Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) vs Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Check Point Software Technologies and Proofpoint are both solutions in the Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) category. Check Point Software Technologies is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.4, while Proofpoint is ranked #16 with an average rating of 9.0. Additionally, 96% of Check Point Software Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Proofpoint users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 13, 2026

Check Point Cloud Firewall and Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management compete in the cybersecurity field. Proofpoint has the upper hand due to its comprehensive data protection features, despite higher pricing, while Check Point is strong in support and network security.

Features: Check Point Cloud Firewall offers advanced threat prevention, automated protection in cloud settings, and seamless integration with various cloud platforms. It is effective in protecting large network infrastructures. Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management centers on data protection, with capabilities for sensitive data discovery, risk assessment, and managing posture across complex environments, suiting organizations focused on data security.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Check Point Cloud Firewall is known for easy cloud deployment and responsive support, providing robust setup guidance across different environments. Proofpoint offers a more tailored deployment approach, potentially requiring more time initially due to its comprehensive nature, with prompt service aimed at specific user scenarios in data protection.

Pricing and ROI: Check Point Cloud Firewall is cost-effective, offering competitive ROI due to its security effectiveness and quality support. Proofpoint's initial setup cost can be higher but is often viewed as worth the investment because of its extensive data protection and management capabilities, providing significant long-term ROI for businesses focused on complex data security needs.

To learn more, read our detailed Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) Report (Updated: October 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Data Security Posture Management (DSPM)

October 2026

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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

Qualys TotalCloud

Featured Reviews

reviewer2859021

Sr Security Engineer at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees

Risk-based triage has transformed container security and now prioritizes high-impact threats

The best features Qualys TotalCloud offers currently include managing cloud infrastructure and container security while facing major challenges such as alert fatigue. Traditional vulnerability scanners flag hundreds of CVEs on short-lived Kubernetes containers, some of which have no internet exposure or are gone before we can even triage them. I leverage Qualys TotalCloud to move beyond static CVSS. I use it to implement runtime exposure, correlation risk reprioritization, and shift-left integration. This notifies developers to fix a base image upstream rather than patching live ephemeral instances. In my work with cloud and container security, the biggest operational hurdle was alert fatigue. I use Qualys to shift left from static CVSS severity to context-aware risk prioritization. I correlated raw vulnerability data with real-time risk factors such as public network exposure, active runtime execution, or overly permissive IAM roles. This allows us to immediately drop the priority of isolated containers and escalate lower-severity CVEs that sit on an exposed, high-risk path. We can map these findings directly back to our CI/CD pipelines so developers can patch the root base images upstream. We have drastically cut down the signal-to-noise ratio, saved a lot of manual hours doing triage work, and ensured engineering effort goes directly towards high-impact risk reduction.

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Oscar Nunez

Ingeniero en redes y Telecomunicaciones at K-IT

Centralized management has reduced policy time and provides reliable multitenant protection

What I would like, what I think they should improve a little is the management of objects at large scale. When you work with multiple domains, there are thousands of network objects. Detecting duplicates and consistency across domains is a very manual process that should be more automated. Another thing: the SmartConsole interface is very powerful and very good, but the learning curve, compared to other solutions in the market from other manufacturers, could be modernized. I think it does not necessarily have to be done from a client application; it could be done via web, because via web I know that not all the options you have in SmartConsole are available. So it would be good if it could also be done from the web and all the options were available. Another thing that I would really like is more automation with Ansible or Terraform. I know it has improved in recent versions, but I think it is still not mature enough. Compared to other manufacturers that do have a bit more in terms of automation capabilities in integration flows with Ansible or Terraform, Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) could improve. Another thing that could be improved a little would be the TAC response time, because when there are very complex cases, I think there should be more speed initially, more ownership of those urgent cases, and not leave the customer waiting. This has happened to me: when I have cases open with Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) TAC, sometimes they do not respond and I have to keep insisting, and I think that part should improve. I do not know if it depends on who takes the ticket or on the severity of the ticket, but sometimes I have had to insist a lot, and that would be the only problem. Once they attend to me and become involved in the case, the responses they give are very professional and really help directly resolve the problems when there is a bug or troubleshooting to do. As I said, I would like to see a specific improvement in SmartConsole. I think if they improved it—how to say it—gave it a facelift so you could access all the options directly from a browser, that would be great, because sometimes, for one reason or another, you cannot download SmartConsole or, for some reason, the SmartConsole client does not start correctly, and you could do it directly from the browser. I think that would be a good option to improve. Another thing would be that in multidomain environments, I would like a global search function for objects and rules. That is, you could enter and search across all domains at once, because right now you have to go domain by domain, and in environments with many customers, you spend quite a bit of time; you have to exit one domain and enter another. So those would be the improvements I would like to see.

