Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment vs XM Cyber comparison

IBM and XM Cyber are both solutions in the Vulnerability Management category. IBM is ranked #49, while XM Cyber is ranked #35 with an average rating of 8.0. IBM holds a 0.5% mindshare in VM, compared to XM Cyber’s 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 66% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of XM Cyber users who would recommend it.
Sponsored
Zafran Security
Read 5 Zafran Security reviews
  • 858 Views
  • 101 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
IBM Guardium Vulnerability ...
Read 4 IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment reviews
  • 569 Views
  • 306 Comparison Views
66% willing to recommend
XM Cyber
Read 2 XM Cyber reviews
  • 1,075 Views
  • 259 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report
Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 9, 2024

IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment and XM Cyber are competing products in the cybersecurity space. IBM Guardium seems to have the upper hand in terms of data security and compliance, but XM Cyber stands out with its proactive threat mitigation and forward-thinking capabilities.

Features: IBM Guardium is recognized for its robust data protection, real-time data monitoring, and comprehensive compliance support. These features help safeguard organizations' data assets effectively. XM Cyber, on the other hand, emphasizes advanced security analytics, proactive threat identification, and dynamic simulations to anticipate potential threats, prioritizing proactive threat mitigation.

Room for Improvement: IBM Guardium could enhance its proactive threat detection and simulation features. Additionally, increasing integration flexibility and offering more comprehensive cloud solutions could be beneficial. XM Cyber might improve by simplifying its user interface and reducing the learning curve associated with its advanced features. Enhancing customer service responsiveness and offering more cost-effective solutions could also be considered potential areas for development.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Guardium is known for having a straightforward deployment process and comprehensive support that contributes to enhanced customer satisfaction. XM Cyber offers a cloud-based solution that simplifies integration significantly but may require a learning curve due to its advanced features. IBM’s emphasis on customer service offers a seamless experience, whereas XM Cyber’s approach might pose initial challenges but brings benefits for large-scale deployments.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Guardium is noted for its competitive pricing, providing substantial value for money and a clear path to ROI through efficient data protection. XM Cyber has a higher setup cost but delivers strong ROI with advanced threat detection and prevention capabilities. IBM Guardium’s pricing appeals to organizations focused on data compliance, while XM Cyber targets those aiming for comprehensive threat management, justified by its higher initial investment.

DOWNLOAD THE COMPLETE REPORT
To learn more, read our detailed IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment vs. XM Cyber Report (Updated: June 2025).
Buyer's Guide
IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment vs. XM Cyber
June 2025
Download the complete report
Helped 859,533 peers since 2012

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

Zafran Security
Sponsored
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
18th
Average Rating
9.4
Reviews Sentiment
8.2
Number of Reviews
5
Ranking in other categories
Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) (2nd)
IBM Guardium Vulnerability ...
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
49th
Average Rating
6.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.1
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
XM Cyber
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
35th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
Continuous Controls Monitoring (8th), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (26th), Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Vulnerability Management category, the mindshare of Zafran Security is 0.7%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment is 0.5%, down from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of XM Cyber is 1.1%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Vulnerability Management
 

