Check Point Application Control Reviews

We have main and branch offices as well as on-premise and cloud data centers. Using Application Control we control the necessary applications instead of creating one or several rules for one application. 

With the AppWiki from Check Point, we can even show users that don't have a log in what applications there are and even see the risks involved at a single glance.

If you use Microsoft services, there are a lot of different applications that the firewall can differentiate and this shows also in the logs.

Using Application Control instead of normal rules and ports helps with ever-changing product versions. In the past, each version could add/remove certain ports which have to be added or removed by the administrators. With automatically updated applications, you don't have to do that continuously.

Enabling Application Control is unbelievably easy as once it is enabled you can use all relevant applications within the rule base.

Seeing applications within the logs also makes troubleshooting easier as you can see if the firewall recognizes the relevant application.

Check Point Application Control offers a wide selection of applications, and even within those, you can configure uploads, downloads, et cetera, on a very granular level. That way, users can use a single application for viewing data but are unable to upload potentially unwanted files. Basic functionality can be provided without decreasing security. In addition, using Check Point Logs we can also see what is allowed/blocked and can act accordingly.

Using APCL within the normal rule base also makes administration easier.

If you want to use Application Control over your whole environment you have to license it for all gateways. Otherwise, you can only work with a subset of it. Therefore, pricing can be quite an issue.

We saw that sometimes APCL stops working and can cause an impact on the rest of the rule base. Therefore, it's advisable to check that the gateway can always update itself with the newest applications.

Sometimes applications are not recognized. This may be due to HTTPS Inspection settings. It's also advisable to fully inspect traffic.

I've used the solution for over two years.

This software monitors the performance of applications across the company. It provides comprehensive security for all the tools contributing to the company's growth. 

Check Point Application Control has created reliable data management policies that guide employees on how to interact effectively with applications. The software assigns each sector the most suitable working tools to easily implement projects and tasks. 

We were able to customize it and make efficient configurations with data models.

This platform has fully secured our applications with very powerful firewall security upgrades. 

It has taught employees how to protect their work tools from external security threats. The system has a secure database that keeps information on applications in a secure environment. 

It interconnects easily any network platform that faces challenges restoring normalcy. It updates applications for compliance. It unlocks hidden security barriers that affect workflows.

All the features collaborate in the management of application security. Granular control monitors the models that create a given application. 

It tracks down the performance of all the given tools in the system to ensure there is reliable performance. 

Application groupings simplify the work of monitoring operations and checking the security situation of the entire production chain. Next-Generation Firewalls identify any malware attacks that could harm data and slow down operations. 

The Network Security monitoring system has enhanced the safety of the company's cloud-based servers.

The learning curve for new users is challenging since the integrated data models are complicated. 

The system slows down when the company has a lot of applications. 

New versions that are upgraded rarely come with new market updates. 

The cost and deployment capacity is based on the size of the company. The overall performance is excellent when the system administrators from the company work closely with the vendor-customer support team. 

It has enhanced a secure work environment and enabled employees to focus on more productive tasks.

I've used the solution for 12 months.

It is stable and highly productive.

It is highly scalable with perfect performance.

The customer support staff is dedicated to their work, and I will always cherish their great support.

Positive

I have no experience with a similar solution.

We did not experience complications during the setup process.

It was implemented through the vendor, and they provided the required support and guidelines.

The ROI has been positive with increased performance.

The cost is good and flexible for any organization.

We settled on this product the first time.

I highly recommend this software for comprehensive application security enhancement.

On-premises

We use Check Point in our internal network, as well as on the perimeter & we have used the Application control-blade on the internal firewall. All of our user traffic will be terminated at the internal firewall, hence we have done primary filtering of traffic on the internal firewall only.

Basically, on the internal firewall, we are blocking all social networking sites, remote meeting applications, adult content, & torrent applications. This restriction helps us to save our bandwidth as well to ensure that users follow & maintain work ethics at the office premises.

