What is our primary use case?
I work for a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), and we provide the solution for our clients to improve their security posture in both IT and OT. The deployments are typically hybrid.
What is most valuable?
The solution is outstanding from a monitoring perspective.
All of the features are valuable and provide excellent capability in the field.
What needs improvement?
Darktrace is a closed technology, meaning we know very little about how it works, including the architecture, which is significant. As a result, when we implement the system and find we're getting many false positives, we have minimal insight into why it's happening and what we can do to fix it. We don't know how the solution is configured, the criteria for threats to be determined, or the product's inner workings. We understand that they have to ensure privacy and their copyright, but we want to see some documentation or public research into the security Darktrace provides.
A relatively new module called Darktrace PREVENT provides digital protection to the company from the internet. However, the protection doesn't extend to the dark web, which limits its depth. PREVENT also offers phishing awareness training in the form of dummy attacks and some penetration testing, but it is very limited from my point of view.
The AI and Darktrace breach model must be enhanced to minimize false positives, as they can give our customers a negative impression of the solution. Some of them come to us and say they aren't getting what they expect from it, especially after a significant investment.
For how long have I used the solution?
I initially used the product in 2016, then returned to it in 2022 and have been using it for about a year. Over the years, the extension to the Darktrace portfolio has been tremendous, and they have made improvements in many areas, including reporting and autonomous response.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is very good; I rate the solution eight out of ten here.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable; I rate it eight out of ten for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
Darktrace tech support is helpful, but there is room for improvement, especially around assistance for complex deployments. I rate them seven out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
How was the initial setup?
The deployment is straightforward. However, a complex network, such as one in the cloud and a DOCSIS ecosystem, can become extremely difficult. Generally, though, the deployment is straightforward, and in our case, we completed the whole setup in three to four hours.
Specifically, large, complex MPLS networks are exceedingly tricky when deploying Darktrace. We may need more experience or training, but it would be good to see some improvements here.
Our InfoSec team uses the solution, consisting of two to three staff members. Regarding endpoints protected by the product, there were around 400 in my old position and 2000 in my current organization.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I'm unfamiliar with the exact cost, but we have a yearly license and had to pay for Darktrace's services before the deployment. The product is very expensive, so some organizations can't afford to pay the total amount directly, meaning they often seek a partner or pay in installments, which increases the price more.
Darktrace requires direct billing to London, which isn't possible for organizations in Qatar, so they have to go through processes that increase the price even further. If they had an office in Dubai or Qatar, that could solve this payment issue.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the solution eight out of ten and highly recommend it.
From a technological perspective, Darktrace is an excellent company, and the rate at which they improved and continue to improve their product is impressive.
All the data is on the appliance on the customers' premises, and we have to open back doors to the analysts in London to access the devices, who have complete visibility into what's happening on the customer side. This is a significant negative point for Darktrace. They also have complete visibility into our email, which is a privacy concern for us.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner