Symantec Proxy Reviews

Name: Symantec Proxy
Brand: Broadcom
Rating: 3.7 (22 reviews)

3.7 out of 5

22 reviews
80% willing to recommend

What is Symantec Proxy?

Symantec Proxy is designed to provide web security, web access control, and secure web gateway functionalities for organizations. It helps protect against web-based threats, enforce web usage policies, and provide secure access to internet resources.

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Symantec Proxy is the #13 ranked solution in top Web Security Gateways. PeerSpot users give Symantec Proxy an average rating of 7.4 out of 10. Symantec Proxy is most commonly compared to Cisco Umbrella: Symantec Proxy vs Cisco Umbrella. Symantec Proxy is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 62% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 21% of all views.

Helped 856,873 peers since 2012

Featured Symantec Proxy reviews

Ganesh Basappa

Network Security Consultant at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

There are many use cases in terms of content inspection, such as having granular control for file type extensions when trying to download file types by default. It depends on the requirements, and based on that, we customize policies. We have deployed it in an Azure infrastructure, and we have…

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YefetDamari

Senior Architect at Migdal Insurance

I work as an architect, and we use it in our company. We use Symantec Proxy for our company, for web surfing and utilizing its native proxy capabilities Symantec Proxy have been most effective for threat detection and prevention. Symantec is a very robust solution. Also, it has many capabilities…

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Mel Stevenson

Security Consultant at DXC Technology

The initial setup is quite straightforward. I rate the ease of setup a nine out of ten. It took us a week to get the policy in place. It's a complicated policy that needs to be created from scratch. To deploy the solution, we do console setup, configure the interfaces and DNS routes, authenticate the domain, download the content solution databases, connect to Symantec Reporter, and configure the policy.

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Symantec Proxy mindshare

As of June 2025, the mindshare of Symantec Proxy in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category stands at 2.2%, down from 3.4% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

PeerResearch reports based on Symantec Proxy reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Secure Web Gateways (SWG)	Jun 15, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jun 15, 2025	Download
Comparison	Symantec Proxy vs Cisco Umbrella	Jun 15, 2025	Download
Comparison	Symantec Proxy vs Zscaler Internet Access	Jun 15, 2025	Download
Comparison	Symantec Proxy vs Fortinet FortiGate SWG	Jun 15, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Cisco Umbrella	4.4	17.8%	97%	121 interviews Add to research
Zscaler Internet Access	4.1	15.1%	98%	53 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Symantec Proxy's most valuable features include robust content caching, URL filtering, granular policy creation, and malware protection. Users praise its stability, scalability, and ease of deployment. The Global Intelligence Network enhances web filtering and risk management. The command line code allows for advanced functions. Support, autoscaling, and simple configurations add to its efficiency. Its integration capabilities and threat detection effectiveness are highlighted, along with accurate site categorization and GUI effectiveness.

"I would rate the overall solution a nine out of ten."
"The GUI has been effective."
"The most valuable features are content inspection, caching, SSL encryption, decryption, WAN optimization, and more."

Room for Improvement

Symantec Proxy needs improvement in SSL inspection activation and overall performance, causing delays and internet disconnection. Users find deployment and pricing challenging. Support response and case resolution times are lacking, affecting efficiency. There's a need for better documentation, a more user-friendly interface, enhanced reporting and dashboard integration, and improved file processing, network stability, and security features. Marketing and sales efforts require strengthening in certain regions, particularly post-Broadcom acquisition.

"Pricing is difficult to specify as Broadcom sells platforms that include multiple products, making it hard to determine the exact cost for the proxy component. Forcepoint sold only proxies, which was easier to measure."
"AI features could potentially improve the proxy by helping build rules more efficiently, suggesting unused rules, and enhancing preference setting."
"Support services are lagging and not very responsive. I rate their support as five out of ten."

ROI

Users have mixed experiences regarding ROI from Symantec Proxy. Some experience challenges due to high costs, especially for small to mid-sized businesses, while larger enterprises benefit from increased security and scalability. The three-year contract's conclusion without renewal indicates uncertain ROI for some, but certain users have seen positive returns by leveraging Symantec Proxy's stability and security features, making it a preferred choice for those needing a robust and scalable solution. Scalability improvements also enhance user experience.

Pricing

Many users find Symantec Proxy's pricing high, notably since Broadcom's acquisition. It's often described as expensive, with subscription models and three-year licenses being common. Some face challenges with renewal complexities. Although there are no additional costs beyond standard licenses, many still perceive high expenditures in relation to benefits. While some users find the pricing reasonable, others suggest it requires improvement to match its feature set, highlighting varying opinions among enterprises.