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Edwin Osiago

Senior Solutions Architect at Cyber Knight Technologies FZ LLC

AI classification has transformed data visibility and now simplifies policy‑driven protection

In my opinion, what should be improved about Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management is that it is quite advanced. I think they should ease it up a bit. When it comes to setting of policies, I wish there were a single policy that deals with multiple channels of exfiltration instead of having to do multiple policies to deal with maybe data exfiltration through web upload, data exfiltration through USB, data exfiltration through print, copy and paste, and so forth. It would have been much easier if I had one policy, and then I could turn on the light for all of these different exfiltration channels. A critical example is saying I want to put up a PII policy that will secure social security numbers. That is the condition, social security number. Then in the same policy, I should be able to state that I want this to block exfiltration through USB. However, I want it to allow uploads through web or uploads to a particular website or URL. I want it to allow that kind of granularity where you can flick around things on the same policy. Currently, with Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management, you have to build multiple policies for different channels. Most importantly, the Boolean logic in their policies is incomplete. It just has the AND function. Boolean should carry AND and OR. I am saying if this data contains PII data OR PCI data—either of them—it flags either PCI or PII. But what it has now is AND. For it to fire or trigger, both must be triggered. So if somebody puts only one, maybe PII, and does not put PCI, then it does not trigger. It should have an OR, so that I can have multiple policies and then differentiate them so that if this OR this OR this, either of these triggers. I have flagged that and raised that as a concern to the product team. I expect additional features from them in the next release, specifically the OR feature for the conditions. However, I am happy with the agent, the lightweight agent, the amount of activities it captures. Beyond just the DLP, it looks at the sites and URLs you are going to, it looks at the file renaming, it looks at the attempt to uninstall, and it looks really deep even though it is user mode. I am happy with that. The Boolean logic is what I think is incomplete at the moment.

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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

"I would definitely recommend Qualys TotalCloud to other users."

"CSPM is currently the most used feature, and we are enjoying the new feature, FlexScan, which is valuable for Internet-facing VMs."

"Vulnerability and threat detection and assessment of the criticality of the vulnerabilities exposed are most valuable."

"Qualys TotalCloud has significantly improved our organization by automating our reporting processes, reducing the time spent on report creation from two hours to less than fifteen to twenty minutes."

"Qualys TotalCloud's most valuable features are its security capabilities that help identify and mitigate risk factors."

"Qualys TotalCloud is overall the best tool available in the market for scanning purposes."

"This scoring system eliminates the need for us to do any manual effort because the scores help us prioritize our remediation vulnerability strategy."

"If I had to say something positive about the product that brings me the biggest benefit, I would say it has accurate reports, gets new update CVEs, zero-day attack detection, and is easy to manage with its GUI."

More Qualys TotalCloud pros

"Despite the price being on the higher side, the value for investments is substantial."

"It enabled us to move to cloud workloads safely while having the same level of security as we have on-prem."

"Scale Set is highly beneficial. It is easy to upgrade and maintain."

"The most valuable feature for us is the simplicity of creating this environment. Even though our current cloud usage is limited, the process of setting up machines in the product and establishing an HR system was straightforward."

"My advice to others is the solution is very stable, and reliable, and they should ensure that they invest in Check Point."

"Security effectiveness is the most valuable feature. Operational efficiency, reporting, and support are also good."

"Monitoring using SmartConsole and all its features is extremely easy, and I find SmartEvent an excellent monitoring tool for spotting threats and user behaviour."

"The most valuable feature is posture management, which gives you complete visibility of all your assets in the cloud and allows you to do governance and compliance."

More Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) pros

"It has helped my data security strategy very well because one thing is to set static DLP rules, however, how do you start setting rules when you have little or zero visibility as to where your critical or sensitive data resides?"

Cons

"We encountered challenges identifying the correct resource category for certain items, such as those in containers or storage."

"Their customer support needs improvement."

"One of the things that could be improved is the alerts. Qualys is a fantastic tool, especially with the TruRisk feature, but one challenge that most leaders face involves alert fatigue."

"The improvement needed in Qualys TotalCloud is mainly in the artificial intelligence automation agents, where we can customize and create what meets our needs, not necessarily having to use those provided in the tool."

"Regarding technical support from Qualys, they respond, but the response time can be too long. Sometimes we need to wait weeks for solutions to simple questions."

