Cisco Umbrella vs McAfee Web Protection [EOL] vs Zscaler Internet Access comparison

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.

McAfee Web Protection is a web content filtering tool that guards against sophisticated internet threats on every device, user, and location. McAfee Web Protection provides the protection, controls, and deployment flexibility you need, from web filtering and anti-malware scanning to deep content inspection and granular control over Web 2.0 sites.

Every day, McAfee Labs detects over 100,000 new pieces of malware. Businesses are demanding the finest web security available to combat such expansion as the level of risk continues to rise. McAfee, more than any other vendor, understands the security needs of today's linked Web 2.0 environment and provides the industry's most effective, proactive web security.

With McAfee Web Protection’s deployment flexibility, businesses can secure personnel at corporate headquarters with hardware or virtual appliances, and remote or traveling staff with cloud services. Branch offices can also send all of their site's traffic to the cloud service, saving money on MPLS networks, which normally backhaul all public-facing web traffic to a central location for processing.

McAfee Web Protection Features

McAfee Web Protection has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

• Deployment versatility: For more deployment flexibility and high availability, you can combine these three deployment options:

1. on-premises with appliances
2. virtual environments
3. cloud

• High-level security: The McAfee Gateway Anti-Malware Engine, which features a proprietary approach to behavioral analysis, is used by McAfee Web Protection to stop zero-day malware in real time. McAfee Endpoint Security, McAfee Advanced Threat Defense, McAfee Cloud Threat Detection, and McAfee Threat Intelligence Exchange integration are all provided.
  
• Advanced reporting: Regardless of the delivery platform, advanced reporting aggregates the data you need to secure your web presence. McAfee Web Protection provides data that indicates how businesses use the internet, assisting in the compliance of legislation, the identification of trends, the isolation of problems, the documentation of incorrect web activity, and the customization of filtering settings to best regulate web usage policies.
  
• Maximum flexibility: McAfee Web Gateway on-premises equipment, McAfee SaaS Web Protection and McAfee Web Filter for Endpoint, are all included in a single subscription. These tools, together, address current demands while allowing for future changes.
  
• High-level security: McAfee Web Protection, the top-rated malware protection solution, employs the McAfee Gateway anti-malware engine, which employs a patent-pending behavioral analysis technique.
  
• Complete protection, both incoming and outgoing: With a comprehensive web filtering database, McAfee Web Protection follows a business's internet use policy. Malware and other hidden dangers are quickly and effectively protected using layered security.

Reviews from Real Users

McAfee Web Protection stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its help with regulatory compliance and its malware and spyware detection. PeerSpot users take note of the advantages of these features in their reviews:

Vivek G., DGM at a financial services firm, writes of the product, “It is functional. It has reduced risk and downtime while also ensuring regulatory compliance, which is critical.” He adds, “I would rate McAfee Web Protection a nine out of ten.”

Another PeerSpot reviewer, an AVP Information Security at a financial services firm, notes, “If you are browsing web applications, it would help detect any malware. It's very useful for security purposes. The product also protects against spyware. It helps protect and control communications. The product is quite an effective firewall.”

Zscaler Internet Access is a cloud-native security service edge (SSE) platform. Its main purpose is to provide AI-powered protection for all users, all applications, and all locations. The solution replaces other legacy network security solutions to stop advanced attacks and prevent data loss by using a comprehensive zero trust approach.

Zscaler Internet Access Features

Zscaler Internet Access has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

• Proxy (native SSL)
• IPS and advanced protection
• Cloud sandbox
• DNS security
• Cloud firewall
• URL filtering
• Bandwidth control
• DNS filtering
• Cloud DLP w/EDM and IDM
• Cloud access security broker (CASB)
• Cloud security posture management (CSPM)
• CloudBrowser isolation
• Cloud secure web gateway (SWG)
• Zero trust network access (ZTNA)
• Digital experience monitoring

Zscaler Internet Access Benefits

There are several benefits to implementing Zscaler Internet Access. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

• Fast access with zero infrastructure: Zscaler Internet Access creates a fast, seamless user experience because of its direct-to-cloud architecture. With no infrastructure, Zscaler Internet Access helps you eliminate backhauling, which improves performance and simplifies network administration.

• Threat intelligence: By using threat intelligence, Zscaler Internet Access can stop ransomware, zero-day malware, and advanced attacks via Inline inspection of all internet traffic, including SSL decryption, and a suite of AI-powered cloud security services. 

• Consistent security: With Zscaler Internet Access, your security policy goes everywhere your users go. When you move security to the cloud, all users, applications, devices, and locations remain protected and secure based on identity and context.

• Hybrid workforce: Zscaler Internet Access enables secure access to all external and internal apps from anywhere, so remote work is not an issue. You can also enforce business policies that follow the user, making security identical regardless of location.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by Zscaler Internet Access users.

A Service Manager at a construction company says, "There are a bunch of different capabilities that are valuable within the platform. We use quite a lot of them, but not everything. The ones that are most important to us are the URL Filtering and the application control. For our needs, the cloud-native proxy architecture is a very good solution. This architecture helps with cyber threats because we inspect most of the traffic and we can see that a lot of threats are stopped directly in the secure web gateway."

Owen N., Security Architect at Claro Enterprise Solutions, explains that the solution’s most valuable features include “The integration of the gateway that inspects all ports and protocols. So, there is threat prevention; The cloud sandbox; VNS security; Access control that will protect URL filtering and the cloud firewall; Data protection that will protect your gateway, like your CASB or your cloud DLP; The capabilities of this will point your traffic to Zscaler Cloud.”

An Architecture Senior Manager at an insurance company mentions, "The data loss prevention feature is the most valuable. It stops our users from inadvertently leaking our customers' data to the Internet or anywhere else it shouldn't go." He also adds, “The solution provides quick access to cloud services, securing our data and allowing us to inspect all our traffic.”