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Security Onion vs Malcolm: catalog facts
Security Onion	Malcolm
Freemium The platform is free, while Onion AI features are offered through sales representatives.	Free Free to use; the source is published on GitHub by CISA.
Linux, Self-hosted	Linux, Self-hosted
Complete monitoring platform installed from a single ISO Includes packet capture, detection rules and threat hunting	Brings PCAP, Zeek and Suricata data together in one searchable interface Deployable with Docker, Kubernetes or an installable ISO
Needs dedicated hardware or virtual machines and setup time Onion AI details are only available through sales	A large multi-container stack that needs substantial server resources Aimed at trained analysts rather than casual home users
Self-hosted, Operating system	Self-hosted
Closed source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.