Aqua Security Cloud VM Security vs Sysdig Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP): Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

Short answer

Security teams protecting Linux and Windows VMs across multi-cloud environments will value Aqua Security Cloud VM Security for its file integrity monitoring and registry protection, which actually catch configuration drift that compliance scanners alone miss. The tool covers six NIST CSF 2.0 functions from asset identification through incident analysis, with particular strength in continuous monitoring and forensic reconstruction. Skip this if your primary need is workload-level network segmentation; the automated firewall rules are basic and won't replace a dedicated microsegmentation platform. Mid-market and enterprise teams defending containerized and Kubernetes workloads across hybrid cloud will find Sysdig Cloud Workload Protection Platform's strength in runtime threat detection powered by Falco, which surfaces both known vulnerabilities in active use and zero-day behaviors through system call analysis. The platform covers four of six critical NIST CSF 2.0 functions (Risk Assessment, Platform Security, Continuous Monitoring, and Incident Analysis), with notably weaker support for incident mitigation and recovery workflows. Skip this if your priority is shift-left vulnerability scanning or multi-cloud CSPM coverage; Sysdig punches hardest when runtime visibility and forensics matter more than preventing issues before deployment.