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ACF2 vs Imperva SecureSphere Database Security comparison

Broadcom and Imperva are both solutions in the Database Security category. Broadcom is ranked #16, while Imperva is ranked #2 with an average rating of 7.5. Broadcom holds a 1.0% mindshare in DS, compared to Imperva’s 29.4% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Broadcom users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of Imperva users who would recommend it.
ACF2
Read 6 ACF2 reviews
  • 515 Views
  • 103 Comparison Views
100% willing to recommend
Imperva SecureSphere Databa...
Read 56 Imperva SecureSphere Database Security reviews
  • 3,438 Views
  • 3,129 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

Imperva SecureSphere Database Security and ACF2 are competitors in the data protection domain. Based on features and security capabilities, ACF2 appears superior due to its comprehensive security framework, especially for mainframe-centric environments.

Features: Imperva SecureSphere offers real-time breach prevention, automated security updates, and detailed data activity monitoring. ACF2 provides strong access control, mainframe system integration, and robust compliance reporting, supporting environments focused on mainframe security needs.

Room for Improvement: Imperva SecureSphere could enhance its support for mainframe environments, scalability, and policy customization options for complex enterprise needs. ACF2 might benefit from simplified deployment processes, reduced upfront costs, and improved ease of integration outside of mainframes.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Imperva SecureSphere offers easy deployment with robust customer support focused on quick implementation. Conversely, ACF2, though offering specialized support, presents more complex deployment due to mainframe integration, which might delay implementation processes.

Pricing and ROI: Imperva SecureSphere is competitively priced with quick ROI through efficient operation, while ACF2 requires a higher initial investment. Its premium pricing is justified by its extensive security features and scalability, promising substantial ROI for organizations reliant on detailed mainframe protection.

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To learn more, read our detailed ACF2 vs. Imperva SecureSphere Database Security Report (Updated: July 2025).
Buyer's Guide
ACF2 vs. Imperva SecureSphere Database Security
July 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

ACF2
Ranking in Database Security
16th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Mainframe Security (6th)
Imperva SecureSphere Databa...
Ranking in Database Security
2nd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Database Security category, the mindshare of ACF2 is 1.0%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Imperva SecureSphere Database Security is 29.4%, down from 31.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Database Security
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer1077621 - PeerSpot reviewer
A reliable, scalable product for security and auditing of our mainframe environment
It is a good product. It has been used for years. As long as it is configured correctly, it is a very stable product. It depends on how an institution or a company configures it. It depends on an institution's risk appetite. You need to make sure it is configured as per the concept of least privilege, and the logging features, detection and control mechanism, and other things like that are enabled. If you configure it to give access to the public, then there could be compromises. You should also have someone who independently checks it to make sure that it is configured keeping security in mind. If it has been configured for a while, when there are enhancements to the product or when you enhance it, you need to make sure that security is also looked at, and it is configured according to an institution's security policies. I would rate it a nine out of 10.
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PrashantParab - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides cluster management and has the ability to receive alerts if anyone tries to tamper a database
It would be more efficient if we could manage the consoles of management servers from a single location. Currently, if the management server for our DR environment is separate from the production management server, we have to log in to each server individually. For example, to check the status of production servers integrated with Infowa, I need to log in to the production management server. Similarly, I have to log in to the DR management server to check the status of the DR servers. Connecting both servers and managing them through a single console would make it easier to handle all alerts in one place.
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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Excellent real-time reporting that saves time and resources."
"I love their support. The support is great. They are number one."
"We use this tool to quickly assign privileges to different users as soon as they come in."
"The NOACCESS by default is another very good feature. Also, access rules are straightforward, and easy to understand."
"Logging and monitoring are most valuable. It is for the mainframe environment, and it is at the forefront for security and resilience."
"It has a lot of different components that cover the needs of our customers."
"The solution is user-friendly."
"The solution provides significant benefits such as compliance and security. Its data risk analytics tool helps reduce numerous events to more manageable incidents."
"We use it for database security, vulnerability analysis, discovery, and handling requests from applications and users."
"The most valuable feature is the automatic reports on new databases, which gives us up-to-date inventory management."
"The product’s most valuable feature is real-time highlights."
"The most valuable features of Imperva SecureSphere Database Security are vulnerability assessment, enrichment security policy, and security"
"Currently, we have audit features for auditing databases, for example, granular auditing, which we really enjoy. We've been using it to check what users do."
More Imperva SecureSphere Database Security pros
 