"It has been working very well, but it would be helpful if the dashboard could generate reports tailored to specific compliance needs. For example, in India, we have to comply with RBI and SEBI guidelines. It w"

"Areas that need improvement in every solution include the remediation part. The remediation steps should be simple enough for everyone to understand."

"Qualys's ticketing system can be confusing when assigning tasks to individuals, and support could be improved by offering instant call solutions with engineers in addition to ticket replies."

More Qualys TotalCloud cons

"I want the upgrades of their CloudGuard solution to major versions to be easier. We have had a few small hiccups. They have different types of cloud clusters called Geo Clusters, and those just cannot be upgraded past a certain point, which is a hurdle that we are currently experiencing."

"Every experience is different. Every ticket is different, and sometimes it's a little bit painful to pinpoint problems."

"While today we can manage some scopes, there are still some segments in the OSI layer we cannot manage."

"Where I do think there are some scalability limitations is in the management of objects and rules; when the system grows a lot, I see that policy compilation does get stuck and it feels there is a bottleneck, which is a very significant operational bottleneck in very large environments with many client companies."

"The rules are not well-tuned, and many of them generate false positives or nonsensical results."

"Automatic remediation requires read/write access. When providing read/write access to third-party applications, this can add risk. It should have some options of triggering API calls to the cloud platform, which in turn, can make the required changes."

"Dome9 should also support deployments that are on-premises and in a hybrid cloud."

"The product needs to improve technical support."

More Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) cons

"In my opinion, what should be improved about Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management is that it is quite advanced."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"As a middle management member, I do not have direct pricing knowledge, but based on the knowledge from our meetings, its pricing is competitive."

"Qualys TotalCloud is expensive, but it offers a premier solution with no headaches."

"Although Qualys TotalCloud is relatively expensive due to its unique automation features, its cost-effectiveness is rated an eight out of ten, with ten being the most costly."

"The cost is high, but it meets our organizational needs."

"It isn't cheap, but it's reasonable. It helps us to manage things with very few resources."

"The pricing for TotalCloud is attractive and competitive in the market. Given the features, especially the dashboard, I have no concerns regarding pricing."

"I am not sure about the pricing. From what I understand, it is a bit on the higher side, but I do not have the exact numbers."

"Qualys TotalCloud offers cost-effective licensing flexibility."

More Qualys TotalCloud pricing and cost advice

"The licesning has some good features. For example, the scaling feature is free of charge, allowing multiple scale-ups and scale-downs over a two-week period, which is pretty good."

"Although I don't have specifics for pricing, based on my overall experience, I can conclude that Check Point provides the best pricing when comparing to other vendors."

"It's not very expensive. It isn't very cheap either. Its price is okay. It depends on how much money you have. It might be expensive for some companies. Its licensing is on a yearly basis."

"The tool's pricing is moderate. Its licensing costs are yearly."

"They support either annual licensing or hourly. At the time of our last negotiation, it was either one or the other, you could not mix or match. I would have liked to mix/match. "

"The cost is on the higher side, as it is based on workload, hence we need to decide which VPC or workload needs to be part of CloudGuard."

"The tool's pricing is reasonable."

"The license fee is high."

More Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) pricing and cost advice

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

18%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Outsourcing Company

16%

Construction Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

16%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Construction Company

Media Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	16
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	39

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	133
Midsize Enterprise	56
Large Enterprise	146

No data available

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys TotalCloud?

We purchased Qualys TotalCloud for GCP and Azure as well. It is comparatively better than others regarding pricing. T...

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What needs improvement with Qualys TotalCloud?

I am unsure about how Qualys TotalCloud can be improved. I do not have anything else to add about the needed improvem...

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What is your primary use case for Qualys TotalCloud?

My main use case for Qualys TotalCloud is telemetry, although I am unsure about the specifics. A quick specific examp...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Check Point CloudGuard Network Security?

Since we use a unified standard for using policies and modules in Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Net...

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What needs improvement with Check Point CloudGuard Network Security?

The main limitations of Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) are not in Check Point itse...

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What is your primary use case for Check Point CloudGuard Network Security?

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) is the main manager that provides network security ...

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What needs improvement with Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management?

In my opinion, what should be improved about Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management is that it is quite advanced...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management?

I have been dealing with Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management as a distributor. If you are speaking on the Pro...

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What advice do you have for others considering Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management?

It has improved my compliance efforts absolutely because first and foremost, with the classification, it guides users...

