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

Short answer

Organizations running containers and Kubernetes across multiple clouds need Aqua Security Runtime Protection because its kernel-level eBPF detection catches fileless attacks and zero-days that signature-based tools miss entirely. The platform's process lineage tracking lets you trace attack paths backward, critical for incident response when you're already compromised; it covers four workload types (containers, VMs, Kubernetes, serverless) under one policy engine, which cuts configuration drift compared to point solutions. Skip this if your team lacks the container expertise to tune behavioral detection rules or if you need strong compliance reporting; Aqua prioritizes runtime detection and incident tracing over the audit-heavy NIST Respond functions some regulated shops demand. 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.