"The product is highly priced. There are no additional costs apart from the standard licenses."
"The tool is pretty expensive."
"The solution is very expensive."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily use Symantec Proxy for web security, content filtering, and providing internet access. They implement it for forward proxy, remote access, antivirus scanning, and URL filtering. Companies deploy it both on-premise and in the cloud for secure browsing, malware filtering, and managing bandwidth. They also configure it with Active Directory for authentication and privilege-based access control, use firewalls, ATP, and sandboxing features, and customize it for content inspection and monitoring.

Service and Support

Symantec Proxy's customer service has mixed evaluations. Many express dissatisfaction, mentioning slow response times, ineffective resolutions, and less competent support post-Broadcom acquisition. Some mention improvement is necessary in technical assistance. A few share positive feedback, noting good support and effective partner channels. However, challenges include responsiveness and delays in solving problems. While previously satisfactory, changes after the acquisition have affected the perceived quality, resulting in a divide in experiences among users.

Deployment

Many found Symantec Proxy's initial setup straightforward, while others noted complexity requiring experienced personnel. Setup duration varied, from a few days to months, depending on requirements and expertise. Some faced deployment challenges, needing expert assistance. Proper planning was essential to manage the timeline. Certain conditions, like user admin rights and image support, influenced installation ease. Configuration needed meticulous attention, often involving detailed policy setup and compliance with guidelines.

Scalability

Many highlight Symantec Proxy as scalable, yet some find non-cloud scaling challenging. Changes in models or devices may be necessary. Users range widely, with some rating scalability highly, noting certain challenges like additional work for admins. User bases span from hundreds to thousands, and shifts in traffic management might be needed. Overall, ratings vary from seven to ten, indicating a generally positive perception of scalability but with room for improvement.

Stability

Symantec Proxy is frequently regarded as stable, receiving ratings mostly between eight and ten out of ten. Most experiences highlight its reliability and absence of bugs or crashes. However, some mention occasional hardware issues and unexplained glitches that require rebooting. Instances of high latency were noted, and recommendations suggest checking Blue Coat suggestions when necessary. The stability may vary based on the deployment platform and user load, with some users rating it lower for earlier versions.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Symantec Proxy Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

21%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Retailer

Educational Organization

Healthcare Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Insurance Company

Comms Service Provider

Legal Firm

Transportation Company

University

Marketing Services Firm

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Non Profit

Pharma/Biotech Company

Logistics Company

Construction Company

Hospitality Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Media Company

Outsourcing Company

Performing Arts

Security Firm

Compare Symantec Proxy with alternative products

Learn more about Symantec Proxy

Symantec Proxy Benefits:

Easy to use
Comprehensive security features
Ability to block malicious websites and applications
Efficient management of network traffic
Scalable and compatible with various operating systems and devices
Highly rated customer support and technical assistance

Symantec Proxy Features:

Web Filtering: Symantec Proxy offers web filtering capabilities to control and manage web access based on predefined categories or custom policies.
Malware Protection: The solution incorporates malware detection and prevention mechanisms to identify and block web-based threats, such as malware, viruses, and phishing attacks.
URL Filtering: Symantec Proxy uses URL filtering to categorize and assess the reputation of web domains and URLs in real-time.
SSL/TLS Inspection: The proxy solution supports SSL/TLS decryption and inspection to examine encrypted web traffic for potential threats or policy violations.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Symantec Proxy may include data loss prevention capabilities to prevent the unauthorized exfiltration of sensitive data through web channels.
User Authentication and Access Control: The solution supports user authentication and access control mechanisms to enforce user-based policies and provide secure internet access.
Reporting and Analytics: Symantec Proxy provides reporting and analytics capabilities to monitor web usage, user activities, security events, and compliance violations.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by Symantec Proxy users.

PeerSpot user, Consultant at a financial services firm, says that Symantec Proxy "...enables us to manage bandwidth for users based on their privilege levels. For example, if a user wants to use a certain application or resource, we can provide access based on their privileges."

PeerSpot user, General Manager & founder at a engineering company, writes that Symantec Proxy has "A complex deployment, no proper user reporting, and a proxy component that works."

Muhammad Salahuddin, Unit Head - Network and Security Solutions at FPM Solutions, states that Symantec Proxy has "Good URL filtering but is expensive and doesn't have good technical support services."

Symantec Proxy was previously known as Blue Coat Encrypted Traffic Management, ProxySG Appliance .