Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) and (NASDAQ: CRWD) represent two very different ways to invest in the growing cybersecurity sector. Fortinet provides next-gen firewalls and end-to-end security tools through a mix of on-site appliances, first-party software, and cloud-based services. CrowdStrike eschews on-site appliances and only provides its cybersecurity tools as services through its cloud-based Falcon platform.

Fortinet is the older cybersecurity company, but it differentiates itself from its competitors by developing its own proprietary chips. It claims that pairing its first-party chips with its own hardware and software enables it to tackle threats more efficiently than other companies that use off-the-shelf chips. Meanwhile, CrowdStrike is the newer challenger, and aims to eliminate the need for on-site appliances -- which are pricier, take up more space, and are more difficult to scale than cloud-based services.

Image source: Getty Images.

Continue reading

Source Fool.com