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Cisco IOS Security vs Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco IOS Security
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
16th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
Firewalls (30th)
Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
18th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 2.2%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise is 2.1%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco IOS Security2.2%
Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise2.1%
Other95.7%
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
 

Featured Reviews

Danijel Cerovecki - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
Have faced challenges in keeping licensing clear and consistent while ensuring reliable network protection
We are a Gold Partner with Cisco. Our customers come from various industries, including service providers, and we target service providers and enterprise customers.We do not extensively use Zone-Based Firewalls in Cisco IOS Security, instead typically deploying standalone firewalls such as Cisco FTDs or Cisco ASA devices. For threat analytics and vulnerability scanning, we utilize third-party vendors with dedicated devices and software. We use products such as Tenable from Nessus for this type of analysis. We have implemented Secure Access Control Server in Cisco IOS Security, which combines multiple security mechanisms including AAA, 802.1X for network access control with Cisco ICE, TrustSec for identity-based segmentation, and Cisco DNA Center. Cisco IOS Security's VPN support is comprehensive and increasingly important in daily communication, from basic site-to-site tunnels to remote access VPNs and SD-WAN secure VPNs. Protecting and encrypting communication is essential in modern networks. The challenges with Cisco IOS Security are more operational than product-related. There is an understaffing issue, making automation and orchestration capabilities particularly valuable. For the products themselves, we only encounter routine operational matters such as addressing new vulnerabilities and patching. For those considering Cisco IOS Security, it is important to understand that Cisco offers a complete ecosystem. When embracing the Cisco ecosystem fully, customers receive excellent products and comprehensive solutions. On a scale of 1-10, I rate Cisco IOS Security a 9.
reviewer2093205 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Cybersecurity Analyst at a energy/utilities company with 1,001-5,000 employees
It has excellent scalability and allows you to execute custom COCR rules, letting you fine-tune agent monitoring
I'm using Tripwire Enterprise version 9.0. In my company, thirty to forty people use Tripwire Enterprise, mainly different types of engineers, governance, risk, compliance, and cybersecurity personnel. I advise people planning to use Tripwire Enterprise to take the training because the solution has a fairly complex interface. You can do a lot of work with it, but it isn't very easy. Tripwire Enterprise is a sophisticated tool. I rate the tool an eight on a scale of one to ten because it does an excellent job of handling the unique challenges of maintaining NERC CIP compliance and monitoring industrial controls.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"IOS Security is more stable than competitors, and Cisco is more comprehensive in its approach."
"We use the product for firewalls."
"The hardware is pretty stable. It's also a very good product performance-wise. Initially, it wasn't mature like a firewall and there were other leaders, but now they have included almost all the features of next-generation security. Basically, it's a good product to work with."
"Completely integrates branch offices with perimeter security."
"The Intrusion Firewall is a valuable feature."
"The product is easy to use."
"Thinking about the ease of managing these platforms and the technical support that we have, we can avoid extra costs and investments."
"The VPN connection portal scan works flawlessly, which was a big plus for us."
"The product supports different platforms."
"File monitoring is the most valuable feature of the solution."
"The most valuable feature is the integrity, because if the file configuration has been modified this solution calculates a hash code of the file and, if someone has changed the file, the solution will recalculate the hash and the admin receives a notice that the file has been modified, by sending an email or an alert to the administrator that someone has modified, added, or deleted a line, not just in files but also in tables metadata and network device configurations."
"The most valuable feature is integrity management. I had some discussions with service providers, and they also agreed."
"Its reporting features are great. It gives you an in-depth report. Its customization is also great, and it is working fine."
"What's most valuable in Tripwire Enterprise is the ability to execute custom COCR rules that lets me fine-tune how I monitor Linux and Windows agents."
"Even if you change a single word in Notepad, it will let you know whether it was added, removed, or modified."
"Its reporting features are great, it gives you an in-depth report, its customization is also great, and it is working fine."
 

Cons

"Most of their features are meant for Cisco. You cannot integrate them with any other vendor."
"There are the usual bugs that are inherent to some software upgrades. Sometimes this provides some unexpected issues, however, it happens with all brands all the time."
"Their support was very bad. We have a very bad experience on the support."
"Signatures and other critical definitions need to be updated more frequently."
"It would be ideal if the solution had more capacity."
"The product's technical support services need improvement."
"The configuration and reporting interfaces need a lot of improvement. It needs to be more accessible forsolide without a strong technical background. If you had a simplified dashboard, the lower-level techs could manage the solution and provide services. Cisco IOS Security requires someone who is highly trained to operate it."
"Currently, integration with UTM is missing. Cisco IOS Security also doesn't have the load balancers and a few things that need to be done to get a good UTM firewall."
"The Windows online integration license needs to be improved."
"There are several errors when deploying this solution to AIX systems, but with the help of support, it can be done."
"The main way that it can be improved is through better reporting."
"It needs more local support from the OEM side. It would be great if this can be improved."
"It needs more local support from the OEM side."
"An area for improvement in Tripwire Enterprise is stability, as my company had stability issues with the last few versions of the solution. Tripwire Enterprise has been a bit buggy."
"Cloud monitoring could be better. It would also be better if the company followed a pay-as-you-use model."
"The deployment with certain systems can be difficult and it needs to be simplified."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The licensing is on a subscription basis, and it is fairly costly. I would prefer a one-time payment."
"The solution's pricing is very good."
"I rate Cisco IOS Security's pricing a ten out of ten."
"Palo Alto networks are more expensive than this solution and this is why you will see more products like this one in Mexico."
"The tool could be priced lower. If you want advanced services, then you need to purchase them."
"The pricing is okay. It is competitive. It costs more when you need get more features."
"The cost of the license, to the best of my knowledge, is approximately two thousand dollars."
"The cost may be around $5,000 to $10,000 a year. If you want support you have to pay at least this price."
"The licensing depends on the equipment, how many devices and the types of devices."
"Tripwire is more expensive than Netwrix."
"Cloud monitoring could be better. It could also be cheaper. It would be better if the company followed a pay-as-you-use model."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
21%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Marketing Services Firm
7%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
Media Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise14
Large Enterprise18
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Large Enterprise3
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco IOS Security?
Cisco IOS Security is a mature product with extensive capabilities, serving as the base for the defense layer. It offers good network visibility, which helps in rapid response through the Rapid Thr...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco IOS Security?
The cost of Cisco IOS Security for customers is on the higher end of pricing compared to the competition, depending on the targeted customers.This can be a major issue as enterprise customers are o...
What needs improvement with Cisco IOS Security?
Regarding improvements in Cisco IOS Security, what consistently confuses me is the inability of Cisco to maintain a clear licensing policy.This is an issue that I have observed for years now. Cisco...
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Also Known As

IOS Security
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Arup Group, Brunel University London, City of Biel, Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha, K&L Gates , New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Offshore Northern Seas, Transplace
1. Aetna 2. Adobe 3. ADP 4. Airbus 5. Amazon 6. American Express 7. Aon 8. ATT 9. Bank of America 10. Barclays 11. Baxter International 12. Bechtel 13. Boeing 14. Cisco Systems 15. CocaCola 16. Comcast 17. Dell 18. ETRADE 19. ExxonMobil 20. Ford Motor Company 21. General Electric 22. General Motors 23. Google 24. JPMorgan Chase 25. Kraft Foods 26. Lockheed Martin 27. McDonald's 28. Merck 29. Microsoft 30. Morgan Stanley 31. Nike 32. Oracle
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS Security vs. Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,976 professionals have used our research since 2012.