Server security tools used to be focused on safeguarding physical servers. Each box required login credentials, and administrative privileges were required to change anything. Software such as antivirus and malware protection were directly installed on each machine.
These days, the physical server is just another endpoint — albeit an important one. There are many ways to protect server resources, including backup, antivirus, patching, intrusion detection, and many more. Here are our top picks for the best server protection tools, in no particular order:
Read more: Best Server Security Services for 2021
The Best Server Security Tools
Malwarebytes
Value Proposition
Malwarebytes Endpoint Protection for Servers provides malware protection and remediation for the server infrastructure. It is driven from a single cloud console that provides visibility into all servers and workstations. Malwarebytes has a lightweight design and offers cross-platform support for Windows, Linux, and Mac endpoints.
Key Differentiators
- Zero-day prevention applies signatureless payload analysis and anomaly detection
- New unidentified malware is eliminated before it can impact servers
- Behavioral monitoring and machine learning profiles threats across web, memory, application, and files
- Linking Engine traces every installation, modification, and process instantiation
- Cloud-based dashboard delivers real-time status of events and device health
Avast Server Antivirus
Value Proposition
Avast has devised a cloud-based machine learning engine for antivirus and malware protection that receives a constant stream of data from users around the world. Avast CloudCare encompasses each layer of security needed to defend a business from threats.
Key Differentiators
- Protects servers, data, devices, applications, and networks
- Monitor alerts and threats in real time from a single dashboard
- Deploy layered security services across all devices
- Gather key data and generate detailed activity reports
McAfee Server Security
Value Proposition
The McAfee server security product delivers a solution for discovering, monitoring, and securing cloud and server workloads. It combines server security technologies to minimize CPU overhead, provide security controls for all essential workloads, support major virtualization environments, and centralize security management through one administrative console.
Key Differentiators
- Application and Change Control protects against uninvited changes or unauthorized control of applications, endpoints, servers, and devices
- Cloud Workload Security automates discovery and defense of workloads
- Host Intrusion Prevention guards against zero-day attacks
- MOVE AntiVirus optimizes security, flexibility, and management for virtual environments
- VirusScan Enterprise for Storage blocks and removes malware from NAS devices
Barracuda Backup
Value Proposition
Barracuda Backup is for onsite data protection. It provides backup, vaulting, and storage, as well as rapid restoration. This server security tool can protect data residing on physical devices, virtual environments, the public cloud, Office 365 (including SharePoint and OneDrive), and SQL data.
Key Differentiators
- Backed up data can be replicated offsite
- Replicate data to Barracuda Cloud, remote physical or virtual backup appliance, or Amazon Web Services
- 256-bit AES encryption of all data in transit and at rest
- Unlimited Barracuda Cloud Storage
- Cloud-to-Cloud Backup is a SaaS solution that provides scalable backup and recovery for Office 365 data
- Agent can back up mission-critical servers every 15 minutes
- Inline deduplication
- Runs on a hardened Linux platform
Syxsense Manage
Value Proposition
Syxsense Manage provides up-to-date server patching and IT management; a larger suite includes vulnerability scanning. Servers need to have high priority patches installed rapidly and efficiently, and this server security tool takes care of that.
Key Differentiators
- Automatically deploy OS and third-party patches, as well as Windows 10 Updates
- Consolidates desktop, laptop, and server patching into a single console
- Document patching and security success including reporting to meet HIPAA, SOX, and PCI compliance
- Patch rollback in case a patch causes a configuration issue
- Patch supersedence enables newer patches with a high priority status to be installed first
- Automation of patch distribution to avoid tying up network bandwidth
- Syxsense Secure scans authorization issues, security implementation, and antivirus status
Centrify Server Suite
Value Proposition
Centrify Server Suite addresses how organizations secure privileged access across hybrid- and multi-cloud environments. It allows humans and machines to authenticate, enforcing least privilege with just-in-time privilege elevation. This server security tool comprises three core products to protect Windows, Linux, and UNIX.
Key Differentiators
- Centrify Authentication Service extends Active Directory benefits to Linux and UNIX
- Identities can be consolidated, and local privileged accounts can be removed
- Centrify Audit and Monitoring Service records and manages the IT estate
- Detects suspicious user activity with real-time alerts
- Privilege elevation capability complements password vaulting
- Also available in Centrify Cloud Suite via a SaaS model
Commvault DR
Value Proposition
Commvault Disaster Recovery provides automation and orchestration for data resiliency and disaster recovery. Commvault DR is scalable, and supports data recovery across servers, hypervisors, and clouds.
