LevelBlue vs Thales (S21sec)
LevelBlue and Thales (S21sec) are both Services firms that work with your existing tools. LevelBlue targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations, while Thales (S21sec) serves Enterprise. LevelBlue includes 3 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, Network), compared to 2 for Thales (S21sec) (Network, OT/ICS).
Buyer brief
LevelBlue and Thales (S21sec) are both Services firms that work with your existing tools. LevelBlue targets SMB, Mid-market, and Enterprise organizations, while Thales (S21sec) serves Enterprise. LevelBlue includes 3 attack surfaces in base pricing (Endpoint, Cloud, Network), compared to 2 for Thales (S21sec) (Network, OT/ICS).
LevelBlue offers broader coverage (3 surfaces vs. 2). Thales (S21sec) may suit teams that need depth over breadth.
At a glance
| FIELD |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | US federal and state agencies that need FedRAMP/StateRAMP-authorized MDR with deep compliance credentials | Critical infrastructure and public-sector buyers that need Thales/S21sec regional cyber detection and response |
| Price | Third-party starting estimate: ~$43,775/yr | Custom quote |
| Response authority | 6/6 actions · Configurable | 2/6 actions · Configurable |
| Stack | Works with existing stack | Works with existing stack |
| Data access | Full query access | Reports only |
| Warranty | None listed | None listed |
- Best fit
- US federal and state agencies that need FedRAMP/StateRAMP-authorized MDR with deep compliance credentials
- Price
- Third-party starting estimate: ~$43,775/yr
- Response authority
- 6/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Full query access
- Warranty
- None listed
- Best fit
- Critical infrastructure and public-sector buyers that need Thales/S21sec regional cyber detection and response
- Price
- Custom quote
- Response authority
- 2/6 actions · Configurable
- Stack
- Works with existing stack
- Data access
- Reports only
- Warranty
- None listed
Detailed comparison
| FIELD | LevelBlueTECH-AGNOSTIC | Thales (S21sec)TECH-AGNOSTIC |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | ||
| Target size | SMB, Mid-market, Enterprise | Enterprise |
| Sentiment | Mixed | Mixed |
| Your stack | ||
| Approach | Works with your tools | Works with your tools |
| EDR integrations | CrowdStrikeMicrosoft DefenderSentinelOnePalo Alto CortexCarbon Black | Customer endpoint security tools |
| SIEM integrations | Microsoft SentinelSplunkDevo | Customer SIEM platformsThales SOC tooling |
| Coverage | EPEndpoint: CoveredCloudCloud: CoveredIDIdentity: Optional add-onSaaSSaaS: Optional add-onNetNetwork: CoveredOTOT/IoT: Optional add-on | EPEndpoint: LimitedCloudCloud: LimitedIDIdentity: LimitedSaaSSaaS: LimitedNetNetwork: CoveredOTOT/IoT: Covered |
| Response | ||
| Response type | Active Remediation | Active Remediation |
| Approval policy | Configurable | Configurable |
| Response actions | IsolateKill processContainDisable accountsQuarantineCustom playbooks | ContainCustom playbooks |
| IR included | Separate | ✓ Included |
| Cost | ||
| Price range | Starting at ~$43,775/year (SelectHub estimate). Enterprise pricing is custom/quote-based. | Not published |
| Minimum seats | None | None |
| Breach warranty | – | – |
| More details | ||
| Requires own agent | No | No |
| Endpoints | ✓ Included | ~ Limited |
| Cloud workloads | ✓ Included | ~ Limited |
| Identity | + Optional | ~ Limited |
| SaaS apps | + Optional | ~ Limited |
| Network | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| OT/ICS | + Optional | ✓ Included |
| Threat hunting | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
| Response SLA | ≤15 minutes | Not disclosed |
| 24/7 coverage | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Custom quote-based pricing in two tiers (Trustwave MDR and MDR Elite). Non-EDR sources priced by MEPD (millions of events per day). EDR telemetry is unlimited for contracted endpoints. | Custom quote for Thales Cyber Detection and Response, Managed Security Services, SOC and MDR. Public prices are not published. |
| Hidden cost warnings | Non-EDR telemetry priced by MEPD (millions of events per day), which is hard to estimate upfront and can spike. Service-level scope varies by product and tier. Confirm whether the Trustwave service-level document applies to the quoted MDR service.. MDR, MXDR, Co-Managed SOC, MTDR, and Cybereason XDR are still separate products at different price points. Ask exactly which product you are being quoted.. Five acquisitions and a 15% launch-day layoff. Ask about contract continuity and staff retention. | The current S21sec domain routes to Thales-branded services, so buyers wanting legacy S21sec-specific delivery should confirm contracting entity, SOC location and delivery team.. Public pages do not publish prices, minimum terms, service credits, MTTD/MTTR or formal MDR SLAs.. Thales offers a broad cybersecurity services portfolio; buyers should separate base MDR scope from CTI, DRPS, DFIR, CERT, ICS monitoring and advisory services.. Named endpoint, identity and cloud containment actions are not public and should be confirmed tool by tool.. Data retention, raw log access, offboarding and detection-content export rights are not described publicly. |
| Data portability | Partial | Partial |