Cons

"Reporting can sometimes include false positives."
"They can work on its ability to work in a distributed environment. It's a mainframe product. As many companies move to the cloud, depending on what cloud models they choose, such as a public, hybrid, or private cloud, it should be deployable. I am not sure if it can be deployed on those platforms. It has been there since the '50s or '60s, and it's still scalable. It has survived all these years, and it's scalable to many platforms, but I don't know about the cloud."
"I would like my team and me to be able to use simple browsers, like Chrome, to be able to access mainframe data and provision users using the browser.​"
"It needs longer rules. The max rule is 32K."
"There are specific missing features in the Imperva SecureSphere Database Security that I would like to see included or enhanced."
"The GUI for this solution could use some improvement."
"It would be more efficient if we could manage the consoles of management servers from a single location"
"The solution needs local support."
"Sometimes the reports are cumbersome, and you have to drill down to get more information."
"Performance can be slow under heavy loads, but this should be adjusted by scaling."
"The solution is expensive."
"The interface is not user-friendly."
More Imperva SecureSphere Database Security cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"Pricing is low and scalable to add features and volume."
"Imperva is too expensive for small and medium-sized enterprises. They're missing out on technology that helps them manage their data security better. Data security is essential because even the strongest network may be attacked from the inside without it."
"The pricing is reasonable and competitive."
"The setup and license are quite expensive."
"The pricing over-all depends on the entry level. For example, if support and maintenance are about $20,000 - $25,000, the initial cost can be five times more. It is less expensive for the company to maintain the client than to make the deployment."
"Imperva SecureSphere Database Security was quite expensive several years ago, but now they provide a subscription plan for licensing. It is available now for smaller and medium-sized companies, not only large enterprises."
"The product is expensive."
"Its pricing could be cheaper for the African countries or developing economies. The British pound is valued way more than the currency of most African countries. A better or cheaper pricing model for Nigerian and African customers would be better. It has a per-year subscription model. You pay exactly for what you need. That's all. You don't have to buy what you don't need."
More Imperva SecureSphere Database Security pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
26%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Retailer
10%
Insurance Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
24%
Computer Software Company
13%
Insurance Company
6%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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Which is the best DDoS protection solution for a big ISP for monitoring and mitigating?
My recommendation is Imperva.
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How does IBM Guardium Data Protection compare with Imperva SecureSphere Database Security?
IBM Security Guardium Data Protection is a solution for database security from IBM that gives complete visibility, control, and analysis to secure sensitive data and comply with regulations. IBM S...
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What do you like most about Imperva SecureSphere Database Security?
The tool's pricing is flexible and affordable for small and medium enterprises.
See all answers
 

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Compared 12% of the time
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Compared 60% of the time
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Compared 17% of the time
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More Imperva SecureSphere Database Security Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Mainframe Security
August 2025
ACF2 reportDownload ACF2 product report
Buyer's Guide
Imperva SecureSphere Database Security
August 2025
Imperva SecureSphere Database Security reportDownload Imperva SecureSphere Database Security product report
 

Also Known As

CA ACF2
No data available
 

Overview

CA ACF2™ for z/OS provides innovative, comprehensive security for your business transaction environments—including Linux, UNIX and z/OS on System z—helping you realize the reliability, scalability and cost-effectiveness of the mainframe. CA ACF2 provides an Advanced Authentication Mainframe feature, system entry validation, resource control, auditability, accountability, and administrative control. In conjunction with distributed security solutions from CA Technologies, CA ACF2 provides mobile-to-mainframe enterprise class security and compliance management.

ACF2 Features

ACF2 offers some of the following features:

  • Authentication: ACF2 is used for authenticating users and granting them access to profiles and various resources on the mainframe.

  • Access Control: The solution provides resource control, allowing administrators to control who can access specific mainframe resources.

  • Logging and Monitoring: Organizations can easily track and monitor activities on the mainframe. This feature enables the creation of audit trails for follow-up and helps with security analysis.

  • Metrics and Reporting: ACF2 allows the configuration of tools to produce different types of metrics and reports. These can then be used by senior management for making informed security decisions.

  • Comprehensive Security: The solution provides comprehensive security for mainframe environments, ensuring the protection of valuable data assets. It offers advanced authentication, system entry validation, and administrative control.

  • Streamlined Administration: It simplifies the administration of mainframe security by providing streamlined management capabilities. ACF2 also enables administrators to monitor and adjust security policies and accommodate various organizational structures.

  • Scalability: ACF2 offers reliable and scalable security, allowing businesses to expand their mainframe environments while maintaining a high level of protection.

  • Compliance Management: Organizations can meet compliance requirements by providing auditability, accountability, and comprehensive security controls.

  • Integration: ACF2 can integrate with distributed security solutions from CA Technologies, providing enterprise-class security and compliance management for mobile-to-mainframe environments.

  • Flexibility: ACF2 allows flexibility in adapting security policies to accommodate different organizational structures and requirements.

ACF2 Benefits

Some of the benefits that ACF2 provides are:

  • Enhanced security and resilience

  • Streamlined administration

  • Reliable and scalable security

  • Comprehensive audit capabilities

  • Cost-effectiveness

  • Integration with other security solutions

  • Simplified identity and access management

  • Compliance management

  • Efficient monitoring and reporting

Reviews from Real Users

According to an IT Examiner at a financial services firm with 10,000+ employees, "ACF2 is extremely beneficial for the mainframe environment, and it is at the forefront for security and resilience."

Broadcom

Imperva SecureSphere Database Security:

  • Audits all access to sensitive data.
  • Alerts or blocks database attacks and unauthorized activities, in real time.
  • Detects and virtually patches database vulnerabilities.
  • Identifies excessive user rights and dormant users, and enables a complete rights review cycle.
  • Accelerates incident response and forensics investigations with advanced analytics.
Imperva
 

Sample Customers

Sky, Rogers Communications
BlueCross BlueShield, eHarmony, EMF Broadcasting, GE Healthcare, Metro Bank, The Motley Fool, Siemens
Buyer's Guide
ACF2 vs. Imperva SecureSphere Database Security
July 2025
Free Report: ACF2 vs. Imperva SecureSphere Database Security
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