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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)
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
Firewalls (29th)
Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
20th
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 January 2026, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 2.1%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise is 1.7%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco IOS Security2.1%
Fortra's Tripwire Enterprise1.7%
Other96.2%
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

"The Intrusion Firewall is a valuable feature."
"Technical support for this solution is very good."
"The most valuable feature is endpoint protection."
"The VPN is the most valuable feature."
"The solution is very user-friendly and easy to deal with."
"The capabilities for scalability with this product are huge"
"Previously, anyone in the organization would see any data point in the wall. They could just go and connect their machine with that data point and could access the network. But now, even if someone came and tried that, they will not be given access."
"Cisco IOS Security has many good features, but compared to other solutions, it has a more user-friendly interface with steps to apply and manage rules. Another good part of the solution is that it's more straightforward."
"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."
"Even if you change a single word in Notepad, it will let you know whether it was added, removed, or modified."
"We use Tripwire Enterprise as a tool to test the vulnerability of a network. That is the most valuable feature of the product for us."
"The product supports different platforms."
"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."
"The most valuable feature is the integrity."
"File monitoring is the most valuable feature of the solution."
 

Cons

"Cisco IOS Security could improve its security features. There are competitors that have some additional security features, such as Fortinet FortiGate. Additionally, there should be better synchronization with Cisco IOS Security and other vendors, and improved AI features would be beneficial."
"Signatures and other critical definitions need to be updated more frequently."
"Cisco very slowly introduces and implements the products, unlike other brands."
"It takes too much time to deploy a policy to FMC. It takes around eight minutes. You can't afford any downtime when you're changing policies."
"I would like to see much more embedded security that works and that isn't a bolt-on."
"Cisco IOS Security should improve its functionalities."
"An area for improvement in Cisco IOS Security is the performance because it's not as stable sometimes. There's also some latency in the solution, which could be improved. Cisco IOS Security integrates with other solutions, but you'll encounter many errors after integration, so this is another area for improvement. I'd like to see enhanced performance and a simplified setup in the next version of Cisco IOS Security."
"The user interface needs to be improved."
"The main way that it can be improved is through better reporting."
"The Windows online integration license needs to be improved."
"A lot of network devices need a custom integration."
"The initial setup is complex."
"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."
"It needs more local support from the OEM side. It would be great if this can be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is expensive."
"It is necessary to pay for a license in order to use the solution. It is on a yearly basis and the price is high."
"It is an expensive solution."
"We need to pay for the license and it is expensive."
"They have smart licenses that can be provided for one year, two years, three years, five years, and seven years. Alternatively, they have perpetual licenses available."
"The price of the solution should be cheaper, and the license is purchase annually."
"We can purchase its licenses as per specific business requirements."
"Cisco IOS Security is not very expensive, and pricing depends on where you live. It's affordable for both individuals and institutions. On a scale from one to five, I would give Cisco's pricing a four."
"Cloud monitoring could be better. It could also be cheaper. It would be better if the company followed a pay-as-you-use model."
"The licensing depends on the equipment, how many devices and the types of devices."
"Tripwire is more expensive than Netwrix."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
23%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Outsourcing Company
6%
Manufacturing Company
10%
University
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
Media Company
6%
 

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: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.