Check Point WAF (formerly CloudGuard WAF) Reviews

We mainly use Azure DevOps for CI/CD pipelines for our applications, as well as project management and tracking bugs.

It has definitely streamlined our development cycle. The integration with other Microsoft products, especially Visual Studio, is seamless. The automation capabilities have saved us a lot of time and reduced manual errors. We are also using the Boards feature to manage sprints and track progress, which has improved team collaboration significantly.

The pricing can be a bit complex to understand initially. It can be challenging to estimate costs, especially when scaling our usage. Also, while the documentation is comprehensive, it can be difficult to navigate at times.

The pricing can be a bit complex to understand initially. It can be challenging to estimate costs, especially when scaling our usage.

Azure DevOps is a comprehensive platform that streamlines our development workflow and enhances team collaboration, though the pricing structure could be simplified.

Public Cloud

Check Point CloudGuard WAF can be used in various scenarios, including on-premises and cloud deployments. It integrates well with other platforms like Fortinet and can be managed through a centralized console. It is suitable for multi-cloud environments, including Google Cloud Platform and Azure. Additionally, Check Point AppSec can be used alongside CloudGuard WAF for comprehensive application security.

The most effective CloudGuard feature for threat prevention is its web app protection.

CloudGuard could improve in areas such as ease of integration with Fortinet and reducing costs associated with deployment in cloud environments like Azure. Simplifying the implementation process and offering more cost-effective solutions could make it more competitive and easier for clients to adopt.

I have been working with Check Point CloudGuard WAF for two years.

CloudGuard is stable, with minimal interruptions to service. In the event of interruptions, there is a data center alternative within CloudGuard. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate its stability as a solid nine out of ten.

It is easy to scale up CloudGuard as needed, and the licensing is based on traffic rather than the number of URLs. This means that clients only need to license the solution based on their traffic requirements, regardless of the number of applications they have deployed. I would rate the scalability as an eight out of ten.

Check Point offers strong customer service and technical support. While I interact with account managers for negotiations and collaborate with Check Point engineers during projects, the dedicated customer service team ensures a positive experience. Overall, I would rate the support as an eight out of ten.

Positive

The initial setup of CloudGuard is somewhat straightforward, but it involves creating virtual machines, which can add complexity and cost, especially in cloud environments like Azure. Clients should carefully consider recommendations and costs associated with CloudGuard and compare them with alternatives like Fortinet to make informed decisions.

Deployment of Check Point CloudGuard typically requires a small team, often consisting of around two to three staff members from cybersecurity departments or Check Point Harmony solution teams.

For maintenance of Check Point CloudGuard, typically one or two people are required to ensure the solution functions properly, including updating applications and managing access.

The auto-generation of WAF rules has positively impacted our security posture by efficiently identifying and mitigating threats. In cloud security, it may reduce delays in detecting and responding to security incidents. By checking the security posture of clients' websites, we can assess cybersecurity risks, such as those specific to certain industries, improving overall security awareness and readiness.

The deep API protection provided by CloudGuard has several benefits, such as comparing API calls to updates in cybersecurity groups and enhancing security for web applications and APIs. An example of CloudGuard's effectiveness is when protecting cloud-based RP systems or electronic invoice applications. In these cases, CloudGuard secures the cloud environment, including databases, against malware, encrypts applications, and provides overall application protection.

CloudGuard integrates well with existing cloud security tools and management systems, making it easy to implement and manage.

I would recommend CloudGuard to others, especially for organizations heavily reliant on cloud infrastructure and applications. It provides comprehensive security coverage, including WAF, which is essential for safeguarding applications in the cloud. I often suggest CloudGuard to clients to enhance their cybersecurity posture and mitigate risks effectively.

Overall, I would rate Check Point CloudGuard WAF as an eight out of ten.

Public Cloud

We implement it to protect applications and APIs across multi-cloud environments.

