Cisco Umbrella vs Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway comparison

Cisco and Kaspersky are both solutions in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category. Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 9.2, while Kaspersky is ranked #17 with an average rating of 8.3. Cisco holds a 16.9% mindshare in WSG, compared to Kaspersky’s 0.5% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Kaspersky users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 21, 2025

Cisco Umbrella and Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway compete in the internet security space. Cisco Umbrella is noted for its cloud-based convenience and DNS-layer security, while Kaspersky is distinguished by its comprehensive malware protection.

Features: Cisco Umbrella offers DNS-layer security, content filtering, and phishing protection. It integrates with Active Directory for user-based policies and compliance reporting, and users commend its ease of use and minimal network resource overhead. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway provides antivirus and DDoS protection, with strengths in malware detection and real-time threat response, focusing on direct server protection and extensive traffic analysis.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Umbrella could benefit from adding features like IPS, IDS, and enhanced reporting analytics. Users seek better integration with other security products and more detailed user-level monitoring. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway could improve by modifying pricing and offering better setup guidance for inexperienced users. It also needs more comprehensive notifications for mobile devices and extended smart home device protection.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Umbrella provides flexible deployment options across various cloud environments, praised for easy integration and rapid setup. Its customer service is generally appreciated, though some users report response delays. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is mainly deployed on-premises, appealing to organizations preferring in-house control. Its customer service is recognized for professionalism, though some users desire a more personal touch.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Umbrella's pricing is considered fair, though some find it expensive compared to features. Despite this, its straightforward licensing and security enhancements are noted for providing significant ROI through reduced malware incidents. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is perceived as costly, especially for personal licenses, but its robust security features justify the investment for larger companies, offering ROI by reducing reliance on extensive firewalls and infrastructure.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Umbrella vs. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella vs. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway

September 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 872,019 peers since 2012

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

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.2%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Umbrella is 16.9%, down from 19.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is 0.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco Umbrella	16.9%
iboss	2.2%
Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway	0.5%
Other	80.4%

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

Featured Reviews

Matt Crockford

Head of Cybersecurity at SES Water

It's easy to roll out, and their understanding of our business made it seamless

One aspect we value about iboss is its simplicity. Their customer service is brilliant, and they are super responsive and knowledgeable. It's easy to roll out, and their understanding of our business made it seamless. We were impressed by the solution's mental health function, which can detect if someone needs help. It scans what users are browsing and flags warning signs so we can check to see if they are okay. We've had to use it a couple of times. The user interface is highly intuitive. Our IT team picked it up with minimal training. It's arranged so that it's easy to find where things are. Another advantage is the single pane of glass console, which gives you visibility into what's happening. We're not fully there yet because we haven't implemented zero trust, but we're excited about the possibilities from the demos we've seen. We launched a POC of iboss' ChatGPT Risk Protection feature two weeks ago. AI is a great tool, but you need to be careful what you put into it. My biggest fear is employees inputting sensitive corporate information or customer PII data into one of these chatbots. I was impressed by our trial of the feature. It's exactly what we wanted. Now, when a user goes to ChatGPT, there's a banner warning them not to share information, and we can block conversations containing customer data like bank details and email addresses. I don't want to stop people from using it, but we need visibility. We've only tried it on a test group of 15 people. You can configure it to look for specific keywords or integrate it with your DLP policy if you have that configured

Read full review

Emilio Montoya

CTO at PROA

Ensures internet navigation safety and boosts productivity

The features of Cisco Umbrella I prefer most are DNS protection and traffic redirect. With Cisco Talos's threat intelligence, we reduce the impact of malware traffic in our network, and we currently see the behavior of equipment and choose the correct sites. Cisco Talos has helped us reduce the impact of malware traffic. We can see the behavior and choose the correct sites. We're currently testing secure access with Umbrella in order to secure access to core applications. It's a product that the user doesn't even know is there, even though it is protecting them. It's not hard on the equipment. And, for us, it centralizes everything, which improves productivity. With the Experience Insights feature of Cisco Secure Access, we've seen impacts on the management of user connectivity by allowing us to deliver safe connectivity. We are testing the Secure Access product with Cisco Umbrella to improve our connectivity with our users in order to secure access to the corporate applications. Cisco Umbrella is in the cloud, which is nice.

Read full review

Teeranun Srihong

Senior Consultant at Celar Consulting Co.Ltd.

Schedule the timing for the kids to get onto the internet and easy to use

In different locations, they're priced differently, but that's mainly marketing rather than the product features. I managed to get a cheaper one, so I'm fine with that. Maybe they have too many packages. It's very difficult to differentiate among their own packages. They should have guidance on how the customer would decide. Kaspersky do has some information, but to me, it's not explanatory. Moreover, people are getting internet smart homes and all that. So total security that would cover all those would be good. We have all the connected devices right now. I'm not sure how they're gonna do it, but having a way to help me scan and expose vulnerabilities on those devices would be great. Right now, it protects the PCs, not the IP cameras that we use. And all those things in your home are connected. I don't see that. Maybe I'm not aware if they have any offering, but they probably should think about it. So, I would like to have total coverage for the individual household that would include all of the connected devices.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution has massively improved our security posture, giving us full visibility into what our staff does online."

"Content filtering is the most useful feature of iboss."

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device."

"Granular setup, which was able to set different levels of filters using the OUs in the AD."

"From a use-case scenario, what I like the most is the plug-in. I like the fact that we can do the filtering of these devices offsite independent of the network they are connected to, and we do not have to have traffic coming back inside our network."

"I would definitely recommend iboss for web filtering purposes to other organizations or individuals."

"We were impressed by the solution's mental health function, which can detect if someone needs help. It scans what users are browsing and flags warning signs so we can check to see if they are okay. We've had to use it a couple of times."

"I would rate the technical support of iboss a solid 10 without a shadow of a doubt."

More iboss pros

"The most valuable feature is the website protection capabilities because it prevents end-users from entering bad sites that potentially have malware or could be used for phishing."

"Provides dependable DNS monitoring of external devices."

"It has the ability to quickly block new threats."

"Cisco Umbrella is the first layer of security that protects me while surfing the net, identifying untrusted websites to prevent access."

"The reports and notifications are the most useful part of the platform. As soon as you deploy the security layers, the reporting is very comprehensive. It helps you to have, at a glance, a clear view of what's going on."

"It analyzes the domain security helps us implement the securest policy."

"The single-pane-of-glass management is really important. In today's era, administration costs and operational expenses will cost you a lot, and it reduces that as well. You don't need extra resources to manage all your parameter firewalls, looking at every single device to allow resources internal access. By just introducing the single-pane-of-glass management, it has lifted the burden off of management, especially the network management."

"The Global Block List is one of the most valuable features because it's really easy to block domain names as well as URLs. Sometimes you don't want to block the whole site, you just want to block one URL. The Global Block and Allow Lists are the best features for us."

More Cisco Umbrella pros

"The most valuable feature of Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is the antivirus."

"When it comes to threat detection, it is very strict with file downloads and uploads. It sends reports and quarantines suspicious files."

"The most valuable aspect for me is the user-friendly interface."

"I would recommend it to others as it's easy to use."

"The password thing is very good, and the overall URL protection."

"Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway has positively impacted our organization by helping us control unwanted attacks and limiting our exposure to risks."

"The most valuable features of the solution are the antivirus and child protection features."

Cons

"I'd like to see them accelerate development on the security side, particularly around data loss prevention."

"Fold that in with the risk intelligence they're getting from all of the different subscriptions they are a part of. Now, these security companies subscribe to things like emerging threats, databases, etc. You can fold all this intelligence to decide what's happening on an endpoint. I would love to see them start moving into that space. That would compete directly with Microsoft. Maybe that's why they haven't. Having that ability native within the solution would be great. The other area in which I would love to see improvement is more detailed descriptions of why they block websites."

"Sometimes, obviously, there are bugs."

"The solution could be stronger on the integration side and offer more cloud applications like G Suite or Oracle."

"The reporting feature needs improvement. It doesn't give you the expected results. It is quite difficult to get the specific reports needed, and it is not as intuitive as the rest of the platform."

"Their on-premise hardware's network interface is capped at one gigabit, which is sort of a problem. If you stand a filter up where all traffic flows through that, according to them, in order to go above a gigabit, you have to have multiple devices, which in today's IT seems a little bit silly. They could easily put in an SFP port into their device that could accommodate 10 gigs or at least offer a box."

"I am currently doing a PoC of the zero trust aspect of it. Compared to other similar solutions, it is hard to get around each feature. It takes a while to get used to it."

"SSL decryption: We had issues with learners using apps instead of using web browsers. This type of encryption is tough for any appliance in a BYOD environment."

More iboss cons

"Lower costs including licensing, support, and renewals would be beneficial."

"Network connectivity was a bit of a challenge at the beginning, but we were able to get the right help from Cisco."

"I would like to have more applications being recorded."