See all answers

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Qualys TotalCloud

October 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security)

November 2026

Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) report

Download Check Point Cloud Firewall (formerly CloudGuard Network Security) product report

Buyer's Guide

Data Security Posture Management (DSPM)

October 2026

Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management report

Download Proofpoint Data Security Posture Management product report

Also Known As

Qualys TotalCloud with FlexScan

CloudGuard IaaS, Check Point vSEC, CloudGuard IaaS, Check Point Virtual Systems, Check Point CloudGuard Network Security, Check Point CloudGuard CNAPP

No data available

Overview

Qualys TotalCloud enhances security posture across cloud environments with continuous monitoring, vulnerability management, and risk visualization, ensuring efficient threat assessment and automated remediation for improved cyber risk reduction.

Qualys TotalCloud offers a robust suite of security tools essential for organizations managing multi-cloud infrastructures. By integrating cloud accounts and automating workflows, it supports AWS, Azure, and GCP, offering comprehensive vulnerability management and zero-day detection. The platform's user-friendly design, combined with its extensive risk management and unified threat assessment capabilities, enables organizations to prioritize and remediate vulnerabilities effectively. TruRisk Insights provides clear insights on cyber risks, while the automation options streamline patch management and scanning processes. API integration across IaaS and SaaS environments further enhances resource allocation efficiency and saves time, addressing misconfigurations across cloud environments.

What are the most important features of Qualys TotalCloud?

Accurate Vulnerability Reports: Delivers precise and actionable insights for risk mitigation.
Zero-Day Detection: Identifies and addresses zero-day vulnerabilities proactively.
Unified Threat Assessment: Offers comprehensive evaluation of threats across the environment.
Extensive Risk Management: Manages risks effectively with advanced insights and prioritization.
Continuous Monitoring: Provides non-stop surveillance for vulnerabilities and threats.
Cloud-Native Automation: Streamlines processes and reduces manual efforts using automation.
FlexScan for Internet-Facing VMs: Scans external VMs efficiently to detect vulnerabilities.
Dashboard Risk Visualization: Clear visualization helps prioritize vulnerabilities.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Improved Security Posture: Enhances threat detection and response across clouds.
Time Savings: Automation reduces time spent on manual vulnerability management.
Resource Efficiency: Better allocation of resources through streamlined workflows.
Enhanced Risk Prioritization: Focus on critical vulnerabilities for effective mitigation.
Integrated Cloud Accounts: Facilitates seamless cloud management and security.

Qualys TotalCloud is deployed in sectors needing rigorous vulnerability management, such as finance and healthcare. Companies utilize it to secure multi-cloud environments like AWS, Azure, and GCP, focus on compliance, and integrate security into CI/CD pipelines to detect and remedy threats pre-deployment.

Qualys

Check Point Cloud Firewall, previously known as CloudGuard Network Security, provides advanced threat prevention, centralized management, and VPN capabilities, enabling robust cloud security across various platforms including Azure and AWS.

Check Point Cloud Firewall delivers seamless cloud integration with advanced automated threat prevention and centralized management to enhance security posture. It offers auto-scaling for dynamic environments and a comprehensive policy enforcement framework in hybrid settings. The unified interface streamlines administration across cloud infrastructures, ensuring consistent protection and reducing risk.

What important features does it offer?

Advanced Threat Prevention: Safeguards against sophisticated threats.
Centralized Management: Simplifies control for cloud infrastructures.
Auto-scaling: Adapts to changing workloads seamlessly.
VPN Capabilities: Enables secure connections across environments.
Integration with Azure and AWS: Ensures compatibility with leading cloud services.
Visibility Tools: Enhanced monitoring and management for security enforcement.

What benefits can users expect?

Enhanced Security: Comprehensive threat management reduces risk.
Operational Efficiency: Automation capabilities streamline processes.
Cost Management: Efficient resource usage with auto-scaling reduces expenses.
Integration Flexibility: Adapts easily into existing cloud platforms.
Simplified Administration: Unified management reduces complexity.

In manufacturing and conglomerate sectors, Check Point Cloud Firewall is utilized for protecting cloud environments and implementing network segmentation. It supports secure cloud migration on AWS, Azure, and GCP, ensuring compliance, perimeter defense, and traffic inspection, facilitating sophisticated threat prevention strategies.

Check Point Software Technologies

Normalyze is a versatile data security platform that simplifies data classification and protection across diverse environments. It supports regulatory compliance through continuous monitoring and detailed analytics. Users value its intuitive interface, advanced data visualization, robust security measures, and automation tools, enhancing efficiency and productivity across organizations.

Proofpoint

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Physicians Choice Laboratory Services, Helvetica Insurance

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Data Security Posture Management (DSPM)

October 2026

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