Arkime review
A server-based Arkime system for searchable packet investigations and session analysis.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Arkime is a self-hosted, open-source network analysis and session search system for security teams and network operators. It runs on Linux with web, API, and server deployment options. The system can capture traffic from live network interfaces, process offline PCAP files, extract searchable session metadata and protocol fields, and retain packets in standard PCAP format. It suits teams that need centralized investigations across captured traffic rather than a desktop-only packet inspection tool.
Its strongest capability is the combination of searchable metadata and packet-level investigation. Arkime provides session search, session detail, packet inspection, timeline analysis, SPI views, graphs, connection graph visualization, and PCAP or CSV export. Teams can choose full or selective PCAP retention, use Arkime as a metadata engine, or combine metadata with packet capture. Remote capture via TZSP and PCAP-over-IP extends collection beyond the primary server, while command-line capture and command-socket control support operational workflows.
Arkime is free and open source, with deployment centered on a server environment and indexing through OpenSearch or Elasticsearch. That makes it a fit for organizations prepared to operate its infrastructure and manage retention and search components. Its main boundary is encrypted traffic: decryption support is false, and encrypted TLS traffic is otherwise stored and indexed as ciphertext. The documentation describes TLS decryption through an external PolarProxy workflow. Choose Arkime for searchable, server-based investigations that need live and offline capture, retention controls, and flow analysis. Choose an alternative when native decryption is a core requirement or when a self-hosted server architecture is not suitable.
Arkime pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Combines live capture with offline PCAP import and processing
- Searches session metadata and protocol fields through a web interface
- Supports PCAP retention, export, flow views, and remote capture
- Where it doesn't
- Requires server deployment and self-hosted operation
- Encrypted TLS traffic is indexed as ciphertext without decryption support
- OpenSearch or Elasticsearch is required for indexed session data
Arkime fact sheet, pricing and score →
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