Application control blades help us in two ways. The first is to allow specific applications, where earlier we have to find out all of the URLs needed for each application & then allow them one by one. Now, we now just find the application. The second way is to restrict the user from browsing unwanted websites.

Together, these improved security & help to maintain discipline & focus at work.

The application control-blade also helps us by providing visibility. We have an overview of application traffic & depending upon the content, we can decide to allow or deny the application.

Check Point has its own application database where more than 7,300 applications are known. I am able to see them using the smart console, along with details for each one. Each and every application has an accompanying category, some knowledge about the application, the protocol it uses, & the risk factor associate with it.

Implementing application control is very simple & it is designed in such a way that we can introduce it with access policy. Also, to reduce complexity, we can create an altogether different layer.

This product logs & monitors event traffic for each application, giving us better visibility. Updating the application database is very easy; we just have to schedule the update & the device will automatically fetch it on a regular schedule, such as every two hours.

We expect applications to be updated regularly.

I have been using Check Point Application Control for more than three years.

This is one of the stable modules in Check Point.

Scalability for application control in the Check Point gateways is good & does not take need much processing power.  

Check Point TAC is always helpful, although particularly for application control, we have not yet raised any tickets. For the help that they have given us with other products, I appreciate the effort from the support team, as they always help us when we ask. 

Prior to this, we used FortiGate but the Check Point database is far better.

The initial setup is very simple.

We completed the implementation in-house.

I think application control has become a basic feature and it should be enabled automatically, without having to purchase a separate license for it. Alternatively, it should be available at a minimal cost.

We have not evaluated any other options.

The only thing we expect from a Check Point is to regularly update their database with the new applications. Other than this, specific to the application control-blade, I have not seen any issues or problems.

On-premises

Other

The Check Point Application Control solution is used by us on two firewall clusters. It is used both on the inside and on the outside.

Analyzing internal traffic helps us to understand which applications are used within our network. It does more than simply allowing or blocking traffic. It provides a report on how much these applications consume on the network and where they are used.

On the foreign side, we only allow applications considered safe and we always use the report to identify external attacks or improper use from the inside out.

Check Point Application Control application I would define it as oxygen: you notice it when it is missing and I say this because we now think it is natural to have this module incorporated in a firewall.

In the beginning, without this module, we were in the dark about everything. We were forced to open internal or external traffic by trusting (sorry for the nonsense) who was doing the traffic: unthinkable today!

Now we know who does what and can give specific permissions based on the user or the group to which the user belongs. The same user can have maximum permits on the professional side but be protected himself from ending up on sites that are improper for his work activity, such as porn sites.

The most important feature, in my opinion, regarding Check Point Application Control is the granularity and the great variety of applications and sub-applications recognized.

Consider that I can make multiple rules for the same user or group of users by detailing what it can do perfectly. The applications are not trivially listed but well-specified. To give an example: the Facebook application is not simple but its features are listed so that I can allow the use of Facebook but not the uploading of a file.

It is hard to say what has to be improved in Check Point Application Control.

Occasionally, we have to identify an application that is not registered. I would like to have a periodic update of the applications, perhaps based on a predefined calendar.

We would like to have the ability to submit new applications for registration, as well as request the recategorization of URLs.

We have been using Check Point Application Control for twenty years.

I have not found any particular malfunctions so I can say that it is well implemented.

Through a firewall cluster, I can increase the power and reliability of the system, and avoid buying a superior model.

Customer service is very competent.

We did not use another similar solution prior to this one.

The initial setup was straightforward.

Setup is made easy by using logs. As a first rule, I put the blocking of applications that come to mind, then a rule of allowed applications specifying all applications. By looking at the logs, I will be able to refine the rule by populating that of blocked applications and creating one of the allowed applications.

For maximum security (but maximum limitation), I can put at the end a rule that blocks everything but will block both applications not previously specified and those not recognized. This rule requires having a team that looks at the logs a lot, otherwise, it is better to put it on permission and analyze it periodically.