Key Differentiators
- Flexible configurations for different SLAs and automated processes
- Ability to support rapid “cloud burst” recovery of workloads
- Near real-time replication of workloads
- Integration with storage array snapshots
- Application awareness to drive consistent recovery
- Unified code base makes it easy to protect and recover new and emerging technologies
Sophos Firewall
Value Proposition
Sophos Firewall combines the features of firewalls and UTM to offer network security with insights into network and server activity. It provides visibility into risky users, unwanted applications, suspicious payloads, and persistent threats.
Key Differentiators
- Includes email anti-spam, encryption, and DLP along with a web application firewall
- Integrates with VPN technologies
- Visibility into risky activity, suspicious traffic, and advanced threats
- Deep learning and intrusion prevention to keep networks secure
- Automatically identifies and isolates compromised systems
FujiFilm
Value Proposition
FujiFilm Object Archive is designed around best practices for data archiving of redundant copies off-site. It also offers data security with a tape air gap solution to guard against ransomware. Object Archive integrates an S3-compatible API with modern tape technology.
Key Differentiators
- Designed to archive massive amounts of cold data
- Object Archive operates like Amazon Glacier
- Scalable with enterprise tape libraries
- Tape media included in subscription
- Supports LTO and IBM Enterprise tapes
- Seamless integration with disk-based object storage vendors
Data Masque
Value Proposition
The sole focus of DataMasque is to protect sensitive data. This server security tool uses masking techniques that provide data protection and prevent sensitive server data from being seen by users during product development, data sharing with partners, and more.
Key Differentiators
- Provides data breach protection, data privacy compliance, and data sovereignty
- Drives irreversibilities such as instance-specific secret key and encryption in transit
- Supports Red Hat Enterprise Linux
- Cloud agnostic
- Provides container-based installation
- Marketplace application for the Cohesity Data Platform is available
Splunk
Value Proposition
Splunk is best known for its IT Service Management and IT Operations Management products, as well as its ability to integrate data streams from a huge number of sources. Splunk’s AI-driven APM products are aggregated within the Splunk Observability Suite. It can analyze, ingest, and store data for later use — as well as detect issues impacting customers.
Key Differentiators
- Provides DevOps with a one-stop shop to see errors and latency across all the tags of any given service
- Enhanced offerings in areas like real user monitoring and network monitoring
- Acquisitions of Plumbr, Rigor, Flowmill, and others provide access to multiple monitoring and security features
- Splunk offerings also provide AIOps and automation functionality
VMware vSphere
Value Proposition
VMware boasts a broad array of virtualization server security tools. It includes a vast array of compute, server virtualization, storage, cloud, and networking tools. These also include a variety of security add-ons.
Key Differentiators
- Rearchitected with native Kubernetes to allow users to modernize workloads running on vSphere
- Containerized applications can be run alongside existing enterprise applications
- Infrastructure helps to align DevOps, SecDevOps, and IT teams
- Accommodates massive VMs designed for SAP HANA and huge databases
- Provides AI/ML infrastructure using GPUs to simplify software upgrades, patching, and firmware updates
Secureworks
Value Proposition
Secureworks Taegis XDR is built on the Taegis security analytics platform. It uses data science techniques to expose adversaries that would otherwise go undetected. Behavioral threat analytics are powered by a combination of machine and deep learning that are trained using threat intelligence and user data.
Key Differentiators
- Software includes built-in detection
- Automated containment actions across endpoint, server, network, and cloud environments
- Fuses human and machine intelligence to improve security
- ManagedXDR enables the team to deal with an increasing threat volume
- Collaborate on hunts, chat with analysts, and assess security posture
- Cloud-native solution complements existing infrastructure by correlating events from multiple security tools
- Analytics-based detectors enriched with threat intelligence from Secureworks Counter Threat Unit
Acronis Disk Director
Value Proposition
Acronis Disk Director is part of Acronis True Image 2021. It provides a complete image of a server at a single point in time. This server security tool also makes it easy to create hard disk partitions, and resize, move, or merge partitions without the risk of data loss. It also complements Acronis data backup solutions.
Key Differentiators
- Supports Windows and macOS
- Cloning exclusions for if you don’t need to migrate some data
- Cloning of disks and partitions
- Manual resizing of partitions can be selected from a list on the destination disk
The Importance of Server Security Tools
Server security remains as vital as ever. Hackers might use phishing to gain access to an end user’s laptop, but the crown jewels are still gaining access to a server and its associated administrative privileges.
Hence, organizations should ensure their servers are given special attention when it comes to protection. Choosing the right server security tools for your business should be among your highest priorities.