The primary advantage we experienced was in terms of security capabilities. Previously, our proxy solution lacked this level of protection, but with Check Point, we now benefit from streamlined management and complete visibility.

One of its most significant benefits is its ability to defend against a diverse array of security threats, without needing a specific configuration. It seamlessly protects through machine learning, giving us visibility into potential attacks and where they come from.

CloudGuard Application Security's ability to safeguard our applications from threats without depending on signatures is crucial. The intelligence behind its operation gives us the impression that it's being overseen by a human, evaluating whether activities are benign or malicious. It consistently provides accurate responses without requiring constant intervention from us.

In terms of its performance, CloudGuard Application Security boasts remarkably low rates of false positives. Occasionally, in certain implementations or configurations of additional functionalities, it may detect new elements as potentially intrusive, prompting proactive protection measures. However, meticulous programming and clear delineation of release parameters are necessary to address such instances effectively.

The solution has effectively lowered our overall cost of ownership for the web application firewall. Without the protective function of the firewall in place, issues are bound to increase. Therefore, it's crucial to configure it correctly to ensure that the internal intelligence can operate seamlessly with the application.

We opted not to utilize our cloud vendor's web application firewall since we have minimal cloud applications, primarily relying on those managed by CheckPoint. This decision is critical for securing our internal organization's work effectively.

We recently had a discussion about the challenge of API discovery and protection. There are occasions when it interfaces with other systems, leading to a loss of visibility. It would be advantageous to improve this aspect.

We have been working with it for two years.

The stability is commendable. Since implementation, we experienced only one interruption due to an update, which was promptly resolved.

The scalability is highly commendable, continually evolving in this aspect.

The technical support provided was excellent. Whenever we encountered complex configurations, we could easily engage with them for clear guidance, and the assistance provided was satisfactory. They demonstrate high effectiveness, and their response time is prompt. I would rate it nine out of ten.

Positive

The deployment model of CheckPoint relies on virtual machines, such as VMware, which are implemented within our internal infrastructure. The deployment process was quick, smooth, and intuitive, as it was transparent. For deployment, we engaged a reseller to facilitate communication between CheckPoint and our organization. Additionally, we utilized their administrative services for monitoring the implementation process.

In regard to ROI, I believe that its capacity to safeguard our organization's information is highly advantageous.

Considering all the benefits we've observed, we find the price to be satisfactory. While licenses were slightly more expensive previously, with the addition of more clients, it has proven to be reasonable.

We assessed several SaaS options alongside Check Point, and the primary distinguishing factor was the level of protection guaranteed by Check Point. Additionally, its maturity as a solution adds another layer of reliability.

Based on its effectiveness in safeguarding us from potential attacks and the value it has demonstrated, I would give it a perfect score of ten out of ten.

Private Cloud

Microsoft Azure

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security adds additional security to cloud-connected devices. It's one of the most robust products on the market, and that is why we decided to implement it at our company. 

To properly utilize Azure’s cloud resources, our team needed a way to ensure secure access. As a result, they chose Microsoft’s cloud security tools. These included creating firewall rules and compliance with company policies. Additionally, devices and users that connect to Azure would also use the tools to apply security posture controls.

Check Point CloudGuard State Management is a solution that helps our company ensure that all devices connecting to our cloud environment comply with security standards, which helps us mitigate a wide range of vulnerabilities and other software vulnerabilities. 

Also, through the control of the security situation, we can ensure employees adhere to company policies that help reduce the risk of human error and accidental data breaches.

It helps IT departments achieve superior network security and improve security policies.

It also helps us a lot in facilitating the security of remote workloads.

Check Point CloudGuard State Management has several valuable features that are very important to companies as they can greatly help remediate vulnerabilities. 

Some of them are:

• Device health checks help us verify that each device meets the appropriate standards.
• User attitude reviews help us keep all online users compliant with company regulations and policies.
• Compliance reporting helps us simplify reporting on compliance with security standards and company policies.

With these qualities, we managed to get the company to a higher level of security.

