Forcepoint CASB vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps comparison

Forcepoint and Microsoft are both solutions in the Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) category. Forcepoint is ranked #18 with an average rating of 6.0, while Microsoft is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.5. Forcepoint holds a 1.3% mindshare in CASB, compared to Microsoft’s 7.9% mindshare. Additionally, 71% of Forcepoint users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 7, 2024

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps and Forcepoint CASB are security solutions in the cloud application security category. Microsoft Defender shows strength in integration within the Microsoft ecosystem, while Forcepoint offers superior visibility and control features.

Features: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps excels in integration with Microsoft products, providing strong threat detection and identity posture management. It offers seamless control over cloud applications and integrates with third-party solutions. Forcepoint CASB is known for ease of management and strong data protection, offering detailed user activity visibility and integration with Forcepoint DLP solutions.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps could enhance integration with non-Microsoft ecosystems, improve the user interface, and quicken policy application. Users also express a need for faster technical support and streamlined reporting. Forcepoint CASB faces challenges in backend stability, integration of secure web gateways, and features for custom apps. Its support and product maturity also have room for growth.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps supports various cloud environments, making it versatile for deployments. However, customer service experiences vary, with some users reporting delays. Forcepoint CASB aligns with public cloud preferences but may struggle with on-premise system integration. Its customer service is generally good but has inconsistencies due to ownership changes.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps often comes bundled with Microsoft 365 licenses, offering cost-effectiveness for existing users but considered costly standalone. It provides ROI through enhanced security posture and reduced downtime. Forcepoint CASB has competitive pricing with reasonable licensing costs, perceived as valuable for medium enterprises despite expense in large deployments. It delivers ROI with threat containment and efficiency improvements.

To learn more, read our detailed Forcepoint CASB vs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint CASB vs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

September 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

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2025, in the Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.1%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Forcepoint CASB is 1.3%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is 7.9%, down from 11.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps	7.9%
iboss	2.1%
Forcepoint CASB	1.3%
Other	88.7%

Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)

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

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Edwin Eze Osiago

Regional Solutions Manager (Sub-Sahara Africa) at Infodata

Reliable, easy to set up and offers good visibility

It could be more robust, especially around custom applications. We've not really seen value around our custom applications, most especially when these applications are hosted on-premise. If there's a way Forcepoint can do something to ensure that the CASB also protects applications that are hosted on-premise, that would be ideal. Currently, basically, cloud-hosted applications, that are internet-facing are protected. If we can also have a CASB sit in front of our on-prem hosted applications, it would be massive. Forcepoint removed the ability to scan for unsanctioned applications on the CASB. Initially, CASB used to have that feature where you can scan for the applications and be able to support unsanctioned applications being used by the user. They moved it to another product. If there is an opportunity to speak to the product managers and get some features back, that would be ideal.

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Abdulrahman Muhammadi

information Security and IT Manager at Discover Dollar Technologies Pvt Ltd.

Integration with existing cloud workflows has simplified compliance and threat detection

Licensing cost is a significant concern. With Defender Plan 1, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps comes with a pay-per-use model. Each feature has its own pricing when activated on VMs. For example, the vulnerability assessment has separate pricing, the base model including encryptions has separate pricing, and the compliance features have separate pricing. This applies to each VM and Azure resource individually. It is not straightforward where you can take one license and apply it to everything. Each feature has its own pricing model which can be tedious, as the costs keep accumulating. The only lacking feature currently is XDR (extended detection and response). Apart from that, I have only positive experiences with the whole Microsoft suite, except for the pricing structure.

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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

"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."

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

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

"Valuable features: Within the filter: Controls (Web categories, applications, and Allow/Block list) and Network (local Subnets). Within the reporter: Logs (Event Log) and Reports."

"Technical support is pretty sharp and very responsive."

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

"First of all, the security policies are essential. I do not have to rely solely on Active Directory for our users."

"Because of iboss, I did not have to assign web filtering tasks to my techs on a daily basis."

More iboss pros

"As it is based on AWS, it is not a problem."

"The most valuable aspect for us is the fact that the product seamlessly integrates with the Forcepoint DLP."

"The tool's most valuable feature is its management ease."

"Macro integration is a good feature."

"The product offers an easy initial setup."

"It gives you value for your investment."

"Generally, most of our customers are happy with it though."

"Everything from Microsoft is integrated. You receive regular reports on them all. You can push your reports, logs, and security alerts, which are all integrated. It is crucial that these solutions work natively together to deliver coordinated detection and response across our environment."

"It does a great job of monitoring and maintaining a security baseline. For us, that is a key element. The notifications are pretty good."

"I like the web GUI/the management interface. I also like the security of Microsoft. As compared to other manufacturers, it's less complex and easy to understand and work with."

"Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is very comprehensive, providing a complete 360-degree view of applications within an organization."