Featured Reviews

Israel Cavazos Landini - PeerSpot reviewer
Weekly insights and risk analysis facilitate informed security decisions
I appreciate the weekly insights Zafran provides, which include critical topics for networks and IT security, allowing us to evaluate which insights apply to our environment. The organization score feature is valuable to keep the leadership team updated on how our infrastructure fares security-wise. The applicable risk level versus base risk level feature is beneficial because prior to Zafran, we only used the base risk level, but now understand that risk depends on the asset itself. Zafran is an excellent tool.
Read full review
SL
Improvements sought in database optimization while benefiting from robust security monitoring
We use the analytical functionality of Guardium, but the analytical functionality is not so powerful or flexible because it does not include the application user ID. It only includes the database user ID. To identify risky users, it does not support end users, so IBM must incorporate this feature into the built-in analytical engine of the Guardium. There is only one problem I experienced while using Guardium: the internal database of the collector is MySQL, which is not so powerful or flexible. When you make a query in a MySQL database, it takes too much time to respond. IBM should replace this MySQL database with a more powerful internal database for the logging mechanism so that Guardium can collect logging data flexibly and ensure optimization. My overall experience with Guardium is good. The only problem is that IBM must replace the internal DB, MySQL, with a more powerful enterprise-level database because enterprises use it at an enterprise level, and MySQL does not support optimally.
Read full review
Chee Young Tan - PeerSpot reviewer
Has a valuable feature for attack simulation; it highlights the vulnerability and offers recommendations for improvement
XM Cyber helps identify risk by creating a shadow environment mirroring the production system. While it doesn't directly mitigate risks, it simulates attacks across this replica, uncovering vulnerabilities and weak points within the system. Once a WISC is established, it highlights the vulnerability and offers recommendations for improvement. It provides reporting templates, making the process faster. I rate it an eight out of ten.
Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"We are able to see the real risk of a vulnerability on our environment with our security tools."
"Overall, we have seen about eighty-seven percent reduction of the number of vulnerabilities that require urgency to remediate, specifically the number of criticals."
"Zafran is an excellent tool."
"We saw benefits from Zafran Security almost immediately after deploying it."
"Zafran has become an indispensable tool in our cybersecurity arsenal."
"It helped with some of the regulatory requirements. It also helped with some of the security analytics and analysis. It was worthwhile from that perspective."
"The reporting features are good and there are many built-in reports that can be quickly configured."
"The Vulnerability Assessment feature is quite stable and helps identify numerous vulnerabilities in databases."
"The most valuable feature is that it provides a simple English recommendation on actions that you need to take once a vulnerability is discovered."
"What I personally like very much, from my experience, is that it is very reliable."
"The platform's most valuable feature is attack simulation."
 

Cons

"I think the ability to have some enhanced reporting capabilities is something they can improve on, as they have good reports but we have asked for some specific reporting enhancements."
"The dashboarding and reporting functionality of Zafran Security is an area that definitely could use some improvements."
"Initially, we were somewhat concerned about the scalability of Zafran due to our large asset count and the substantial amount of information we needed to process."
"There is only one problem I experienced while using Guardium: the internal database of the collector is MySQL, which is not so powerful or flexible."
"It was not as easy to use. The user-friendliness of it was somewhat lower than what I was expecting. It was also lacking in terms of the ease of the setup. There should be an automatic agent for deployment."
"Building policies is not that easy. There are some things that are turned off by default, for example, displaying values."
"The interface could be improved by having sub-groups of tests, ultimately making the process of collecting tests faster."
"XM Cyber could identify all areas of vulnerability. They could expand the identification span for different areas."
"We'd like to see a cheaper price."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"One thing not advantageous for it was that it was a little bit more expensive. I would rate it one out of five in terms of pricing."
"We have to pay standard licensing fees."
report
See which vendors are best for you
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Vulnerability Management solutions are best for your needs.
See recommendations
859,533 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Healthcare Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
38%
Computer Software Company
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Insurance Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Retailer
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
No data available
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Zafran Security?
The current pricing of Zafran Security is fair overall. They were good to work with to accommodate our organization w...
See all answers
What needs improvement with Zafran Security?
The dashboarding and reporting functionality of Zafran Security is an area that definitely could use some improvement...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Zafran Security?
Zafran Security is helping reduce the amount of critical vulnerabilities in our environments that require prompt reme...
See all answers
Ask a question
Earn 20 points
What do you like most about XM Cyber?
The platform's most valuable feature is attack simulation.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for XM Cyber?
We have to pay standard licensing fees. There are no additional costs. It is an expensive product. I rate the pricing...
See all answers
What needs improvement with XM Cyber?
XM Cyber could identify all areas of vulnerability. They could expand the identification span for different areas.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Wiz Code vs Zafran Security Logo
Wiz Code vs Zafran Security
Compared 41% of the time
Vulcan Cyber vs Zafran Security Logo
Vulcan Cyber vs Zafran Security
Compared 17% of the time
ServiceNow Security Operations vs Zafran Security Logo
ServiceNow Security Operations vs Zafran Security
Compared 10% of the time
Tenable Vulnerability Management vs Zafran Security Logo
Tenable Vulnerability Management vs Zafran Security
Compared 8% of the time
Nucleus vs Zafran Security Logo
Nucleus vs Zafran Security
Compared 7% of the time
More Zafran Security Competitors
Qualys VMDR vs IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment Logo
Qualys VMDR vs IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment
Compared 30% of the time
Tenable Vulnerability Management vs IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment Logo
Tenable Vulnerability Management vs IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment
Compared 28% of the time
Tenable Nessus vs IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment Logo
Tenable Nessus vs IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment
Compared 26% of the time
Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment Logo
Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment
Compared 16% of the time
More IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment Competitors
Pentera vs XM Cyber Logo
Pentera vs XM Cyber
Compared 21% of the time
Cymulate vs XM Cyber Logo
Cymulate vs XM Cyber
Compared 17% of the time
Wiz vs XM Cyber Logo
Wiz vs XM Cyber
Compared 14% of the time
SafeBreach vs XM Cyber Logo
SafeBreach vs XM Cyber
Compared 7% of the time
Qualys VMDR vs XM Cyber Logo
Qualys VMDR vs XM Cyber
Compared 6% of the time
More XM Cyber Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM)
June 2025
Zafran Security reportDownload Zafran Security product report
Buyer's Guide
Vulnerability Management
June 2025
IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment reportDownload IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment product report
Buyer's Guide
Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM)
June 2025
XM Cyber reportDownload XM Cyber product report
 