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security can be improved in general as any security tool will do what you need, yet sometimes minor updates or improvements are needed. Some updates are needed due to integration with other security solutions. Some organizations may wish to be able to integrate other security solutions into this product. It needs to have the ability to monitor network traffic and detect potential security threats in real-time. 

The analysis is time-consuming. In order to minimize steps and waiting time, they need to make it simpler. 

They need improved latency in the main window.

The tool's documentation has to be improved to make it easier to find items. 

They should improve technical support areas.

The solution was implemented three years ago.

It has excellent stability and has not presented errors since it was implemented.

The tool presents very good and functional scalability. To this day, we have not presented any problem.

The support it provides is not very good. They should improve that detail since we have had several setbacks due to this problem.

Positive

I have not used any other option before. All our implementation was on-premises previously and we did not have the need to work remotely.

The implementation of the tool is very easy. There are several steps via a wizard. Where it gets complicated is during the configuration. If you do not have extensive knowledge of the tool, it becomes complicated.

The implementation was done through the vendor, who gave us a support engineer to help us with the implementation and configuration of the tool. Others gave us some training as well. 

It is always a good idea to make an investment in something that will be profitable. The returns are very good.

While the Check Point Harmony Connect tool may not be available to everyone, for those who can afford it, it's an excellent solution for added security

No other option was evaluated since we had some tools from the same family.

This is an excellent tool that helps improve security and governance.

Hybrid Cloud

Microsoft Azure

Currently, I am working in a DNB environment. Since we have on-premises to Azure traffic, we utilize the Azure subnet. From the Azure subnet, we have different tags and servers hosted over the Azure side. When our internal traffic moves from the DNB to the Azure site, we use the CloudGuard firewall. Multiple tags are created in that firewall, each containing multiple servers. Users connect through the Azure site, utilizing an ExpressRoute link from on-premises to Azure. The CloudGuard firewall at our premises helps secure traffic to the Azure site.

The CloudGuard firewall's multiple features like web access filter, HTTPS inspection, and authentication are very useful in our environment. It provides secure and flexible connectivity between the user and the Azure subnet.

The most valuable features are its ease of use and multiple functionalities. In CloudGuard, we create tags with servers, which makes connections secure and flexible. Features like web access filters, HTTPS inspection, and authentication are very important for our environment.

The user interface, SmartConsole, sometimes malfunctions and requires a restart. This part of the interface needs improvement.

I rate the stability as seven or eight out of ten. We sometimes experience lagging, crashing, and downtime.

The scalability of CloudGuard is very good. I would rate it as nine.

Whenever we observe any issues at the firewall level or require assistance, we contact tech support. We open cases, especially during upgrades, and they provide standby support. I would rate their support as eight out of ten.

When I joined the project, most of the deployment had started, so I was not aware of previous solutions used by the company. Personally, I have worked with Check Point on-premises firewalls but not on the Azure site before joining this company.

Some deployments were already in progress when I joined, and I participated in about half of the deployment process. It was easy with third-party vendor assistance, if required.

The deployment was handled in-house with occasional vendor support related to specific components such as blades.

Pricing is a bit high, but it is justified considering the features and support provided by Check Point.

I recommend CloudGuard for its extensive security features. It not only provides security but also detects threats and inspects traffic thoroughly. It is especially useful for securing connections between users and Azure subnets.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

Hybrid Cloud

Check Point CloudGuard Code Security is a solution tool for cloud environments. It helps a lot to detect malicious activities, and, in addition to that, it provides security in the network and in applications. 

Due to these functionalities, we decided to adopt this technology. Since we are venturing into the cloud area, we needed a tool with the qualities and characteristics set out above. The tool is very efficient in the security functionalities that it provides, which was the main case for which we used and implemented it.

With the characteristics that the tool presents, it helped us a lot in the security of various types of infrastructure, for example.

Through the visibility of the activity in the cloud via monitoring in the administration panel, we can observe everything that is being monitored and which devices need to be attended to with priority, as well as what vulnerabilities we have that are affecting us.

Following compliance policies is easy as we can see which policies we are failing to comply with or which need to be applied in order to comply with the security framework.

Automation has helped a lot to identify and automatically execute policies, rules, and blocks due to its machine learning.

Check Point CloudGuard Code Security has valuable features such as automation and automatic learning. This greatly facilitates security implementation.

It also has excellent monitoring with great visibility of the environment.

The tool has scalability and stability, and it works as a tool for auditing to comply with regulations and standards. It presents solid network protection with VPN connections that help to make secure connections between all users, thus ensuring remote connections from anywhere are easy.

Although it is a cloud-native tool, it needs to make some improvements in certain features, such as integration with SIEM, which should be easier and not have a host involved. 

We'd like integration with third-party security tools. It should generate reports as data and offer better details as well.

They could include web functionalities such as sandboxing. 

Last but not least, they need to improve the support that it provides. The SLA is not met regardless of the type of support that has been acquired. We have had many problems contacting them.

I've used the solution for four years. 

Stability can depend on many factors. The main thing is to make an excellent installation and configuration so that the tool works properly.

Check Point CloudGuard Code Security has excellent scalability. That said, it all depends on the infrastructure configuration..

Technical support must improve since it does not meet the support standards they provide.

We used other applications, however, when migrating to the cloud, we needed a tool that complied with all cloud standards

The installation is easy, fast, and simple and done all through software. The configuration is a bit complicated.

The tool is implemented by the IT team and an engineer provided by the provider.

It is always important to keep in mind what types of features are needed to be able to make a direct investment and not buy excess products.

The cost will depend on the number of users or devices that must be protected and on the specific characteristics and capabilities, everything is also related to the size of the company.

We evaluated some options, including:

• McAfee MVISION Cloud
• Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks
• Trend Micro Cloud One
• Zscaler Cloud Security Platform

Before innovating or acquiring any security tool, it is necessary to evaluate all the needs that the company has in order to make a good acquisition.

Hybrid Cloud

We were focused on mitigating malicious activity at the application level. We were searching for technology to help manage frequent traffic issues, which is why we decided to implement a WAF. Our main use case was to also address the security of APIs. Since we were using many APIs in our environment, we wanted a solution that could manage restrictions and throttling for these APIs effectively.

The WAF allowed us to define objectives like throttling to control API usage. Additionally, we utilized the WAF to handle OWASP Top Ten vulnerabilities by creating rules to inspect incoming traffic from the internet to our internal infrastructure. Suspicious activities would be flagged and alerted as necessary. These features were key to our decision to implement the WAF in our last organization.

Check Point CloudGuard WAF provides a range of built-in features. It includes default policies based on the OWASP Top Ten vulnerabilities, which help detect and mitigate common threats. However, for vulnerabilities beyond the OWASP Top Ten, the WAF also offers the flexibility to create custom rules.

You can create and implement custom rules if you need to address other common vulnerabilities in the external environment. There are various options for implementing these custom rules, including using Terraform. For organizations that prefer to use only default policies, those are also effective at handling traffic and identifying application-specific vulnerabilities.

WAF solutions offer a wide range of features, and many cloud vendors integrate WAF capabilities directly into their platforms. For instance, Azure CloudGuard includes built-in WAF features fully integrated with the Azure environment.

Within this platform, you can easily define API restrictions, set web application vulnerability policies, and manage security headers like content security policies and HSTS policies. This integration streamlines the process of configuring and managing these security features, making it more efficient than using separate tools for each task.

When I was working with the WAF platform, there were limitations, particularly concerning compliance and reporting. Managing multiple tools for different functions like WAF, firewall, CDN solutions, and antivirus—could be cumbersome for organizations. They often prefer a more centralized platform to manage various features efficiently.

While having separate tools can enhance visibility and support a defense-in-depth strategy, the WAF platform's reporting capabilities could have been improved. 

Security headers, such as content security policies and HSTS policies, protect applications from web vulnerabilities like cross-site scripting attacks and cookie theft. These parameters can be defined at the CloudFront level or within a WAF.

WAFs operate in two main modes. Initially, they may be set to detection mode, monitoring activity without blocking traffic. This is useful for assessing the impact and tuning the rules. Once your implementation and team are ready, you can switch to the blocking mode, where the WAF actively blocks suspicious traffic. It’s important to carefully configure this mode to avoid blocking legitimate traffic, which can cause disruptions.

Additionally, you might see cost savings if you don’t use an API management platform and instead rely on WAF to manage API-related features. However, the decision depends on your specific architecture and implementation needs.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

We use the product to access the internet internally. It helps us to block unnecessary networks. 

The tool helps us to block IPs and applications. 

I have faced issues with the tool's blocking aspects. It is hard to open or block web services due to the multitude of cloud centers. I have to do the process manually at times. We have a bug which is hard to solve. 

I have been using Check Point CloudGuard Application Security for ten years. 

I like the tool's stability. 

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security is scalable. 

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security's support is sometimes good. 

We had used Sophos before Check Point CloudGuard Application Security. We switched to the product since Sophos did not have a firewall then. 

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security's deployment is not complicated. 

The tool's control helped us with the deployment. 

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security's pricing is not friendly. 

False positives happen occasionally, but it's not a big deal for me. I prefer false positives over the risk of something going undetected. The tool's abilities for preemptively blocking zero-day attacks and detecting hidden anomalies are good. It has helped us reduce the TCO for the web application firewall. I rate it a nine out of ten.  

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security helps us ensure the security of contact devices and meet audit requirements for compliance. 

The tool performs device health checkups and updates us. It helps us to be compliant with regulatory policies. 

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security needs to improve updates on integrations. It also needs to incorporate real-time monitoring features. 

I have been using the product for two years. 

We encountered stability issues during the configuration. The tool's stability is good. 

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security is scalable. My company has 1000 users for it. 

The tool's support is good. 

Positive

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security's deployment is easy and completed in six hours. You need two to three resources to handle the deployment. You need proper training to do it. 

The tool's licensing costs are yearly and competitive. 

I rate Check Point CloudGuard Application Security an eight out of ten. 

Hybrid Cloud

We were looking for a solution that could perform analysis on variables that we currently have to achieve real-time analysis of response from the organization and the measures that we must mitigate based on our organizational structure. Additionally, we needed a simplification of compliance with internal regulations based on international regulations and standards to allow us to maintain a standard of security in the industry. Our niche market requires a solution that automatically identifies security risks, compliance problems, or bad configurations. 

Being able to use this solution has given us better visibility. It allows us to manage security in the cloud more efficiently and effectively. This solution has allowed us to automatically identify the services that need configuring and the level of risk they have, thus achieving detailed information on vulnerabilities and security threats. 

We can now take immediate action to protect ourselves based on our infrastructure. Knowing what measures we must take allows us to reduce costs associated with security in the cloud by providing early identification of a risk or a possible security breach.

Its most outstanding characteristic is its ability to quickly identify risks to services. It allows us to generate a behavioral analysis by identifying risks. It allows us to achieve rapid detection of vulnerabilities and threats based on our infrastructure. Now, we are taking immediate measures to mitigate risks, protecting the areas that have been found to have inefficient security. Threat detection gives us a chance to always improve in aspects of security so that our baseline is more robust. 

This is a highly technical solution for users who do not have security experience. It requires specialized knowledge of configurations to use it correctly. 

This is a disadvantage since we must generate investment in training for the users. It takes a while to achieve adequate knowledge and we need to provide training and support resources for users before attempting the implementation of the solution for the first time. 

In addition, they need to additionally provide you with constantly evolving material due to its constant state of updating. It is important that we have these technical skills and requisite documentation in order to have greater confidence when using the tool.

I've used the solution for one year.

Public Cloud