🤝 BFF Take
CIBR Is Larger — HACK Is Older With Slightly More Diversification
CIBR (First Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF) and HACK (ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF) are both pure-play cybersecurity ETFs targeting the same theme. CIBR tracks the Nasdaq CTA Cybersecurity Index — ~35 companies focused on infrastructure protection, network security, and cyber services. HACK tracks the Prime Cyber Defense Index — ~60 companies including some defense/government contractors alongside traditional cybersecurity names. Both charge exactly 0.60%. CIBR has grown to $6B+ in AUM and has more liquidity; HACK is the original cybersecurity ETF (launched 2014) with $1.5B in AUM. Performance is similar but CIBR has had a slight edge over recent periods. For most investors, CIBR's larger size and liquidity make it the default choice in this category.
📋 Quick Takeaways
🔒CIBR holds ~35 pure-play cybersecurity companies; $6B+ AUM makes it the largest cyber ETF
🛡️HACK holds ~60 companies including defense contractors — broader definition of "cyber defense"
💰Both charge exactly 0.60% — fee is not a differentiator; liquidity and AUM favor CIBR
📊 Data-Based Take: CIBR has the lower fee
Whether the lower-cost fund suits your situation depends on your existing holdings, account type, tax situation, and how you use each fund. This is a cost comparison, not a personalized recommendation.
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Reviewed by a CFA® Charterholder · Data updated Jun 2026 · Educational only, not financial advice
CIBR
First Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF
HACK
ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF
📋 CIBR vs HACK — Key Facts Side by Side
| Metric |
CIBR |
HACK |
| Fund Name |
First Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF |
ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF |
| Issuer |
First Trust |
ETFMG |
| Tracks Index |
Nasdaq CTA Cybersecurity |
Prime Cyber Defense |
| Expense Ratio |
0.60% |
0.60% |
| Cost per $10K/yr |
$60.00 |
$60.00 |
| AUM |
$6B |
$1500000000 |
| Holdings |
35 |
60 |
| Inception |
2015 |
2014 |
| 1-Year Return |
+16.80% |
+14.60% |
| 3-Year Return |
+4.20% |
+2.80% |
| 5-Year Return |
+10.40% |
+9.20% |
| Avg Bid-Ask Spread |
0.02% |
0.03% |
Data from ETF BFF database. Returns are annualised. Not investment advice.
📊 CIBR vs HACK — Annualised Returns
Annualised returns (trailing, price-based). Past performance does not guarantee future results.
🎯 Should You Buy CIBR or HACK?
Choose if...
CIBR
- You already use First Trust and prefer staying within their fund family
Choose if...
HACK
- You want broader diversification (60 holdings vs 35)
- You already use ETFMG and prefer staying within their fund family
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❓ CIBR vs HACK — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between CIBR and HACK?
CIBR focuses on companies that derive significant revenue from cybersecurity products and services — software, hardware, and services for network/data security. HACK uses a broader "cyber defense" definition that includes some defense and government IT contractors alongside traditional cybersecurity companies. CIBR has ~35 holdings vs HACK's ~60, making CIBR more concentrated in pure cybersecurity names. CIBR has larger AUM and better liquidity.
Is cybersecurity a good long-term investment?
Cybersecurity spending grows structurally — ransomware, data breaches, AI-driven threats, and regulatory requirements drive continuous IT security investment. The sector has delivered reasonable growth, though as with all thematic ETFs, the story is well-known and priced in to some extent. Both CIBR and HACK have lagged the S&P 500 over most recent periods but outperformed in specific cybersecurity supercycles.
What are the top holdings in CIBR?
CIBR's top holdings typically include Palo Alto Networks, CrowdStrike, Fortinet, Zscaler, Cisco (security segment), and similar enterprise cybersecurity leaders. These large-cap names tend to dominate CIBR's market-cap weighting. HACK has similar top holdings but with some additional mid-cap and government IT contractor names in the mix.
How has cybersecurity performed vs the S&P 500?
Cybersecurity ETFs have been volatile relative to the S&P 500. They outperformed strongly in 2020-2021 during the remote work/cloud security boom, underperformed significantly in the 2022 rate-hike environment (high-multiple growth stocks fell hardest), and partially recovered in 2023-2024. The sector's performance is tied closely to growth stock multiples — when rates rise, cybersecurity companies with high P/E ratios get hit.
Is there a cheaper cybersecurity ETF?
BUG (Global X Cybersecurity ETF) charges 0.50% — slightly cheaper than CIBR and HACK. However, BUG has much less AUM and liquidity. IHAK (iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF) charges 0.47% with moderate AUM. For most investors, CIBR's liquidity advantage at 0.60% outweighs the modest fee savings from smaller, less liquid alternatives.
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📄 CIBR & HACK Fact Sheets
ℹ️ Data shown is for educational purposes and may not reflect the most current figures. Returns are trailing price-based and exclude dividend reinvestment. Past performance does not guarantee future results. ETF BFF is not a licensed financial advisor — this is not personalized financial advice.