Splunk or Elastic? Which tool is better?
Ask ten security professionals, and you’ll get ten different answers. The debate rages on in every SOC, but it’s almost always based on familiarity, pricing models, or old habits. Decisions aren’t based on the one question that truly matters: “Which tool actually helps my analysts find the threat faster and more accurately?”
For decades, our industry has lacked an empirical, unbiased way to answer that question. Procurement teams measure the wrong things like, “message completion rates” instead of “did the human understand the battlefield?” We’ve been buying multi-million dollar tools based on opinion, not evidence. We believe it’s time to change that.
We are thrilled to announce that we have filed a provisional patent for the technology and methodology behind ARB1T3R —a platform designed to be the “Consumer Reports” for cybersecurity.
What Is Arb1t3r?
To be clear, ARB1T3R is not another SIEM. It doesn’t replace Splunk, Elastic, or tools like them; it evaluates them.
ARB1T3R is a method + software + process that functions as a neutral test harness. It quantifies the situational awareness of a human analyst, using a specific tool, for a specific role (i.e. a SOC analyst or malware analyst).
We adapted this idea from aviation’s high-stakes testing. They use a method called SAGAT (Situational Awareness Global Assessment Technique) to test fighter pilot cockpit designs. They’d blank the screens and ask the pilot critical questions about the aircraft’s status. We’ve applied that same principle to the cyber “digital cockpit.”
How It Works: From Ground Truth to a Real Score
Our patent-pending process moves evaluation from a guessing game to a science.
Define the Test: We use SME-authored, role-specific questions that capture what an analyst must know (e.g., “Which host exfiltrated data?”, “What malware family is present?”).
Prepare Ground-Truth Data: We generate synthetic (or use client-provided) data where we know every single event with certainty. This “known-good” dataset is the foundation of a true test.
Stand Up the Environment: An analyst logs into a controlled environment where the tool (Splunk, Elastic, etc.) is wired up to our ground-truth data.
Run the Test: The analyst uses the tool to answer the time-boxed questions.
Score & Analyze: ARB1T3R outputs a simple, quantitative score (e.g., 92/100 or ‘A-‘).
The Real Value: It's Not a Grade, It's a Diagnostic
The most powerful part of ARB1T3R isn’t the score; it’s the analysis. Our platform is designed to answer why a score is low.
This is the key diagnostic that has been missing from cybersecurity:
Let’s say the “gold standard” benchmark for Splunk is a 95, but your organization’s implementation scores a 50.
ARB1T3R helps you diagnose the problem: Is it a Visualization Gap (the tool’s UI is confusing, queries are slow, or the dashboards are poorly configured) or a Data Gap (your team scored 50 because you’re not sending the tool the right data, like missing Zeek or Netscout sensor feeds)?
For the first time, you can stop guessing. You’ll know exactly whether to invest in more training, better dashboards, or new data sensors.
A New Standard for the Entire Industry
This patent filing is the first step in creating a new, evidence-based standard. ARB1T3R provides distinct value for everyone in the ecosystem:
For Procurement Teams: Stop buying blind. You can now make “ARB1T3R Score > 90” part of your RFP. You can finally justify a multi-million dollar spend with objective, empirical data.
For SOC Leads: Get the definitive answer. You can benchmark your own implementation against a gold standard and finally know whether your visibility problem is the tool, the configuration, or missing data.
For Vendors: Prove your value. We are a neutral, third-party evaluator. Pay to have your tool run through our standardized tests and get a score you can take to market.
We are bringing clarity to a market flooded with hype. This patent is the foundation for that new standard.
We invite you to join us. To learn more about how ARB1T3R can de-risk your security investments and provide true visibility, sign up for our Early Access Program.
Your privacy matters. We’ll never share your information.
About Veritech
Veritech is an independent, unbiased cybersecurity intelligence firm. Built by enterprise and defense operators, our mission is to provide organizations with the clarity they need to make confident, data-driven decisions about their security strategy. Our patent-pending ARB1T3R platform is the first of its kind to measure Cyber Visibility Intelligence, empowering enterprises to evaluate vendors, identify visibility gaps, and strengthen their cyber readiness based on their unique environment.
