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Cisco IOS Security vs Lumu comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

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

Cisco IOS Security
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
17th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
49
Ranking in other categories
Firewalls (29th)
Lumu
Ranking in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
9th
Average Rating
9.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
8
Ranking in other categories
Network Detection and Response (NDR) (7th), Extended Detection and Response (XDR) (17th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) category, the mindshare of Cisco IOS Security is 2.1%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Lumu is 2.2%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Lumu2.2%
Cisco IOS Security2.1%
Other95.7%
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS)
 

Featured Reviews

Danijel Cerovecki - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Cyber Defense Department and Network Technologies Department at Verso Altima
Have faced challenges in keeping licensing clear and consistent while ensuring reliable network protection
We are a Gold Partner with Cisco. Our customers come from various industries, including service providers, and we target service providers and enterprise customers.We do not extensively use Zone-Based Firewalls in Cisco IOS Security, instead typically deploying standalone firewalls such as Cisco FTDs or Cisco ASA devices. For threat analytics and vulnerability scanning, we utilize third-party vendors with dedicated devices and software. We use products such as Tenable from Nessus for this type of analysis. We have implemented Secure Access Control Server in Cisco IOS Security, which combines multiple security mechanisms including AAA, 802.1X for network access control with Cisco ICE, TrustSec for identity-based segmentation, and Cisco DNA Center. Cisco IOS Security's VPN support is comprehensive and increasingly important in daily communication, from basic site-to-site tunnels to remote access VPNs and SD-WAN secure VPNs. Protecting and encrypting communication is essential in modern networks. The challenges with Cisco IOS Security are more operational than product-related. There is an understaffing issue, making automation and orchestration capabilities particularly valuable. For the products themselves, we only encounter routine operational matters such as addressing new vulnerabilities and patching. For those considering Cisco IOS Security, it is important to understand that Cisco offers a complete ecosystem. When embracing the Cisco ecosystem fully, customers receive excellent products and comprehensive solutions. On a scale of 1-10, I rate Cisco IOS Security a 9.
JJ
Director, Information Technology at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
Constant monitoring and analysis boosts network security
There is always room for improvement. I am not giving it a perfect score because I am sure there is something that could be enhanced.Having some sort of certification or training, along with more periodic webinars might be helpful. Having a larger support network would be beneficial. Nobody I know has heard of Lumu, so they are in the same space as Darktrace or CrowdStrike, but people give blank stares. As the community grows for Lumu then that will improve, but that is not really a criticism of Lumu, they simply have not been around that long.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature is endpoint protection."
"The security is very good."
"The technical is excellent."
"We use Cisco IOS Security mostly for routers to route off the firewall. It's a next-generation device."
"The Intrusion Firewall is a valuable feature."
"The solution effectively integrates with Umbrella."
"Cisco has always been a premium product. There's a lot of other entry-level solutions. This is more robust."
"Cisco IOS Security's threat detection features are effective from the point of real-time insights and alerts."
"It's been helpful for overall extended network visibility."
"The tool's support team helps partners resolve any problems with the product."
"I like Lumu's simple user interface. When we deployed it, we got full access, allowing us to identify IP addresses on the network and connect machine names to users. It helped us identify and block threats via the firewall. I also appreciate the chat support and ticket closure process. We're currently reviewing network detection solutions, and my recommendations include Lumu, Sentinel, and a few others. Regarding functionality and user-friendliness, I would recommend Lumu over the others."
"Most of it is automated, so I do not have to watch it to get alerts."
"The automated response to incidents works effectively out of the box, and the number of interfaces and platforms it can work with is impressive."
"You can access external links, playbooks, MITRE Matrix, and a lot of information."
"Lumu protects against threats immediately and handles them in time."
"The context provided by the tool is very complete, it includes the miter matrix, playbooks, links, hashes, and much more."
 

Cons

"Cisco IOS Security's monitoring is rather rudimentary and could be improved."
"I would like upgrading iOS to be a bit easier."
"If they could increase the performance a little better because the device sometimes gets slow."
"We need to pay for the license and it is expensive."
"Cisco IOS Security could improve its security features. There are competitors that have some additional security features, such as Fortinet FortiGate. Additionally, there should be better synchronization with Cisco IOS Security and other vendors, and improved AI features would be beneficial."
"Cisco is an expensive firewall, so the pricing can be improved."
"The user interface needs to be improved."
"Sometimes I find it difficult to manage. Some configurations are difficult for new engineers, for example."
"Lumu's ability to discover threats is an area of concern where improvements are needed."
"I am happy with the current features. However, one important one is to improve the reports."
"Nothing so far needs to be improved."
"The reports need improvement."
"It would be good if we could access the physical logs."
"The integration with different vendors and endpoints could be improved."
"Having a larger support network would be beneficial. Nobody I know has heard of Lumu, so they are in the same space as Darktrace or CrowdStrike, but people give blank stares."
"The free version is minimal compared to the full version."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"You can get a better price if you commit to a longer-term license. Three years, five years, or even seven or ten years will be cheaper than a three-month or one-year term."
"The cost may be around $5,000 to $10,000 a year. If you want support you have to pay at least this price."
"It is an expensive solution."
"I rate Cisco IOS Security's pricing a ten out of ten."
"The pricing is expensive."
"It is necessary to pay for a license in order to use the solution. It is on a yearly basis and the price is high."
"The pricing is okay. It is competitive. It costs more when you need get more features."
"We can purchase its licenses as per specific business requirements."
"The tool is available at a good price. The tool offers a good and competitive price for customers."
"Compared to Lumu, other solutions are more expensive. SentinelOne was a bit cheaper, and another provider's price structure is unclear, but Lumu fit our budget nicely. SentinelOne's cost depends on the number of devices, and it might be similar to Lumu's, depending on deployment."
"It is the cheapest solution we found."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
23%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Outsourcing Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Insurance Company
9%
Educational Organization
9%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise14
Large Enterprise18
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco IOS Security?
Cisco IOS Security is a mature product with extensive capabilities, serving as the base for the defense layer. It offers good network visibility, which helps in rapid response through the Rapid Thr...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco IOS Security?
The cost of Cisco IOS Security for customers is on the higher end of pricing compared to the competition, depending on the targeted customers.This can be a major issue as enterprise customers are o...
What needs improvement with Cisco IOS Security?
Regarding improvements in Cisco IOS Security, what consistently confuses me is the inability of Cisco to maintain a clear licensing policy.This is an issue that I have observed for years now. Cisco...
What do you like most about Lumu?
Lumu protects against threats immediately and handles them in time.
What needs improvement with Lumu?
There is always room for improvement. I am not giving it a perfect score because I am sure there is something that could be enhanced.Having some sort of certification or training, along with more p...
What is your primary use case for Lumu?
We use it as our managed SOC instead of contracting with an MSP. It coordinates endpoint and gives us a single pane of glass for our security events.It fulfills the role of a SIEM, serving as our d...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

IOS Security
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Arup Group, Brunel University London, City of Biel, Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha, K&L Gates , New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Offshore Northern Seas, Transplace
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco IOS Security vs. Lumu and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.