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NetWitness NDR vs Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 5, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
8.0
Implementing NetWitness NDR enhances security, improves network visibility, reduces costs, and boosts efficiency and productivity for businesses.
Sentiment score
6.9
Cortex XSOAR enhances ROI by automating tasks, requiring mature SOC processes for effective use and reduced false positives.
We are positioning Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR, which can be used in the SOC and do a lot of automation for the customer.
Vice President, Technology at Cache Digitech Pvt Ltd.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.3
NetWitness NDR's customer service is generally efficient and highly regarded, though some users report occasional slow response times.
Sentiment score
6.4
Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR support is responsive and skilled, though experiences vary with occasional delays and access issues.
The technical support provided by Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR is good.
Vice President, Technology at Cache Digitech Pvt Ltd.
Their support has been better than Anomali's and they are more responsive.
Enterprise Security Architect V at FirstEnergy
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.0
NetWitness NDR is scalable for large enterprises, though some users report issues with scalability and agent migration.
Sentiment score
7.3
Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR is praised for scalability and integration, handling enterprise demands with careful large deployment planning.
The scalability of Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR supports our growth and security needs because we can integrate various tools and continuously add more capability.
Enterprise Security Architect V at FirstEnergy
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.7
NetWitness NDR is generally reliable, providing real-time data and stability, though minor technical issues are occasionally reported.
Sentiment score
7.5
Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR is stable and reliable, with occasional bugs and performance issues, especially in cloud environments.
 

Room For Improvement

NetWitness NDR requires improvements in UI, scalability, detectability, integration, session times, pricing, training, and features, making it complex and slow.
Cortex XSOAR requires improved documentation, expanded IoT support, enhanced features, and better pricing for streamlined integration and user experience.
To improve the solution, it needs to have complete features that are low-code, no-code, and should be plug-and-play.
Vice President, Technology at Cache Digitech Pvt Ltd.
One of the significant issues we encounter is system slowdown when we receive an influx of alerts, which inhibits how quickly we can access the information needed for investigation.
Enterprise Security Architect V at FirstEnergy
Deployment is not easy, requiring significant tuning and building of integrations over weeks.
Presale Engineer at Westcon-Comstor
 

Setup Cost

Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR is costly but offers valuable integration and features, appealing to medium and large enterprises.
For customers, it is zero versus $20 million, which is why they have to make a decision.
Vice President, Technology at Cache Digitech Pvt Ltd.
 

Valuable Features

NetWitness NDR offers high detection rates, real-time malware response, third-party integration, and a user-friendly, interoperable interface with advanced analytics.
Cortex XSOAR excels in integration, automation, and customization, enhancing security operations with efficient orchestration and high user satisfaction.
We have implemented automation features, such as automated responses to email threats and automatic configuration of target devices for blocking specific IPs.
Vice President, Technology at Cache Digitech Pvt Ltd.
Execution of automatic tasks for collecting, enriching, and correlating security events from hundreds of different technologies.
Presale Engineer at Westcon-Comstor
If I already have an established process, I do not have to change my process to fit into the tool. I can modify the tool to fit into my process, which makes things considerably easier.
Enterprise Security Architect V at FirstEnergy
 

Categories and Ranking

NetWitness NDR
Ranking in Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR)
25th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) (58th), Threat Intelligence Platforms (TIP) (39th), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) (59th), Network Detection and Response (NDR) (20th), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (36th)
Palo Alto Networks Cortex X...
Ranking in Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR)
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
SOC as a Service (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR) category, the mindshare of NetWitness NDR is 1.0%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR is 9.4%, down from 11.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR9.4%
NetWitness NDR1.0%
Other89.6%
Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR)
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer1799727 - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager, IT Security Operations at a non-profit with 11-50 employees
Reliable and good support but can be expensive
I have no real complaints about the solution. Threat detection could be better. They need to enhance their threat intelligence feeds. We would like to have more IOCs or more trade intelligence to not only rely on the intelligence of the engineer in charge but to have some threat intelligence and some seeds of IOCs and to have the host have some artificial intelligence to reduce the number of false positives. I don't see this solution being very scalable. The solution is pricey.
CC
Enterprise Security Architect V at FirstEnergy
Customization supports seamless workflow while data influx challenges response time
What I appreciate most about Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR is that it is very open, even more so than Anomali. I can create various custom automations and custom fields. There is significant customization ability in this platform. If I already have an established process, I do not have to change my process to fit into the tool. I can modify the tool to fit into my process, which makes things considerably easier. All of our alerts from different tools come into this central place as we have multiple SIEMs. We have items coming from Anomali and other platforms that are not SIEM tools. This serves as our central location where our SOC analysts can work and determine if incident response is needed. The platform provides data enrichment capabilities, offering information upfront so analysts do not have to search for it. They can access details such as username, phone number, email address, and workplace information. For malware files, they can retrieve details from VirusTotal, including file names and environment presence. We have built substantial automation around these features, which also helps us track case metrics, investigation time, and threat mitigation duration.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Performing Arts
7%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business10
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise5
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise25
 

Questions from the Community

Ask a question
Earn 20 points
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR?
Comparing pricing to Micro Focus, they were offering bundles, making it free with their SIEM. For customers, it is zero versus $20 million, which is why they have to make a decision.
What needs improvement with Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR?
To improve the solution, it needs to have complete features that are low-code, no-code, and should be plug-and-play. We need to see improvements in that area to facilitate cyber analysts.
 

Also Known As

RSA ECAT, NetWitness Network
Demisto Enterprise, Cortex XSOAR, Demisto
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

ADP, Ameritas, Partners Healthcare
Cellcom Israel, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, esri, Cylance, Flatiron Health, Veeva, ADT Cybersecurity
Find out what your peers are saying about NetWitness NDR vs. Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSOAR and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,259 professionals have used our research since 2012.