Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs Obsidian CDR Platform comparison

Microsoft and Obsidian Security are both solutions in the Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) category. Microsoft is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.5, while Obsidian Security is ranked #21. Microsoft holds a 7.6% mindshare in CASB, compared to Obsidian Security’s 0.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution.

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps and Obsidian CDR Platform based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Palo Alto Networks, Cisco, Netskope and others in Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB).

To learn more, read our detailed Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)

December 2025

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Helped 879,259 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 December 2025, in the Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.4%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is 7.6%, down from 10.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Obsidian CDR Platform is 0.9%, up from 0.9% 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	7.6%
iboss	2.4%
Obsidian CDR Platform	0.9%
Other	89.1%

Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)

Featured Reviews

reviewer2701851

Managing Director

Enhances web security with a single pane of glass and flexible deployment

I don't see any need for improvement; one of the really good things about iboss as a company is that they listen to customer feedback. I have suggested enhancements, and they are responsive, making changes for the better, and they do a lot of testing. To improve iboss, although we haven't used it, we considered the VPN solution that comes with the highest tier licensing, which includes DLP and various other add-ons. We prefer using another product which automatically logs you back onto your network when turning on your PC. With iboss, the connection is manual, which doesn't meet our needs. Additionally, sizing can be tricky because, although the initial recommendations may seem adequate, actual usage may require more gateways than anticipated.

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Frank Van Der Spek

Security and Continuity Manager at Rolinco NV

Deployment has been seamless with insightful data categorization and enhanced control

The features of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps that I have found most valuable include the overall portal view, with bubble graphs which give us insight into what goes where in the categorization, nowadays with Generative AI but all kinds of categorization, collaboration, etc. That central view of the portal is very useful for us. The impact of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps on our organization's ability to assess and manage app related risks has been significant because we have more visibility. Therefore, we can add more control, and we have already done so. This was not possible in the old solution, in the old CASB solution with Netskope. We now can see on the spot, and we do that almost weekly, what the end users are utilizing, which cloud providers or cloud apps they're using. The visibility into OAuth apps provided by Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is very good. The visibility into risk and risk management of our organization's Generative AI apps is very nice, as you can choose the category Generative AI and then see exactly what traffic has been going to and from Generative AI in the cloud. This makes us very insightful on what is used within the company. We have some policies on blocking specific Generative AI, and we use within our company one particular AI part, which is CoPilot of Microsoft. In this way, we can see what the end users are using other than CoPilot, and that makes us more in control. The effectiveness of the integration of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps with Defender XDR and defending against SaaS attacks is very intuitive. It works immediately if we create a new policy or in Purview or in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, or when we make an app unsanctioned by blocking it, then it is almost immediately, or at least within a couple of hours, effective on all the endpoints where the EDR is running. This gives us much better control over things than before.

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

23%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Insurance Company

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	15
Midsize Enterprise	10
Large Enterprise	19

No data available

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

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

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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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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...

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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...

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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...

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Comparisons

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 14% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs iboss

Compared 11% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs iboss

Compared 11% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs iboss

Compared 11% of the time

Cloudflare One vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

More iboss Competitors

Zscaler Internet Access vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 16% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 14% of the time

Netskope vs Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Compared 11% 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 4% of the time

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Competitors

AppOmni vs Obsidian CDR Platform

Compared 28% of the time

Grip Security vs Obsidian CDR Platform

Compared 10% of the time

Wiz vs Obsidian CDR Platform

Compared 10% of the time

Orca Security vs Obsidian CDR Platform

Compared 8% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Obsidian CDR Platform

Compared 5% of the time

More Obsidian CDR Platform Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

December 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

December 2025

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps report

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Buyer's Guide

Cloud Detection and Response (CDR)

December 2025

Download Obsidian CDR Platform product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

MS Cloud App Security, Microsoft Cloud App Security

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

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

Obsidian CDR enables security teams to focus on mitigating risks and threats and improving the security of their SaaS applications. The solution provides continuous visibility and powerful analytics to uncover, investigate, and respond to breaches and insider threats in SaaS applications quickly without causing business interruptions or slowing down business. The Obsidian CDR Platform data infrastructure is built with a deep understanding of how the APIs are structured, what data can be retrieved, and with what frequency. The Obsidian CDR Platform is capable of stopping even the most advanced attacks across SaaS and cloud services by using a unique identity-centric approach.

Obsidian CDR Features

Obsidian CDR has many valuable key features. Some of the most useful ones include:

Unified visibility and monitoring: Obsidian provides a clean, consolidated view of users, data, and applications in the cloud. With the solution’s unified visibility, you can control your inventory of users and access, you can take advantage of role mapping, and utilize the platform’s activity monitoring and third-party authorizations.

Cloud breach defense: Through the use of configuration and behavioral analysis and machine learning, Obsidian CDR can successfully generate alerts around breaches and insider threats. The Obsidian platform detects indicators of anomalous logins, SaaS persistence, data exfiltration, lateral movement, malicious insider activity, OAuth token abuse, and other threats.

Incident response: Obsidian provides quick searching, filtering, and export capabilities to give incident responders timelines and context. In addition, teams can remediate directly inside Obsidian to lock accounts, unshare files, remove mail forwarding rules, etc.

SaaS security posture management: Obsidian CDR populates recommendations to strengthen the security of cloud applications by removing stale accounts and fixing misconfigurations. The solution also enables security teams to detect configuration changes that weaken the security posture of applications, and observe when users are given additional privileges. Teams can also use the data to audit and report on compliance adherence.

Obsidian CDR Benefits

There are many benefits to implementing Obsidian CDR. Some of the biggest advantages the solution offers include:

Integration: Obsidian integrates with SaaS applications such as Salesforce, G Suite, Zoom, Microsoft Office 365, Dropbox, and Slack to automatically aggregate data about users, accounts, privileges, activity, and configurations.

Holistically monitor user activity: With Obsidian CDR, your organization can holistically monitor user activity across endpoints and SaaS apps. You can correlate users’ SaaS accounts with their endpoint devices in order to get richer context of user activity.

Defend against breaches and threats: By implementing Obsidian CDR, you can easily detect and proactively hunt for internal and external threats by discovering suspicious user behavior across SaaS accounts and devices.

Quickly respond to incidents: With Obsidian CDR, you can investigate and respond to breaches and incidents faster by pivoting to a pre-populated contextual view of user activity and alerts in both systems.

Strengthen security with risk monitoring: Obsidian CDR helps you Identify and mitigate risks and inappropriate activity to improve your organization’s security posture and prevent breaches.

Obsidian Security

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.

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

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Buyer's Guide

Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)

December 2025

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