We implemented it through a team that lived up to the solution.

The blade has its cost but you can take advantage of the license package to pay less for it.

We did not evaluate other options.

It does not require excessive resources but if you intend to use it massively, do not underestimate the size of the firewall.

On-premises

Our primary use case of Check Point Application Control is to filter which application categories we want to allow our organization members to have access to so that they are secured. For example, we don't allow access to malicious applications and some categories that could be threats. We only allow organization members to access secure applications and applications that are aligned with the company's strategy. 

It also enables us to save internet bandwidth by filtering applications that are not work-related.

Check Point enables us to save internet bandwidth. The administration offers good guidance. We don't want the employees to access social networking on work computers because it will distract them from their jobs, so we can block that. It also helps us to implement changes very quickly and to get people to be more focused on the job. 

We can block employees from downloading illegal content that would harm the company image with our IPS. If an employee downloads torrents with movies that should be paid for,  they can detect that it's our company's IP. We could be fined and it could be good damage to the company image. So we block those kinds of applications.

The features are very granular. You can block Facebook Chat but allow Facebook itself. The big database and the easy configuration are also valuable features. 

I think Check Point Application Control is one of Check Point's most complete solutions. It has had a lot of years for improvement. I don't see anything that we need to be improved. It does everything that we would need. It always applies new applications. It does what we need it to do. We don't need to select a specific application if we don't need it, it can be selected by category. The solution is very complete. 

I have been using Check Point Application Control for eight years. 

The solution is stable. We didn't have any specific issues. 

It's scalable in a way that you can use the same application and filter objects on all the gateways that you have under managers. You can define one profile applied to all firewalls.

There are around 1,000 users in our company who are affected by Application Control. 

Four network security engineers are responsible for the maintenance. 

We deployed only on the perimeter firewalls. If we need to add some more perimeter firewalls, we will deploy to that as well.

We specifically chose Check Point because we needed to filter internet access. It was already in place in some firewalls when I came to my company. My colleague implemented it on some other firewalls. It was already placed in one or two firewalls. 

The initial setup was straightforward. We generally use the blacklist method for Application Control. That is where you select which application categories and specific applications you don't want to be accessed and then you allow everything else. This method is easier than what we did in the past where we tried to do it the other way. We would only allow specific applications for a specific project and then deny everything else. But then there was always something missing because the machine would need to update and we would need to have a new application. There was always something being blocked that shouldn't. 

It took us about one week to define the strategy and then two to go through the list of categories that were available to define which we would deny. We would also discuss with the GRC team and get guidance from the administration. 

Our ROI Speaker is that it adds another security measure that doesn't allow employees to access websites and applications that can harm our company, and by keeping the company's IPS reputation clean. It also blocks categories like social networking and gambling. Those kinds of categories also increase productivity and decrease internet link usage for things that don't interest the business.

Pricing is in line with the competition. Licensing is not complicated. The license application is straightforward and it functions well. There are no additional costs that I'm aware of. 

My advice would be to deploy Application Control with a blacklist approach. In which you select which application categories to block and accept others. Otherwise, from our experience, it's a mess. It's much more easy and efficient than doing the whitelist approach, in which you would select what you would allow and block off the rest. It can forget to add a category or an application that is needed and so you will always need to be adding them on a request basis.

The whitelisting approach should only be on very specific applications. In which only a server should access a certain application and nothing else. If you miss something, you will have to always be investigating why it doesn't have access or why an application is not working. 

We tried to do a whitelist approach on a specific environment, but we gave up because it was starting to get to be a bit messy. Some servers only need it to go to the internet to do some updates on some applications. They shouldn't access any other categories. That was always something that was not working because some application was categorized as technology and it was also categorized as, for example, social networking.

