OPSWAT MetaDefender Core vs ScoutDNS Threat Protection: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

OPSWAT MetaDefender Core

Organizations handling sensitive documents across email, web gateways, and file repositories should deploy MetaDefender Core for its Deep CDR capability, which actually strips and rebuilds 200+ file types to neutralize zero-day payloads rather than just detecting them. The 30-engine scanning stack plus integrated threat intelligence covers both known malware and suspicious infrastructure, addressing ID.RA and DE.CM simultaneously without requiring a separate sandbox. Skip this if you need behavioral EDR or live response; MetaDefender is file-centric, not process-centric, and sits in the data pipeline rather than on endpoints.

ScoutDNS Threat Protection

SMBs and mid-market firms that lack mature endpoint detection will find their fastest win in ScoutDNS Threat Protection's DNS-layer blocking, which stops malware and phishing before they reach devices without requiring agent deployment across the organization. The zero-touch rollout with dynamic policy rules for remote and office users, paired with 30-day searchable logs and Active Directory integration, means security teams can enforce protection immediately without infrastructure overhaul. Skip this if your organization already has endpoint detection and response tools handling these threats; ScoutDNS competes at the perimeter, not on the device, so it works best as a first line of defense rather than a replacement for deeper visibility.