"Cisco Umbrella hasn't integrated customized reporting yet. With Cisco Secure Endpoint Hub, I can see a report on user downloads and set it up to constantly get an email alert. Based on my understanding, Cisco Umbrella can't do that. You can set it up with third parties, but it would be better if that were built into the platform."

"If the security issues are taken care of it would be better."

"It should have more integrations with multiple end user OEMs."

"It could be improved by having a local data center and caching, which can provide protection support. I would like to be able to channel my intel and my network traffic to their clouds, and this feature is not available. Advanced protection or any malware file support, which might be required, is not available."

"This solution does not give us full, 360-degree protection."

More Cisco Umbrella cons

"When I do a configuration, I do not know what implication it will have downstream."

"I believe the absence of a procedure is the main issue."

"There is room for improvement in terms of the pricing."

"The customer support of the product is an area with shortcomings where improvements are required."

"In different locations, they're priced differently, but that's mainly marketing rather than the product features."

"The initial setup of Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is complex. The full deployment took approximately two weeks."

"It might be helpful to have notifications on mobile devices, especially if the same browser profile is used on both mobile and laptop."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."

"We had the cost of purchasing a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs. However, the following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs."

"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."

"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."

"Pricing depends on the automation requirements of the organization."

"The licensing and pricing structure of Cisco Umbrella is in line with standard systems on the market, and we have no specific requirements in this area. Overall, we have found it to be an acceptable pricing model for our organization."

"Cisco Umbrella is expensive and could be cheaper."

"In terms of licensing, we're not able to be extremely clear with the customer because it's based on their reporting. It's not based on the actual traffic. If they say they have 50 users but they have 80, we'll just buy for 50 users. That's something where we'd like to have more flexibility."

"The price could be lower."

"It needs a better price point."

"There is a subscription cost."

"In the region I'm from, that of EMAR, Europe, the Middle East, Eastern Asia and Africa, our organizations do not have many liquid cash assets, so the price could be better."

More Cisco Umbrella pricing and cost advice

"Personal computer licenses can be expensive if you were to scale the solution extensively. However, large companies will most likely use Endpoint solutions and not this one."

"I am okay with the pricing."

"The cost is relatively high, and as a licensed product, there are restrictions on the number of users permitted per license."

"I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten, with ten being very expensive and one being cheap. It's neither too cheap nor too expensive."

"It is expensive."

"I rate the product's price an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is very cheap, and ten is very expensive."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Secure Web Gateways (SWG) solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

872,019 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

17%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Healthcare Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	49
Midsize Enterprise	30
Large Enterprise	51

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company Exxon...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for iboss?

Previously when I used iboss, we did the POC for iboss for ExxonMobil. Four or five people wanted to move from our ol...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern. There are cheaper alte...

See all answers

Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Zscaler?

Cisco Umbrella and Zscaler Internet Access are two broad-spectrum Internet security solutions that I have tried. Zs...

See all answers

Which is the better security solution - Cisco Umbrella or Microsoft Cloud App Security?

Cisco Umbrella is an integral component of the Cisco SASE architecture. It integrates security in a single, cloud-nat...

See all answers

What do you like most about Cisco Umbrella?

Cisco Umbrella is easy to monitor, manage, and deploy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway?

Regarding pricing, I'll be exactly on the brink, neither for it nor against it because being a small company, it's a ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway?

We work with a cloud solution. The product that we use is developed as a SaaS model. In this case, we work with AWS a...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway?

That's a very generic feedback. I would not have much information about threat intelligence metrics through Kaspersky...

See all answers

Comparisons

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 14% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs iboss

Compared 13% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs iboss

Compared 13% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs iboss

Compared 8% of the time

Cloudflare One vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

More iboss Competitors

Zscaler Internet Access vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Secure Access vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 8% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 7% of the time

Infoblox Advanced DNS Protection vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 6% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs Cisco Umbrella

Compared 5% of the time

More Cisco Umbrella Competitors

AhnLab V3 Internet Security vs Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway

Compared 51% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway

Compared 24% of the time

More Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

October 2025

Download iboss product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella

October 2025

Download Cisco Umbrella product report

Buyer's Guide

Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway

October 2025

Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway report

Download Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

OpenDNS

No data available

Overview

Iboss offers a comprehensive cloud-based security platform valued for its scalability and autonomous features, ensuring robust security with easy deployment and management capabilities.