Overview

Zafran Security integrates with existing security tools to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities effectively, proving that most critical vulnerabilities are not exploitable, optimizing threat management.

Zafran Security introduces an innovative operating model for managing security threats and vulnerabilities. By leveraging the threat exposure management platform, it pinpoints and prioritizes exploitable vulnerabilities, reducing risk through immediate remediation. This platform enhances your hybrid cloud security by normalizing vulnerability signals and integrating specific IT context data, such as CVE runtime presence and internet asset reachability, into its analysis. No longer reliant on patch windows, Zafran Security allows you to manage risks actively.

What are the key features of Zafran Security?

  • Threat Exposure Management: Utilizes existing tools to prioritize vulnerabilities and manage threats.
  • Integrative Analysis: Combines security data with IT context for precise vulnerability management.
  • Real-time Risk Reduction: Enables immediate risk management without waiting for patches.
  • Hybrid Cloud Compatibility: Functions across diverse cloud environments for comprehensive security.

What benefits can users expect from Zafran Security?

  • Improved Security: Enhances protection by efficiently identifying and mitigating risks.
  • Cost Efficiency: Reduces unnecessary patching expenses by confirming non-exploitable vulnerabilities.
  • Time Savings: Frees developers to focus on root causes by handling immediate threats.
  • Comprehensive Insight: Offers a holistic view of security threats and vulnerabilities.

In industries where security is paramount, such as finance and healthcare, Zafran Security provides invaluable protection by ensuring that only exploitable vulnerabilities are addressed. It allows entities to maintain robust security measures while allocating resources efficiently, fitting seamlessly into existing security strategies.

Zafran Security

IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment scans data infrastructures (databases, data warehouses and big data environments) to detect vulnerabilities, and suggests remedial actions. The solution identifies exposures such as missing patches, weak passwords, unauthorized changes and misconfigured privileges.

IBM

XM Cyber is a leading hybrid cloud security company that’s changing the way innovative organizations approach cyber risk. Our attack path management platform continuously uncovers hidden attack paths to your critical assets across cloud and on-prem environments, so you can cut them off at key junctures and eradicate risk with a fraction of the effort. This overcomes the big disconnect that security teams experience when they’re presented with endless alerts, yet can’t see which exposures impact risk the most, how they come together to be exploited by an attacker, or how to efficiently eliminate them. This approach is a complete game-changer, which is why some of the world’s largest, most complex organizations choose XM Cyber to help eradicate risk. Founded by top executives from the Israeli cyber intelligence community, XM Cyber has offices in North America, Europe, and Israel.

XM Cyber
 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Information Not Available
Hamburg Port Authority, Plymouth Rock Corporation
Buyer's Guide
IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment vs. XM Cyber
June 2025
Free Report: IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment vs. XM Cyber
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment vs. XM Cyber and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
DOWNLOAD NOW
859,533 professionals have used our research since 2012.
See our IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment vs. XM Cyber report.
See our list of best Vulnerability Management vendors.

We monitor all Vulnerability Management reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.