Array ASI SSL Intercept vs SSHGuard: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
Array ASI SSL Intercept is a commercial intrusion detection and prevention systems tool by Array Networks. SSHGuard is a free intrusion detection and prevention systems tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best intrusion detection and prevention systems fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of NIST CSF 2.0 coverage, core features, integrations, company size fit, here is our conclusion:
Enterprise and mid-market security teams with hybrid cloud deployments need Array ASI SSL Intercept to inspect encrypted traffic without becoming a bottleneck; its hardware-accelerated processing hits 120 Gbps while supporting physical, virtual, and cloud appliances in the same policy framework. The tool handles both inbound and outbound decryption with Layer-2 and Layer-3 flexibility, letting you avoid the "decrypt everywhere or nowhere" trap that locks teams into single-vendor stacks. Skip this if you're looking for integrated threat response; ASI decrypts and classifies traffic for downstream tools, so you still need your own IDS, firewall, and analytics layer to actually stop threats.
Operators protecting Linux and BSD servers from SSH brute-force attacks need SSHGuard because it works entirely through log analysis and firewall rules, requiring zero agent deployment or kernel modification. The tool stops attacks at the network layer before they ever reach authentication, and its stateless design means it handles high-volume scanning without resource overhead. Not for teams needing centralized visibility across heterogeneous infrastructure; SSHGuard is host-centric and manual to coordinate across dozens of servers.
