Network security monitoring with PRTG
Proactively prevent network intrusions and data breaches
- Monitor firewalls, servers, open ports, as well as your entire network
- Scan your network for malicious activity to quickly identify cyberattacks
- Ensure quick incident response with real-time notifications
Our users give top ratings for monitoring with Paessler PRTG
PRTG network security monitoring: What you’ll find on this page
PRTG makes network security monitoring as easy as it gets
Custom alerts and data visualization let you quickly identify cybersecurity threats and prevent security incidents.
Advantages of using PRTG as your network security monitoring service
As part of your central security plan and security compliance, Paessler PRTG is your reliable addition to standalone network security tools. Our comprehensive network monitoring software adds a double layer of protection by working in real time to quickly identify irregularities and threats and keeping your network secure.
Centralized monitoring
No need to juggle several different monitoring tools at once. The central dashboard of PRTG provides the overview you need – at one glance only.
Keep a constant eye not only on security-relevant network data and devices, but also on other services and processes in your entire IT environment.
Continuous availability
Make sure that the hardware and software that’s important for your network’s security is available and functioning round the clock.
PRTG monitors all your network devices and applications 24/7, including firewalls, ports, routers, switches, VPN connections, antivirus software, and more.
Custom alerts & notifications
The built-in alarm feature of PRTG is fully customizable. Choose your own warning and error threshold values and how you’d like to be informed.
As soon as PRTG detects suspicious activity or unusual traffic patterns on your network, it alerts you via SMS, email, in-app push notification, and other methods.
Historical data for comparison
Every PRTG sensor is equipped with an “unusual” sensor status, and will automatically sound the alarm if values emerge which are inconsistent with previous ones.
Such values may be indicative of security problems – comparing and analyzing them with PRTG’s historical data will help you troubleshoot potential threats and vulnerabilities more efficiently.
What IT security monitoring looks like in PRTG
Diagnose network issues by continuously tracking the availability and performance of security-relevant hardware and software. Show update status, unusual activities, network traffic flows, bottlenecks, unauthorized access, and other key metrics for threat detection in real time. Visualize monitoring data in clear graphs and dashboards to identify problems more easily. Gain the overview you need to troubleshoot all kinds of cybersecurity issues in your network.
Device tree view of the complete monitoring setup
Preconfigured Fortigate VPN Overview sensor in PRTG
Custom PRTG dashboard for keeping an eye on the entire IT infrastructure
Start monitoring network security with PRTG and see how it can make your network more reliable and your job easier.
“All-around winning “The real beauty of PRTG is the endless possibilities it offers” “PRTG Network MonitorIT experts agree: Paessler PRTG is a great solution for IT infrastructure monitoring
network monitor”
is very hard to beat”
5 ways PRTG complements network security systems
Catch firewall errors
PRTG immediately lets you know if your firewall is not configured properly or is down (which means all gates to your network are open).
Set up preconfigured sensors for monitoring the firewalls of major manufacturers such as Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet, or SonicWall with just a few clicks.
Detect traffic anomalies
PRTG lets you know if an attack on your IT infrastructure has caused an unusually large amount of traffic flow through your network.
Use the Packet Sniffer sensor or various flow sensors (NetFlow, jFlow, sFlow, IPFIX) to analyze traffic by IP address, port, or network protocol and sound the alarm if something’s not quite right.
Check Windows updates
PRTG helps prevent security loopholes that expose your network to hackers all over the world.
The preconfigured Windows Updates Status (PowerShell) sensor immediately informs you if a new update is necessary, and identifies which network computers are causing vulnerabilities due to unpatched Windows versions.
Look for open ports
Open ports are necessary, but can be dangerous and lead to vulnerabilities. It’s no secret that they can be used to illegally access a network or introduce Trojans.
With PRTG’s Port v2 sensor, you’ll always be in the know about which TCP ports are open and which are closed, which will come in handy if you need to open specific ports on a temporary basis.
Keep virus scanners updated
Even the best antivirus scanner software and malware detector is of no use if it is outdated or not available.
The WMI Security Center sensor helps you monitor the status of antivirus software on the clients in your network to prevent network attacks and other cybersecurity issues.
Your network security monitor at a glance – even on the go
Set up PRTG in minutes and use it on almost any mobile device.
Find the root cause of the problem with our PRTG network security monitoring solution
Real-time notifications mean faster troubleshooting so that you can act before more serious issues occur.
PRTG is compatible with all major vendors, products, and systems
Create innovative solutions with Paessler’s partners
Partnering with innovative vendors, Paessler unleashes synergies to create
new and additional benefits for joined customers.
With ScriptRunner, Paessler integrates a powerful event automation platform into PRTG Network Monitor.
ScriptRunner
“Excellent tool for detailed monitoring. Alarms and notifications work greatly. Equipment addition is straight forward and server initial setup is very easy. ...feel safe to purchase it if you intend to monitor a large networking landscape.”
Infrastructure and Operations Engineer in the Communications Industry, firm size 10B - 30B USD
PRTG makes network security monitoring as easy as it gets
Custom alerts and data visualization let you quickly identify cybersecurity threats and prevent security incidents.