Renowned for its robust security architecture, Iboss integrates seamlessly within diverse networks, delivering efficient granular filtering and advanced content categorization. Its single pane of glass console provides ease of management, allowing rapid scalability suitable for rapidly deploying environments. Operates in BYOD setups due to inline filtering without device installation. Integration with cloud-based applications enhances user control, and features like SASE, SSL inspection, and ChatGPT risk protection stand as highlights. Despite its strengths, users have pointed out areas for enhancement like direct navigation in reports, SSL decryption, and better cloud integration while having room to improve data loss prevention.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

Scalability: Supports rapid deployment across diverse networks.
SASE: A consolidated approach to secure access.
SSL Inspection: Ensures safe data transmission.
Granular Filtering: Detailed control over accessible content.
Single Pane Management: Unifies control through a centralized console.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Cost-effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing with robust features.
Autonomous Operation: Reduces management overhead.
Responsive Support: Provides assistance when needed.
Flexible Deployment: Available for both cloud and on-premises environments.

The usage of Iboss spans educational institutions, specifically K-12, to enforce internet policies, protect data, and support remote work environments. It provides web filtering and security frameworks to ensure safe browsing. Its platform-as-a-service model offers flexibility for both cloud-based and on-premises requirements, integrating seamlessly to deliver enhanced security features suitable for various deployment needs including zero trust, CASB, and network security for work-from-home setups.

iboss

Cisco Umbrella delivers rapid DNS security with over 30,000 customers, providing outstanding threat protection and handling more than 600 billion requests daily. It's recognized for high threat efficacy in the SSE domain and integrates elements like SWG, ZTNA, CASB, and more.

Cisco Umbrella is renowned for its effective DNS-layer security against ransomware and phishing. It offers flexible content filtering and integrates seamlessly with existing networks while providing single-pane-of-glass management for centralized monitoring. Its robust threat intelligence and customizable policies are central to its appeal. Users highlight room for improvement in areas like WHOIS data inclusion, malware enhancement, and reporting analytics. Integration with other threat feeds and better client support are requested for more comprehensive coverage.

What are the key features of Cisco Umbrella?

DNS-Layer Security: Blocks malicious domains, preventing ransomware attacks.
Web Content Filtering: Allows users to manage lists for strict content control.
Seamless Integration: Blends with systems like Active Directory and Meraki.
Remote Protection: Keeps remote users safe across different locations.
Single-Pane Management: Facilitates effective monitoring and reporting.

What should users expect in reviews about Cisco Umbrella?

Threat Intelligence: Provides comprehensive malware and attack data.
Customizable Policies: Enables tailored security measures for users.
Integration Options: Works with diverse systems for holistic security.
Ease of Use: Offers a straightforward experience for administrators.
Remote Worker Security: Ensures protection outside traditional networks.

Industries implement Cisco Umbrella primarily for DNS-level security, web filtering, and protecting remote employees. It strengthens cybersecurity frameworks by blocking malware and avoiding access to harmful sites. The tool is widely integrated with Active Directory and Cisco Meraki, providing consistent internet security for employees.

Cisco

Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect businesses from a wide range of cyber threats. It provides advanced protection against malware, phishing, spam, and other types of cyber attacks, ensuring that businesses can operate safely and securely online. The solution is easy to deploy and manage, with a user-friendly interface that allows administrators to configure and monitor security policies from a central location. It also includes advanced reporting and analytics tools, enabling businesses to gain insights into their security posture and identify potential vulnerabilities. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway uses a range of advanced technologies to provide comprehensive protection against cyber threats. These include signature-based detection, behavioral analysis, and machine learning algorithms, which work together to identify and block malicious activity in real-time. The solution also includes advanced anti-spam and anti-phishing capabilities, which help to prevent employees from falling victim to email-based attacks. It can also be configured to block access to malicious websites and prevent the download of potentially harmful files.

Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway is a powerful and effective security solution that provides businesses with the protection they need to operate safely and securely online. With its advanced features and easy-to-use interface, it is an ideal choice for businesses of all sizes looking to enhance their cyber security posture.

Kaspersky

Sample Customers

More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss Cloud Platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies.

Chart Industries, City of Aspen, Eastern Mountain Sports, FLEXcon, George Washington University, Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, Ohio Public Library Information Network, PTC, Richland Community College, Smart Motors, Tulane University, VeriClaim

Tael, Insolar, Goods.ru, Republic of Serbia

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Umbrella vs. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway

September 2025

Free Report: Cisco Umbrella vs. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Umbrella vs. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

872,019 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Cisco Umbrella vs. Kaspersky Security for Internet Gateway report.

See our list of best Secure Web Gateways (SWG) vendors.

We monitor all Secure Web Gateways (SWG) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.