Compare SentryWire vs. Xplico

SentryWire serves as a comprehensive packet capture device and network security monitoring system designed to provide complete visibility into networks across various sectors, including enterprise, federal, and industrial control systems. It is capable of retaining packet capture data for extensive periods—ranging from weeks to years—ensuring that security teams maintain critical insights and can carry out investigations on threats well beyond the lifespan of other monitoring tools. By utilizing commodity hardware, distributed storage solutions, and a modular design, it adeptly captures, indexes, and retains full packet data at scale, accommodating everything from lightweight virtual setups to extensive enterprise clusters. In contrast to traditional packet sniffers that only record headers or metadata, SentryWire archives the entire packet stream, allowing for forensic replays, in-depth packet inspections, and thorough retrospective analyses while offering extended historical investigations. It accommodates capture rates that span from a modest 1 Mbps to an impressive over 1 Tbps, featuring capabilities such as real-time logging, advanced filtering, compression, visualization, and sophisticated BPF-syntax analysis to enhance security operations. This robust platform ultimately empowers organizations to navigate complex network environments with confidence, ensuring they remain vigilant against emerging threats.

Xplico is a prominent tool featured in many leading digital forensics and penetration testing distributions, including Kali Linux, BackTrack, DEFT, Security Onion, Matriux, BackBox, CERT Forensics Tools, Pentoo, and CERT-Toolkit. It supports simultaneous access for multiple users, allowing each to manage one or several cases effectively. The interface is web-based, and its backend database options include SQLite, MySQL, or PostgreSQL. Additionally, Xplico can function as a Cloud Network Forensic Analysis Tool. Its primary objective is to extract application data from internet traffic captures, such as retrieving emails via protocols like POP, IMAP, and SMTP, along with HTTP content, VoIP calls through SIP, and file transfers using FTP and TFTP from pcap files. Importantly, Xplico is not classified as a network protocol analyzer. As an open-source Network Forensic Analysis Tool (NFAT), it organizes the reassembled data with an associated XML file that distinctly identifies the data flows and the corresponding pcap file. This structured approach enables users to efficiently analyze and manage the data extracted from network traffic.