Tool profile
Sysdig Secure: cost, fit and limits
Sysdig Secure is a cloud and container security product from Sysdig, Inc. of Raleigh, North Carolina, that combines Falco-based runtime detection, vulnerability prioritization and posture checks, with a GenAI assistant and an MCP server for AI agents.
What to know first
Sysdig Secure puts runtime detection at the center and ranks vulnerabilities by whether the affected package is loaded. Licensing is by host, with cloud log detections counted by events, and the pricing page asks for a quote. Its pages show a nine-region login list, a SOC 2 Type II statement and a growing set of AI features, from an assistant to runtime protection for agents.
Sysdig Secure at a glance
| Maker | Sysdig, United States |
|---|---|
| Free plan | No |
| Entry price | Quote only |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Container Security Software in 2026, rank 5 of 10 |
| Website | sysdig.com/products/secure/ |
Who Sysdig Secure is best for
Security operations teams
Runtime detections use Falco rules curated by the Sysdig Threat Research Team plus drift control and machine learning, which gives analysts a rule set rather than a blank rule editor.
Teams comparing region options
The trust page lists US-East, US-West, EU-Central, EU-North, Sydney, South Asia, Middle East and Japan endpoints, so a buyer can match a console region to local rules before the trial.
Teams adopting AI agents in operations
Sysdig offers curated agent skills and an MCP server so an internal AI agent can query security data, besides a plain-language assistant for analysts.
Sysdig Secure plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Sysdig Secure CNAPP | Quote only, per host | Licensed by hosts, with compute instances counted for CSPM. Covers detection and response, vulnerability management and posture for containers and Kubernetes. |
| Detection and response | Quote only | Priced by hosts, with cloud log detections counted by events processed, for AWS, GCP, Azure, Okta and GitHub logs. |
| Sysdig Monitor | Quote only | Available with host-based or time series-based licensing, including managed Prometheus, pod details, live logs and system call captures. |
| AI Defense trial | Not shown on the pricing page | A Try Sysdig AI Defense link exists for runtime security of AI agents, but no general free trial is described. |
Checked October 2026.
What Sysdig Secure does
- Falco runtime detection
- Runtime insights are powered by Falco rules, combined with drift control and machine learning, to flag unexpected processes, file changes and network calls inside running containers.
- Runtime vulnerability filtering
- The agent analyzes active processes and filters out vulnerabilities tied to unused packages, which cuts the findings list to what is actually loaded at runtime and spares engineers noise.
- GenAI Assistant and MCP
- An assistant answers security questions in plain language, and curated agent skills with an MCP server connect external AI agents to Sysdig data. AI-guided remediation is also mentioned.
- Cloud log detections
- Detections extend to cloud logs from AWS, GCP, Azure, Okta and GitHub, priced by events processed, so one console covers workloads and the accounts they run in.
How Sysdig Secure handles your data
The trust center cites a SOC 2 Type II report, audited annually, and says data is encrypted at rest and in motion. Its login menus list US-East, US-West, EU-Central, EU-North, AWS-AP-Sydney, AWS-AP-South, GCP-US-West, GCP-Middle-East and IBM-AP-Japan, and a sub-processor page is linked but was not read. Sysdig's privacy policy names Sysdig, Inc. in Raleigh, North Carolina, says personal information may be processed in the United States, the EU, the UK and several other countries, and says it may use AI and automated technologies. Whether customer data trains AI models: the vendor's policy was not checked for this.
Where Sysdig Secure falls short in practice
- Host-based quotes. Licensing counts hosts, so autoscaling node pools and spot instances affect the bill. Ask how peak and average host counts are measured and whether serverless tasks count.
- Sensor deployment. Runtime detection needs an agent on each host, which means rollout work across every cluster, kernel compatibility checks and a footprint test on a busy node pool before production use.
- Pages vague on images. The product page did not mention image scanning or an admission controller, and no integrations were named, so confirm CI, registry and admission features in a proof of concept.
Works with
Alternatives to Sysdig Secure
Sysdig Secure: common questions
How is Sysdig Secure priced?
The pricing page says prices are tailored and offers a quote request. Sysdig Secure CNAPP is licensed by hosts, with compute instances counted for CSPM, and cloud log detections are counted by events processed. No tier names or dollar amounts are printed.
Which regions can host a Sysdig tenant?
The trust page lists login regions US-East, US-West, EU-Central, EU-North, AWS-AP-Sydney, AWS-AP-South, GCP-US-West, GCP-Middle-East and IBM-AP-Japan. It does not state where each customer's data lives by default, so choose the region in the contract and check the sub-processor list as well.
What AI features does Sysdig list?
The product pages list a GenAI Assistant for plain-language questions, AI-guided remediation, curated agent skills with an MCP server and Sysdig AI Defense for runtime security of AI agents. Details on models and data handling are not given on the pages we read.
Does Sysdig use Falco?
Yes. The Secure product page says runtime insights are powered by Falco, with rules curated by the Sysdig Threat Research Team and combined with drift control and machine learning. That means detection logic can be reviewed against open Falco rules, which helps analysts tune alerts.
Does Sysdig offer a free trial?
The pricing page describes no general free trial. It shows a demo request, a quote request and a Try Sysdig AI Defense link. Ask for a time-boxed proof of concept on one node pool, with the sensor footprint and alert noise both measured.