Malcolm vs PacketWatch

Malcolm is a network traffic analysis suite for security monitoring. It accepts PCAP files, Zeek logs, and Suricata alerts through a browser interface, and can also process live captures forwarded by lightweight sensors. OpenSearch Dashboards provides visualizations, while Arkime helps locate and identify network sessions. Malcolm adds context to session data with GeoIP, hardware manufacturer lookups, asset inventory mappings, and JA4 fingerprints. It analyzes documented protocols including DNS, HTTP, Modbus, and BACnet. Deployment uses Docker or Podman containers, with Kubernetes instructions for on-premises or AWS environments. A dedicated server requires at least 8 CPU cores and 24 GB of RAM; the developers recommend 16 or more cores and at least 32 GB for an optimal experience. The interface requires authentication, with TLS-encrypted local basic authentication, LDAP, and Keycloak options. Malcolm is self-hosted and free under the Apache License 2.0.

PacketWatch is network threat-hunting software built around deep packet analysis. Passive collectors capture complete network packets while the cloud platform analyzes packet metadata; the service says high-fidelity data remains stored locally. Machine-learning and artificial-intelligence analytics identify anomalies and create hunt leads, including Command and Control detections. Investigators can filter and replay traffic retrospectively, create nested rules and export PCAP captures as forensic evidence. Virtual collectors capture cloud traffic, with AWS and Azure named as hunting environments. The product addresses persistent threats, insider threats, data exfiltration, Command and Control activity, and IoT, OT and legacy-device activity. Integrations include CrowdStrike Falcon for endpoint telemetry and containment, and Validin for threat intelligence and DNS context. Fully Managed, Co-Managed and Self-Managed SaaS packages are available, with pricing supplied by quote.