The biggest lesson is that it's very important to have Application Control on the company's internet access. A previous company I worked at, got a court letter saying that our IP downloaded two movies from torrents. The company got a final warning that if our IP would be caught downloading illegal stuff again we would have problems and so the company implemented Application Control. It's very important for the company's IP reputation and also for employees to be focused on their job. You can block malicious applications which gives you another level of protection and also reduces internet link usage.

I would rate Check Point Application Control a ten out of ten. 

Hybrid Cloud

The primary use case of this solution is security, threat prevention, antivirus, and ransomware. You can use it for everything.

The most valuable feature is the protection from threats.

This solution could be easier to manage. 

The security features could be enhanced, and the price could be lower as well.

I have been familiar with this solution for a year and a half.

This solution is stable and we have not had any issues.

This solution scales nicely.

We have not contacted technical support as of yet.

The initial setup was a bit difficult. Every product has its own difficulties and many products are not equal to each other, which is the reason why it was a bit difficult. 

You have to know the features and where they are located and how they work, the logic and even with the logic you have, you don't know the configuration.

The deployment took one week.

We have our team. We implemented this solution ourselves.

It's a bit expensive and it could be cheaper, but it's part of business politics.

We did evaluate other options but they are approximately the same. They may have some differences, but at first glance, they don't appear to have differences in the functions.

It's a good solution and I suggest it. In general, it can be improved but it's good enough.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

On-premises

My main use case for Check Point Application Control is to provide granular visibility and application monitoring in the organization.

Granular visibility and application monitoring help my organization by allowing us to control application usage through policies, so we can allow, block, limit, or terminate based on our requirements for the organizations and for particular users.

A specific example where I had to block or limit usage with Check Point Application Control is when we use it to block gaming and social applications during office hours to promote employee efficiency during work hours.

This has been effective for our organization as we've seen an improvement in employee productivity and a reduction in bandwidth usage because during work hours, we have fewer people using gaming and social apps.

We've seen close to 50% improved productivity in the organization, with most of the network traffic now being channeled to productive use cases as opposed to earlier when most of the traffic was to social apps and gaming sites, which I measured through consistent reporting.

The best feature Check Point Application Control offers, in my experience, is application control, which I believe is the main use case for it.

Application visibility works in practice for me by giving us real-time insights into which applications are being used on the network.

We usually use the application visibility reports on a weekly basis to assess network usage and application usage, which helps us keep track of overall performance.

I rely on its management feature, which provides control over these applications.

Check Point Application Control has positively impacted our organization by improving security, improving compliance, and reducing the risk of insider threats through applications.

Regarding compliance, it helps us to meet our regulatory requirements within the organization and work policies as related to applications, reducing security incidents as we successfully block applications that are not allowed.

One area for improvement in Check Point Application Control would be the behavioral analysis of applications.

I'd like the behavior analysis to better identify potentially malicious activity within the applications that are allowed in the company.

I would also like to see it provide more intelligent recommendations for application control, as this would assist my team in daily operations.

I have been using Check Point Application Control for about two years.

We have had to reach out to customer support, and they have been responsive.

Check Point Application Control has not experienced any downtime or major issues in my environment.

Its scalability has met my needs as my organization has grown or changed.

We have had to reach out to customer support, and they have been responsive.

I would rate the customer support of Check Point Application Control an eight out of ten.

Positive

Before Check Point Application Control, we were using Microsoft Office and Fortinet, and we switched to experience newer technology and to meet our project queries.

The initial setup with Check Point Application Control was straightforward.

I do not have insights regarding the return on investment since implementing Check Point Application Control.

The experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Check Point Application Control was straightforward.

We evaluated Fortinet and Palo Alto before choosing Check Point Application Control.

I recommend others looking into using Check Point Application Control to basically try it out, as it's one of those tools that can enhance application integrity within one's organization.

On a scale of one to ten, I would rate Check Point Application Control an eight out of ten.

I chose eight out of ten because those two points are areas of improvement that I would like to see addressed.

We are a partner of Check Point.

Overall, Check Point Application Control is a great tool that one can use in their organization.

On-premises