Security Onion
Security Onion: An open-source SOC platform that brings network and host monitoring, hunting, and case workflows together. Ranked #18 of 25 in Security Analytics by our editors (7.7/10); pricing: Free plan; best for open-source network-centric SOC deployments.
At a glance
- Editor score7.7 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forOpen-source network-centric SOC deployments
- Free planYes
- Facts checked24 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Combines Zeek and Suricata network visibility with Elastic Agent host events.
- Includes packet capture, threat hunting, alert review, and case management.
- Supports standalone or distributed multi-node deployments.
Where it doesn't
- Security Onion Pro requires a paid license for enterprise features and support.
- The standard Pro license covers up to ten nodes; larger grids need node packs.
- Its broad monitoring and management scope may exceed teams seeking a narrow tool.
Our verdict on Security Onion
Security Onion brings network and host security monitoring into one platform for security operations teams. Its open-source Community edition combines network event visibility from Zeek and Suricata with host event collection through Elastic Agent. Analysts can review alerts, hunt through data with dashboards, manage cases and observables, and retrieve full packet captures. The product also supports intrusion-detection honeypots through OpenCanary and static analysis of imported PCAP and Windows EVTX files. It suits teams building an open-source, network-centric SOC that also wants host events and investigation workflows in the same environment.
The platform spans collection, analysis, and response workflows rather than focusing on a single detection function. Grid and node management supports standalone installations as well as distributed multi-node deployments. Its listed integrations include Elastic Fleet, Elasticsearch, Strelka, and Slack alongside Zeek, Suricata, Elastic Agent, and OpenCanary. That breadth makes it relevant to teams that need packet-level visibility and case handling together, while organizations seeking only a lightweight alert viewer may find its wider operational scope unnecessary. Security Onion is available for web and Linux, with self-hosted and cloud deployment options.
The Community edition is free. Security Onion Pro adds enterprise features and support through a paid license; the standard license covers up to ten nodes, with smaller-grid licenses and additional node packs also available. The platform lists email and phone support, and SSO via SAML among its compliance-related capabilities. Teams should consider Pro if they need its additional features or support, and assess node licensing against their deployment design. Security Onion is a stronger fit for security teams prepared to operate a broad monitoring platform than for buyers seeking a narrowly scoped, plug-in alerting service.
Your product? Our editors can test Security Onion in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Security Onion pricing
All 2 Security Onion plans and prices →
Security Onion fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Deployment | Hybrid |
| Data retention | Not verified |
| Log ingestion limit | Not verified |
| UEBA | Not verified |
| Anomaly detection | Not verified |
| Threat intelligence | Not verified |
| Case management | Yes |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web, Linux |
| Compliance & security | SSO/SAML |
| Support | Email, Phone |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 8 integrations: Zeek, Suricata, Elastic Agent, Elastic Fleet, OpenCanary, Strelka … |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | securityonionsolutions.com |
| Facts checked | 24 Sep 2026 |
Security Onion integrations
Security Onion lists 8 integrations on its own site.
- Zeek
- Suricata
- Elastic Agent
- Elastic Fleet
- OpenCanary
- Strelka
- Elasticsearch
- Slack
Alternatives to Security Onion
- CrowdStrike Falcon Next-Gen SIEMBroad cloud SIEM with CQL hunting, cross-domain search, and automated response.9.4
- Elastic SecurityFlexible SIEM analytics with extensive detection, hunting, and workflow capabilities.9.3
- FortiSIEMBroad IT/OT event analytics and response for complex security operations.9.2
See all Security Onion alternatives →
Also Ranked In
Security Onion is ranked in 3 of our directories.
Used Security Onion? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Security Onion for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
Security Onion is listed in our Security Analytics directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/security-onion/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/security-onion.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update