| Contract terms | Annual, Multi-year | Custom cyber detection and response engagement, Managed Security Services, SOC and MDR, Critical-infrastructure cybersecurity services |
| Channels | PortalEmailPhone | EmailPhonePortal |
| Data access | Full query access | Reports only |
| Dedicated analyst | ✓ | – |
| SOC regions | North AmericaEuropeAsia-Pacific | EuropeMEAAPAC |
| Onboarding | 10 days or less (Trustwave MDR) | Not published. Thales describes customer-centric service roadmaps and selecting/deploying detection and response technologies, but no standard MDR onboarding timeline. |
| Industry focus | Financial ServicesHealthcareGovernmentRetailManufacturingEnergy | Critical InfrastructureGovernmentDefenseEnergyManufacturingAviationSpaceFinancial ServicesTelecommunicationsHealthcareTransportationAutomotiveUtilitiesMaritime |
| MTTD | Not published | Not published |
| MTTR | 15-minute Security Incident notification SLA. Sub-30-minute MTTR objective and 15-minute MTTA objective apply under narrower Trustwave service-level scope for MDR Elite and MDR U.S. Government. | Not published |
| Community view | G2 4.4/5 (120 reviews, primarily USM Anywhere). Gartner Peer Insights 4.3/5 (Trustwave MDR). Frost & Sullivan MDR Growth Index Leader 2025. Cybereason achieved 100% detection in MITRE ATT&CK 2024. SpiderLabs and FedRAMP authorization are genuine differentiators. Main concern is integration risk from five acquisitions in two years. | The current public evidence is strong for Thales-branded global SOC, MDR, CTI, DFIR and critical-infrastructure detection and response, but weak for S21sec as a standalone public MDR brand. Buyers should validate current delivery model, SOC location, response authority, pricing and whether the contract is with Thales/S21sec in the relevant country. |
| Compliance | FedRAMPStateRAMPSOC 2ISO 27001PCI DSS QSAPCI Forensic InvestigatorHIPAA | DORATIBER-EUPCI DSSEASA Part-ISEASAICAOUNECE |
| Certifications | FedRAMP Authorized (first pure-play MDR, Feb 2025, FERC-sponsored)StateRAMP Authorized (Aug 2024)SOC 2ISO 27001PCI DSS QSAPCI Forensic Investigator (PCIF)Microsoft Verified MXDR PartnerFrost & Sullivan MDR Frost Radar Growth Index Leader 2025Gartner Market Guide for MDR Representative Vendor 2024Gartner Market Guide for Outsourced MSS Representative Vendor 2026Gartner Market Guide for DFIR Retainer Services Representative Vendor 2025 | 8 threat intelligence and AI-driven SOCs around the worldSOCs in France, Morocco, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain, and New Zealand and Australia |
| Founded | 2024 | – |
| Data retention | 1 year (MDR Elite tier). Base MDR tier retention not publicly disclosed. | Not published. Public pages do not describe default log retention, raw log access, storage tiers or export terms for Thales SOC and MDR. |
| API available | ✓ | – |
| Website | Visit → | Visit → |
FAQ
What is the main difference between LevelBlue and Thales (S21sec)?
LevelBlue is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). Thales (S21sec) is a Services firm that is technology-agnostic (works with your existing tools). SLA commitments differ: LevelBlue offers ≤15 minutes, Thales (S21sec) offers Not disclosed. LevelBlue covers 3 attack surfaces in base pricing vs. 2 for Thales (S21sec).
How do LevelBlue and Thales (S21sec) differ in response capabilities?
LevelBlue supports 6 autonomous actions (account disable, custom playbooks, endpoint isolation, file quarantine, network containment, process termination) and approval is configurable. Thales (S21sec) supports 2 autonomous actions (custom playbooks, network containment) and approval is configurable. Incident response is not included with LevelBlue and included with Thales (S21sec).
How does LevelBlue pricing compare to Thales (S21sec)?
LevelBlue pricing: Starting at ~$43,775/year (SelectHub estimate). Enterprise pricing is custom/quote-based.. Thales (S21sec) pricing: Not published. Watch for with LevelBlue: Non-EDR telemetry priced by MEPD (millions of events per day), which is hard to estimate upfront and can spike; Service-level scope varies by product and tier. Confirm whether the Trustwave service-level document applies to the quoted MDR service.. Watch for with Thales (S21sec): The current S21sec domain routes to Thales-branded services, so buyers wanting legacy S21sec-specific delivery should confirm contracting entity, SOC location and delivery team.; Public pages do not publish prices, minimum terms, service credits, MTTD/MTTR or formal MDR SLAs..
Should I choose LevelBlue or Thales (S21sec)?
Choose LevelBlue if: uS federal and state agencies that need FedRAMP/StateRAMP-authorized MDR with deep compliance credentials. Choose Thales (S21sec) if: critical infrastructure and public-sector buyers that need Thales/S21sec regional cyber detection and response. LevelBlue is not ideal for organizations that prioritize vendor stability. Five ownership changes and a 15% launch-day layoff are red flags.. Thales (S21sec) is not ideal for buyers that need a standalone legacy S21sec-branded MDR package.
Daylight Security
AI-native MDR for buyers comparing active remediation across endpoint, cloud, identity, and SaaS. Daylight works with existing EDR/SIEM stacks and uses ChatOps-native collaboration, so it can be a useful third reference point in this comparison.