SafeBreach vs Cymulate Comparison
When selecting a security validation solution, understanding how platforms compare is critical to making an informed decision. This article explores the key differences between Cymulate and SafeBreach, highlighting features, capabilities, and use cases to help cybersecurity professionals choose the best solution for their needs.
Evolution of Security Validation: From Legacy to Modern Solutions
Early breach and attack simulation (BAS) platforms offered unconnected penetration testing routines. These first-generation solutions faced challenges such as:
- Complexity and resource intensity: Long setup times requiring highly skilled personnel.
- Limited scope: Testing only specific aspects of the security kill chain.
- Lack of automation: No continuous validation, resulting in outdated insights.
- Risk visibility issues: Inability to convey cybersecurity risks effectively to management.
Modern platforms address these shortcomings with comprehensive, automated, and production-safe validation capabilities.
Key Comparison: Cymulate vs SafeBreach
1. Testing in Production Environments
- Cymulate: Designed for safe testing in live production environments, ensuring accurate insights on real workloads.
- SafeBreach: Initially recommended testing in lab environments but now supports production testing as well.
Why It Matters: Testing in production ensures insights reflect the actual security landscape, which lab environments cannot replicate.
2. Threat Intelligence Integration
- Cymulate: Continuous updates with actionable TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, Procedures) and IoCs (Indicators of Compromise). Incorporates global threat intelligence feeds beyond US-CERT advisories.
- SafeBreach: Includes a threat intelligence feed but lacks the breadth and automation Cymulate provides.
Example: Both platforms addressed MS Exchange attacks, but Cymulate also included follow-up APT and FIN group variants for more comprehensive coverage.
3. Comprehensive Kill-Chain Coverage
- Cymulate: Covers all stages of the cybersecurity kill chain, including reconnaissance, phishing campaigns, web application firewall (WAF) testing, lateral movement, and data exfiltration.
- SafeBreach: Limited to finite tests with gaps in reconnaissance, phishing awareness, WAF testing, and lateral movement.
Unique Features of Cymulate:
- Chaining and atomic testing: Simulates attacker behaviors by pivoting and exploring alternative paths when blocked.
- End-to-end validation: Supports hybrid environments, legacy systems, virtualized infrastructures, and containers.
4. Ease of Use and Deployment
- Cymulate: SaaS-based platform with rapid deployment. First results are available within an hour, making it accessible to teams of all skill levels.
- SafeBreach: Requires extensive setup, professional services, and advanced cybersecurity skills, leading to longer deployment timelines.
5. Investment in Community and Education
- Cymulate: Offers free, vendor-agnostic training through the Cymulate Academy, providing labs, courses, and ISC CPE credits to bridge the cybersecurity skills gap.
- SafeBreach: Does not currently offer similar educational initiatives.
6. Time-to-Value
- Cymulate: Delivers actionable insights within hours, enabling organizations to validate security controls, assess risks, and optimize investments quickly.
- SafeBreach: Requires months to achieve full operational value due to the complexity of its implementation process.
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | Cymulate | SafeBreach |
|---|---|---|
| Testing in Production | Fully supported for real-world accuracy. | Supported, but previously focused on lab environments. |
| Threat Intelligence Updates | Automated updates with global feeds and daily TTP additions. | Limited scope with manual updates. |
| Kill-Chain Coverage | Comprehensive, including reconnaissance, phishing, WAF, lateral movement, and data exfiltration. | Partial coverage with notable gaps. |
| Ease of Use | Requires no advanced skills; deploys in under an hour. | Requires coding expertise and professional services. |
| Community Investment | Free training with Cymulate Academy (ISC CPE credits included). | No equivalent offering. |
| Time-to-Value | Insights within hours. | Requires months for full deployment. |
Key Takeaways
Cymulate and SafeBreach both represent advancements over legacy solutions, but Cymulate excels in comprehensiveness, ease of use, and innovation. From its unmatched kill-chain coverage to its rapid deployment and threat intelligence automation, Cymulate ensures organizations stay ahead of evolving threats while maximizing the value of their cybersecurity investments.
For organizations looking for a scalable, production-safe, and continuously updated platform, Cymulate is the clear choice.
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