is open-source software, which means it is freely available for use and can be modified and distributed by anyone, fostering a community of users and contributors.

Possible disadvantages of tcpdump

  • Steep learning curve
    For users unfamiliar with command-line interfaces and packet-level networking, tcpdump can be difficult to learn due to its complex commands and options.
  • Minimal graphical interface
    tcpdump lacks a graphical user interface (GUI), which can make it less accessible for users who prefer visual tools over text-based interfaces.
  • Limited analysis capability
    While tcpdump is excellent for capturing packets, it offers limited built-in analysis features, requiring additional tools for comprehensive analysis of captured data.
  • High resource usage
    Running tcpdump with extensive capture options or on high-traffic networks can result in significant CPU and memory usage, potentially impacting system performance.
  • Security risks
    tcpdump requires root or elevated privileges to capture packets, which could pose security risks if not managed correctly, especially on sensitive systems.

Suricata features and specs

  • Open Source
    Suricata is an open-source project, meaning it's free to use and has a community of developers constantly improving it.
  • High Performance
    Optimized for high-speed networks, Suricata is capable of inspecting packets at gigabit speeds with minimal performance impact.
  • Multi-Threading
    Supports multi-threading which allows it to leverage multiple CPU cores for enhanced performance and scalability.
  • Protocol Identification
    Can accurately identify a wide range of network protocols even when they are using non-standard ports.
  • Unified Output
    Provides unified output options for logging and alerting, which simplifies the integration with other tools.
  • Versatile Detection
    Supports multiple types of threats such as intrusions, malware, and anomalies, encompassing various detection methodologies.
  • Community Support
    Strong community support that provides a wealth of shared knowledge, tutorials, and troubleshooting help.

Possible disadvantages of Suricata

  • Steep Learning Curve
    The complexity of setup and configuration can be challenging for beginners or those with limited experience in network security.
  • Resource Intensive
    Requires substantial system resources, especially on high-traffic networks, which might necessitate dedicated hardware.
  • Rule Management
    Managing and updating a large set of rules can be cumbersome, and improper rule configurations may lead to false positives or negatives.
  • Documentation
    While improving, the documentation can still be daunting and may not cover all edge cases or advanced configurations.
  • Complex Integration
    Integrating Suricata with other security tools and platforms can be complex and require custom configurations or additional middleware.
  • Potential for Overhead
    Depending on the network traffic and rules enabled, Suricata can introduce latency or overhead in network performance.
  • Frequent Updates
    Frequent updates and alerts might require constant monitoring and quick action to ensure the system remains secure and optimized.

tcpdump videos

Tcpdump - Protocol Review 5 (TCP)

More videos:

  • Review - Tcpdump - Protocol Review 3 (UDP)
  • Review - Tcpdump - Protocol Review 4 (DNS) - Draft

Suricata videos

Suricata Network IDS/IPS Installation, Setup, and How To Tune The Rules & Alerts on pfSense 2020

More videos:

  • Review - pfsense With Suricata Intrusion Detection System: How & When it works and What It Misses
  • Review - Test Case: Suricata VS Snort IDS

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to tcpdump and Suricata)
Monitoring Tools
57 57%
43% 43
Security & Privacy
0 0%
100% 100
Log Management
100 100%
0% 0
Cyber Security
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare tcpdump and Suricata

tcpdump Reviews

6 Best Wireshark Alternatives for Windows and macOS
The quickness that you can have with tcpdump over Wireshark is awesome. It is one of those tools that many network administrators prefer whenever they need to take a look at the actual network packets that are being transmitted. The Tcpdump is not as feature rich as Wireshark but the output of its packet dump can be used as input by other programs. Moreover, It can be used...
Source: techwiser.com

Suricata Reviews

The Top 14 Free and Open Source SIEM Tools For 2022
Prelude is a universal SIEM system and it collects, normalizes, sorts, aggregates, correlates and reports all security-related events independent of the product brand or licence giving rise to such events. Third-party agents to this tool include Auditd, OSSEC, Suricata, Kismet and ClamAV.
Source: logit.io

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Suricata seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 15 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.

tcpdump mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of tcpdump yet. Tracking of tcpdump recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Suricata mentions (15)

  • What is a Denial of Service (DoS) Attack? A Comprehensive Guide
    Suricata - High-performance Network IDS, IPS, and Network Security Monitoring engine. - Source: dev.to / 3 days ago
  • The Impact of Open-Source Tools in Cyber Warfare: A Deep Dive
    In summary, the open-source movement in cyber warfare has dismantled the long-held notion that only a select few can access and use cutting-edge cybersecurity tools. With resources like Suricata and Wireshark available at no cost, the barriers to entry have significantly decreased, allowing for both robust security defenses and increasingly complex cyber offensive strategies. The balance between offensive and... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Harnessing Open Source Cybersecurity: A Robust Defense Against Cyberwarfare
    Cyberwarfare can range from cyber espionage to full-scale digital assaults against critical infrastructures. With the increasing frequency and sophistication of these attacks, the demand for transparent, flexible, and cost-effective cybersecurity solutions has never been higher. Open source cybersecurity tools meet this demand head-on. Their transparency allows vulnerabilities to be identified and fixed rapidly,... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Who does check linux distros of malware - open source
    Linux has (free) tools to improve security and detect/remove malware: Lynis,Chkrootkit,Rkhunter,ClamAV,Vuls,LMD,radare2,Yara,ntopng,maltrail,Snort,Suricata... Source: over 1 year ago
  • Risks of hosting a website out of my house
    Monitoring & Active Measures - Exporting firewall events to an external time-series database like I describe above is good to see who is touching your firewall or accessing your web site. Using an Intrusion Detection System / Intrusion Prevention System (IDS/IPS) such as open-source Suricata, which is a free package on pfSense, and deploying file system integrity monitoring, such as the open-source Wazuh on the... Source: over 1 year ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing tcpdump and Suricata, you can also consider the following products

Wireshark - Wireshark is a network protocol analyzer for Unix and Windows. It lets you capture and interactively browse the traffic running on a computer network.

Wazuh - Open Source Host and Endpoint Security

Ettercap - Ettercap is a suite for man in the middle attacks on LAN.

snort - Snort is a free and open source network intrusion prevention system.

netcat - Netcat is a featured networking utility which reads and writes data across network connections...

SonicWall Capture Advanced Threat Protection - SonicWall Capture Advanced Threat Protection is a new cloud-based sandbox service that helps to provide continuous security against complex threats by leveraging intelligence and automation to proactively protect organizations from advanced attacks,…