"All of the features are valuable because all of the features are related."

"In Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, there is an option to enable files. Once you enable that, it will give you all the files in your organization and where they are located in the cloud... That feature is very useful for investigation purposes."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is its monitoring."

"The solution does not affect a user's workflow."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps pros

Cons

"Sometimes when you call in support, you get someone who is just following a sheet. It feels like a runaround. You feel that you are running into that support wall."

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

"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."

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

"Our biggest problem with their service was it did not recognize the device and filtering did not always work correctly."

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

"Sometimes, obviously, there are bugs."

More iboss cons

"They should work on the possibility of consolidating all of the products with the group of agents."

"The solution needs to be easier to install, and they need to clean up the backend, so stuff doesn't break."

"Forcepoint removed the ability to scan for unsanctioned applications on the CASB."

"There are various modules to secure a public cloud, such as Cloud Security Posture Management. You might have seen these features available if you've reviewed solutions like Zscaler or Netskope. A full-fledged CASB should be manageable. However, the tool does not seem to offer complete public cloud visibility. While it provides some cloud visibility and can manage API traffic for Web 2.0, it lacks a specific module for securing public cloud environments."

"Integration is an area of the solution that needs to be improved."

"Lacks different ways to authenticate users."

"When using the Forcepoint CASB, and you are a remote worker, basically not in the office, you have to have an agent on your computer, a Forcepoint agent. However, with many other CASB solutions, they can integrate with MDM."

"They should continue integration with all other Microsoft security-related products. The integration with all the other products is still ongoing."

"The areas of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps that need improvement are related to IAM, as they do not provide much support for local users."

"The integration with macOS operating systems needs to be better."

"I would like for it to be available on Mac and for it to support all of the features of Microsoft financing products. It is really for Windows."

"Defender for Cloud apps is primarily useful for Azure apps. It has limited capabilities for applications based on other cloud platforms."

"The graph displayed in the Defender portal mostly doesn't capture the full picture as we see in endpoint-related or identity-related alerts; we can see a complete graph of what is happening there, but Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps still falls short in capturing that whole aspect in the graph."

"A significant improvement I would like to see is the integration into a single pane of glass, which would allow me to view everything in one place rather than having to switch between different areas."

"Licensing cost is a significant concern. With Defender Plan 1, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps comes with a pay-per-use model."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

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

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

"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."

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

"The solution is not that expensive compared to Zscaler. Netskope is between Forcepoint CASB and Zscaler in terms of cost. Forcepoint CASB would be the first choice because it negotiates well and offers a perpetual license, though it may seem subscription-based. I rate its pricing a six out of ten."

"The pricing really depends on the size of the customer's business because it is price-relevant to the environment."

"Our clients normally use the Microsoft E1 licensing, which is renewed yearly."

"The pricing is in the middle. It isn't too cheap or expensive compared to other antivirus or security products. It is priced according to industry standards."

"It has fair pricing. You pay for what you get. As far as I know, there are no costs in addition to the standard licensing fee."

"Its pricing is on the higher side. Its price is definitely very high for a small-scale company. As an enterprise client, we do get benefits from Microsoft. We get a discounted price because of the number of users we have in our company. We have a premier package, and with that, we do get a lot of discounts. There are no additional costs. It only comes in the top-tier packages. Generally, the top-tier license is the best license that you can get for your organization. If you want, you can buy it separately, but that's not a good idea."

"This product is not expensive."

"The pricing is fair."

"Microsoft offers bundle discounts and a pay-as-you-go option."

"We have an educational licensing agreement. It's a customer agreement for multiple years."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

12%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Computer Software Company

12%

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Government

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	6
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	2

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	13
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	19

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...

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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...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Forcepoint CASB?

The solution is not that expensive compared to Zscaler. Netskope is between Forcepoint CASB and Zscaler in terms of c...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Forcepoint CASB?

There are some areas that could be improved, particularly regarding support issues. Forcepoint could enhance their pr...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Forcepoint CASB?

People typically use Forcepoint CASB along with other Forcepoint tools such as Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway.

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 Microsoft Cloud App Security?

It does a great job of monitoring and maintaining a security baseline. For us, that is a key element. The notificatio...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Cloud App Security?

At the time of implementation, when the size of our organization was small, it was a more affordable product. Since a...

