A-LIGN A-SCEND vs CyberSmart Active Protect: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

A-LIGN A-SCEND

Security and compliance teams running multiple audit frameworks simultaneously will get the most from A-LIGN A-SCEND because its evidence deduplication engine cuts the actual audit workload in half. The platform maps evidence across SOC 2, ISO 27001, HITRUST, and FedRAMP audits so you're not rebuilding the same control narrative four times, and its FedRAMP 20x Low authorization proves it handles the most demanding federal requirements. Skip this if your organization runs a single compliance framework or hasn't yet centralized evidence collection; the ROI flips when you're managing fewer than three concurrent certifications.

CyberSmart Active Protect

Startups and SMBs managing mixed device fleets without dedicated security ops should pick CyberSmart Active Protect for its integrated vulnerability scanning and policy enforcement that actually works on employee laptops and phones. The 15-minute scan cadence across 210,000+ known vulnerabilities combined with step-by-step remediation guidance means less security theater and more actual patch compliance from non-technical staff. Skip this if you need centralized endpoint detection and response or forensic capabilities; Active Protect prioritizes continuous scanning and awareness training over incident investigation.