Review: Tenable Security Center

For: Highly customizable with loads of analysis tools.
Against: Very high cost for large networks.
Verdict: While a powerful tool, this software-only SEM is very expensive and requires hardware to implement. If you have a large, distributed, complex network, however, take this one into consideration before you decide which product to buy.

The Tenable Security Center has massive capability wrapped in a single, easy-to-navigate interface. While the overall use of the application is fairly intuitive, once users explore more deeply, they may find that it becomes complex and intricate. This allows for great flexibility, but also requires some time of using the product and learning how to maximize its capability for the specific environment.

We found loads of useful and informative features that make this product a powerful tool. First is its ability to work with multiple Nessus scanners to correlate large amounts of vulnerability data and information. Second, its interface provides multiple ways of finding and analyzing data through different types of charts, graphs and logs. All data can be analyzed further, with various filters that can look at specific events over a matter of hours, days or months.

Tenable Security Center has the ability to process enormous amounts of many types of log data, and also can filter and separate events down to a granular level. It allows for easy analysis of events through a set of simple filters that allow the user to drill down to see possible anomalies or actual security problems.

Documentation for this product is in the form of a PDF file that is complete with set-up and installation instructions, as well as clear explanations of all aspects of the Security Center functions. The manuals are organized well and include many screenshots and definitions of all components. The only downside we found is that the PDF file does not contain a live table of contents, which makes navigating through the almost 200 pages time-consuming.

Tenable offers annual support contracts with both email and phone assistance. Also included are product upgrades and online access to the support center, which features information such as a product knowledge base and ways to submit problems or issues to Tenable.

Priced at the high end of the spectrum, the Tenable Security Center offers a powerful tool with a price tag that is higher than that of some full appliances. This is definitely a tool for organizations with deep pockets and very large networks with huge amounts of traffic to make the investment worthwhile.

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