CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike is a global cybersecurity leader that offers an advanced cloud-native platform for endpoint protection, cloud workloads, data, ...
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What is CrowdStrike?
CrowdStrike Falcon is an AI-native, cloud-native cybersecurity platform that protects endpoints, cloud workloads, identities, and data from breaches. The platform uses a single lightweight sensor deployed to endpoints, with no on-premises controllers required, and is managed through a web console. It combines next-generation antivirus, endpoint detection and response (EDR), threat intelligence, threat hunting, identity protection, IT hygiene, firewall management, and Next-Gen SIEM into one unified solution.
Key features include Charlotte AI, a generative AI security analyst that helps teams investigate threats, write queries, and automate responses using natural language; the CrowdStrike Threat Graph which processes over 2 trillion events daily for behavioral analytics; Falcon Prevent for ML-based malware and ransomware prevention; Falcon Insight XDR for extended detection across endpoints, cloud, and identity; and Falcon Complete, a 24/7 managed detection and response service with elite threat hunters. The platform also offers cloud security (CNAPP), identity protection, device control for removable media, and mobile protection for Android and iOS.
CrowdStrike Falcon is designed for small and medium businesses up to large enterprises with 100,000+ endpoints. It serves security operations centers (SOCs), IT teams, CISOs, and cybersecurity professionals who need comprehensive breach prevention. The platform is used by over 10,000 organizations globally, including three of the 10 largest global companies by revenue, five of the 10 largest financial institutions, and is deployed in more than 170 countries.
CrowdStrike pricing
Pricing model: Free
CrowdStrike offers a 15-day free trial with no credit card required. Paid plans are billed monthly or annually: Falcon Go at $7.99/month per device ($59.99/year per device) includes Next-Gen AV, Device Control, Mobile Protection, Firewall Management, EDR, Threat Intelligence & Hunting, Identity Protection, IT Hygiene, and Next-Gen SIEM (limited to 100 devices). Falcon Pro at $14.99/month per device ($99.99/year per device) adds centralized host firewall management. Falcon Enterprise at $19.99/month per device ($184.99/year per device) adds continuous comprehensive EDR and elite threat hunting with Falcon OverWatch. Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR is fully managed 24/7 expert-led protection with custom pricing (approximately $325.36 per endpoint with 299 endpoint minimum) and includes the Breach Prevention Warranty. Add-on modules like Next-Gen Identity Security and Next-Gen SIEM require contacting sales.
CrowdStrike pros
- Best-in-class detection rates for malware and sophisticated attacks
- Charlotte AI accelerates SOC operations with generative AI
- Single lightweight agent with minimal system impact
- True cloud-native architecture with no on-premises equipment
- Excellent threat intelligence from adversary tracking team
- Consistent Gartner Magic Quadrant leader for 7 consecutive years
- Fast deployment in literally minutes
- Scales seamlessly to 100,000+ endpoints without performance impact
- 2 trillion events daily processed through Threat Graph
- 24/7 Falcon OverWatch elite threat hunting service included in Enterprise
- Unified platform replaces multiple security tools
- Up to 150x faster search than legacy SIEM solutions
- 80% savings over three years versus legacy SIEM
- Supports Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS, and Android
- CrowdStrike Breach Prevention Warranty with Falcon Complete
- Native integrations with AWS, Azure, and GCP cloud environments
- 98% agreement rate with human expert triage decisions
CrowdStrike cons
- Premium pricing compared to competitors
- Module-based licensing can be complex to understand
- Falcon Go limited to maximum 100 devices
- Advanced features like elite threat hunting require Enterprise tier
- Limited on-premises deployment options
- Falcon Complete requires 299 endpoint minimum order
- Annual billing requires full up-front payment
- No perpetual free tier, only 15-day free trial
Frequently asked questions about CrowdStrike
How long does it take to deploy CrowdStrike Falcon?
Literally minutes. A single lightweight sensor is deployed to your endpoints as you monitor and manage your environment via a web console. With CrowdStrike Falcon there are no controllers to be installed, configured, updated, or maintained, and there is no on-premises equipment required.
What operating systems does CrowdStrike Falcon support?
Falcon supports Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows Server 2025/2022/2019/2016/2012/2008, macOS Tahoe 26/Sequoia 15/Sonoma 14, Linux (Alma, RHEL, Rocky, SLES, Ubuntu), ChromeOS (version 113+), iOS 16 and later, and Android 9.0 and later. Legacy systems like Windows XP and Vista are supported with Falcon for Legacy Systems.
What is Charlotte AI and what does it do?
Charlotte AI is a generative AI security analyst that lets users ask natural language questions in English and dozens of languages and receive intuitive answers from the Falcon platform. It helps with threat hunting, query generation, incident investigation, triage, and automating repetitive tasks. Charlotte AI Detection Triage saves SOC teams 40+ hours per week on average and achieves over 98% agreement with human expert triage decisions.
Is there a free version of CrowdStrike Falcon?
CrowdStrike offers a 15-day free trial with no credit card required that provides full access to protect against all threat types, device control, mobile protection, firewall management, EDR, threat intelligence, identity protection, IT hygiene, and Next-Gen SIEM. There is no permanent free tier, only the trial period.
What is the difference between Falcon Pro and Falcon Enterprise?
Falcon Pro includes centralized host firewall management and standard EDR features. Falcon Enterprise adds continuous, comprehensive endpoint visibility that automatically detects and prioritizes malicious activity, and partners you with Falcon OverWatch - a team of elite cybersecurity experts who hunt continuously within the platform for faint signs of sophisticated intrusions.
What is Falcon Complete?
Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR is fully managed 24/7 expert-led, AI-accelerated managed detection and response service. It augments the Falcon platform with CrowdStrike's global team of security analysts and threat hunters. It includes the CrowdStrike Breach Prevention Warranty and has a 299 endpoint minimum order requirement with custom pricing.
How does CrowdStrike pricing compare with annual vs monthly billing?
Monthly billing: Falcon Go $7.99/device, Falcon Pro $14.99/device, Falcon Enterprise $19.99/device. Annual billing: Falcon Go $59.99/device (saves ~37%), Falcon Pro $99.99/device (saves ~44%), Falcon Enterprise $184.99/device (saves ~23%). Annual billing requires full up-front payment.
What cloud platforms does CrowdStrike support?
CrowdStrike supports Amazon EC2 instances on all major operating systems including AWS Graviton processors, AWS Fargate, AWS Outposts, Amazon WorkSpaces, Amazon ECS, Amazon EKS, Amazon ECR, and EKS Anywhere. It also provides unified protection for AWS, Azure, and GCP through Falcon Cloud Security with CNAPP capabilities.
What is Falcon Next-Gen SIEM?
Falcon Next-Gen SIEM is an AI-native engine of the modern SOC built to stop breaches, not just log them. It offers up to 150x faster search, 1 PB/day scalability, 80% savings over three years versus legacy SIEM, and 360-degree visibility. As Falcon Insight customers get 10GB/day free third-party data ingestion, and SIEM subscribers can ingest all their data.
Can CrowdStrike scale to large enterprise environments?
Yes, Falcon is a proven cloud-based platform enabling customers to scale seamlessly with no performance impact across large environments. The frictionless deployment has been successfully verified across enterprise environments containing more than 100,000 endpoints, making it suitable for the world's largest organizations.