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

Cisco Umbrella vs iboss

Compared 13% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs iboss

Compared 8% of the time

More iboss Competitors

Netskope vs Forcepoint CASB

Compared 17% of the time

Skyhigh Security vs Forcepoint CASB

Compared 15% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs Forcepoint CASB

Compared 14% of the time

Akamai Enterprise Application Access vs Forcepoint CASB

Compared 11% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Complete vs Forcepoint CASB

Compared 8% of the time

More Forcepoint CASB Competitors

Zscaler Internet Access vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 17% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 15% of the time

Netskope vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 12% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 6% of the time

Skyhigh Security vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 5% of the time

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

October 2025

Download iboss product report

Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint CASB

November 2025

Download Forcepoint CASB product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

October 2025

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps report

Download Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

Imperva Skyfence

MS Cloud App Security, Microsoft Cloud App Security

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

Forcepoint CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) is a security solution which is designed to secure and monitor the use of cloud services within an organization. It helps organizations gain visibility and control over the cloud applications and services being used by their employees. Forcepoint CASB integrates with cloud service providers' APIs and employs various techniques such as traffic analysis, proxying, and API-based controls to provide security and visibility into cloud application usage. It can be deployed as a standalone solution or integrated with other security technologies within an organization's existing infrastructure.

Forcepoint CASB Features:

Cloud Application Visibility: CASB helps organizations discover and gain insights into the cloud applications and services being used across their network.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): It enables organizations to enforce data protection policies and prevent sensitive information from being leaked or exposed in cloud applications.
User Behavior Monitoring: CASB monitors user activities and behavior within cloud services, allowing organizations to detect and respond to potential insider threats or anomalous behavior.
Compliance and Governance: It helps organizations enforce regulatory compliance requirements and maintain control over data stored and processed in the cloud.
Threat Protection: CASB offers protection against cloud-specific threats such as account hijacking, unauthorized access, malware, and data breaches.
Access Control and Encryption: It provides capabilities to control user access to cloud applications and data, as well as encryption options for securing sensitive information.

Forcepoint CASB Benefits:

Cloud Visibility: Provides a clear view of cloud applications and services used within the network.
Data Protection: Enforces policies to prevent data leakage and ensures compliance with regulations.
Insider Threat Detection: Monitors user behavior to identify potential insider threats or malicious activities.
Compliance and Governance: Helps meet regulatory requirements and maintain control over cloud data.
Threat Protection: Detects and prevents cloud-specific threats like account compromise and data breaches.
Access Control and Encryption: Implements strong access controls and encryption for secure cloud access.
Shadow IT Discovery: Identifies unauthorized cloud applications for risk assessment and control.
Integration and Orchestration: Integrates with existing security technologies for enhanced visibility and response.

Reviews from Real Users

Edwin Eze Osiago, Regional Solutions Manager (Sub-Sahara Africa) at InfodataReliable, says that Forcepoint CASB is "Easy to set up and offers good visibility".

PeerSpot user, Professional Services Coordinator at a tech vendor, writes that Forcepoint CASB "Needs better backend code, requires stronger technical support, and the initial setup should be easier" and also adds that "The most valuable aspect for us is the fact that the product seamlessly integrates with the Forcepoint DLP".

Mahendra Bedre, Lead at Infrastructure Solutions ALM, says that Forcepoint CASB's "Macro integration and IDs for credentials are great features; It is easy to use with a good layout".

Forcepoint

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is a comprehensive security solution that provides protection for cloud-based applications and services. It offers real-time threat detection and response, as well as advanced analytics and reporting capabilities. With Defender for Cloud Apps, organizations can ensure the security of their cloud environments and safeguard against cyber threats. Whether you're running SaaS applications, IaaS workloads, or PaaS services, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps can help you secure your cloud environment and protect your business from cyber threats.

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Benefits:

Provides comprehensive security for cloud applications
Integrates with other Microsoft security tools
Easy to use and deploy
Provides real-time threat detection and response
Strong protection against phishing attacks and other common threats
Highly customizable to meet specific needs of different organizations

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Use Cases:

Governance, authentication, security, and compliance.
Detects shadow IT and anomalous user behavior
Controls access to applications
Provides auditing and filtering setups
Used for end-user compute devices, file monitoring, user investigation, and activity
Used for data governance, threat detection, and getting visibility over cloud applications
Used to identify information about applications beyond organizational boundaries
Prevent exfiltration and data filtration of corporate data
Used to deal with spam emails and detect shadow IT

Reviews from Real Users

Ram-Krish, Cloud Security & Governance at a financial services firm, says that Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps "Integrates well and helps us in protecting sensitive information, but takes time to scan and apply the policies and cannot detect everything we need".

PeerSpot user, Senior Cloud & Security Consultant at a tech services, writes that Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps "Great for monitoring user activity and protecting data while integrating well with other applications".

Simon Burgess,Infrastructure Engineer at SBITSC, states that Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is "A fluid, intelligent product for great visibility, centralized management, and increased uptime".

Microsoft

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.

Zions Bank, GE Healthcare, HomeAway, Logitech, Universal, California National Resources Agency and many mor

Customers for Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps include Accenture, St. Luke’s University Health Network, Ansell, and Nakilat.

Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint CASB vs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

September 2025

Free Report: Forcepoint CASB vs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Find out what your peers are saying about Forcepoint CASB vs. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.

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