Corelight Investigator vs Corelight Open NDR Platform: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

Corelight Investigator

Security teams investigating encrypted traffic and multi-cloud network threats will get the most from Corelight Investigator because it analyzes encrypted flows without decryption and deploys sensors across hybrid infrastructure without forcing architectural changes. The platform covers 80+ application identifiers and includes ICS/OT protocol monitoring, addressing detection gaps that most NDR tools leave open. Skip this if your priority is automated response and playbook execution; Corelight prioritizes investigation and Tier 1 triage over containment workflows.

Corelight Open NDR Platform

Security teams running hybrid infrastructure who need to see east-west traffic patterns that perimeter tools miss will get the most from Corelight Open NDR Platform. Its foundation on Zeek and Suricata gives you transparent packet analysis at scale, and the platform scores strongly on NIST DE.CM and DE.AE, meaning detection and forensic depth are real strengths. Skip this if your org lacks network engineering resources to tune and maintain sensor placement; Corelight demands more operational overhead than managed detection services, and weak alert tuning will bury your team in noise.