Monitor your network’s security: FAQ
What is network security?
Network security refers to the practices, policies, and technologies used to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of a network and its data from unauthorized access, misuse, or harm. It encompasses a wide range of measures designed to protect both the hardware and software components of a network, as well as the data being transmitted across it.
Network security is crucial for protecting sensitive data, maintaining the trust of customers and users, and ensuring the continuous operation of business and personal networks. As cyber threats continue to evolve, robust network security measures are essential for defending against increasingly sophisticated attacks.
Which typical network threats are there?
- Malware: Malicious software like viruses, worms, and ransomware that can damage or disrupt network operations.
- Phishing: Social engineering attacks where attackers trick users into providing sensitive information, often through deceptive emails or websites.
- Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks: When an attacker intercepts and potentially alters communications between two parties without their knowledge.
- Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks: Attacks that overwhelm a network with traffic, rendering it unusable.
What are common network security measures?
Common network security measures include:
- Firewalls: Devices or software that monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.
- Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS): Tools that monitor network traffic for suspicious activity and take action to prevent potential breaches.
- Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): Secure connections over the internet that encrypt data, ensuring that information sent and received is protected from interception.
- Antivirus and Anti-malware: Software that detects, prevents, and removes malicious software from the network and devices connected to it.
- Encryption: The process of converting data into a coded format that is unreadable to unauthorized users, ensuring that only those with the correct decryption key can access the original data.
- Access control: Policies and technologies that restrict who can access certain parts of the network and what actions they can perform. This includes user authentication mechanisms like passwords, biometrics, and multi-factor authentication.
- Network segmentation: Dividing a network into smaller segments to limit access to sensitive data and resources, thereby reducing the potential impact of a security breach.
- Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): Systems that collect, analyze, and report on security-related data from across the network to detect and respond to threats in real-time.
What does network security monitoring include?
Network security monitoring (NSM) involves the continuous observation of a network to detect and respond to potential security threats, vulnerabilities, and anomalous behavior in real-time. It is a critical component of a broader security strategy that helps organizations protect their networks from attacks and unauthorized access.
Key components of network security monitoring tools (NSM tools) like Paessler PRTG include:
- Traffic analysis: Monitoring network traffic to detect abnormal patterns or unusual behavior that could indicate an attack, such as spikes in traffic, unauthorized data transfers, or connections to known malicious IP addresses.
- Log management and analysis: Collection and analysis of log data from various network devices (like routers, firewalls, and servers) to detect security events or anomalies. Logs provide a detailed record of network activities, including successful and failed access attempts.
- Endpoint monitoring: Monitoring the devices connected to the network (endpoints) for signs of compromise, such as unusual processes, unauthorized software installations, or abnormal behavior.
- Vulnerability scanning: Regular scanning of the network and its devices for known vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or missing patches that could be exploited by attackers.
- Behavioral analysis: Establishing a baseline of normal network activity and then monitoring for deviations from this baseline. Behavioral analysis can detect insider threats, advanced persistent threats (APTs), and other subtle forms of attack.
- Alerting and reporting: Generating alerts based on predefined criteria when potential security events are detected. Alerts should be prioritized based on the severity of the threat. Detailed reports are also generated to provide insights into the network’s security posture, trends, and incidents for ongoing assessment and compliance.
What is a sensor in PRTG?
In PRTG, “sensors” are the basic monitoring elements. One sensor usually monitors one measured value in your network, for example the traffic of a switch port, the CPU load of a server, or the free space on a disk drive.
On average, you need about 5-10 sensors per device or one sensor per switch port.
PRTG: The multi-tool for sysadmins
Adapt PRTG individually and dynamically to your needs and rely on a strong API:- HTTP API: Access monitoring data and manipulate monitoring objects via HTTP requests
- Custom sensors: Create your own PRTG sensors for customized monitoring
- Custom notifications: Create your own notifications and send action triggers to external systems
- REST Custom sensor: Monitor almost everything that provides data in XML or JSON format
Paessler conducted trials in over 600 IT departments worldwide to tune its network monitoring software closer to the needs of sysadmins. We asked: would you recommend PRTG?
Over 95% of our customers say yes!
The result of the survey: over 95% of the participants would recommend PRTG – or already have.
Paessler PRTG is used by companies of all sizes. Sysadmins love PRTG because it makes their job a whole lot easier. Bandwidth, servers, virtual environments, websites, VoIP services – PRTG keeps an eye on your entire network. Everyone has different monitoring needs. That’s why we let you try PRTG for free.Still not convinced?
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Monitor your entire IT infrastructure
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Start monitoring network security with PRTG and see how it can make your network more reliable and your job easier.
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PRTG |
Network Monitoring Software - Version 24.4.102.1351 (November 12th, 2024) |
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Hosting |
Download for Windows and cloud-based version PRTG Hosted Monitor available |
Languages |
English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese |
Pricing |
Up to 100 sensors for free (Price List) |
Unified Monitoring |
Network devices, bandwidth, servers, applications, virtual environments, remote systems, IoT, and more |
Supported Vendors & Applications |
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