Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs Symantec CloudSOC CASB comparison

Microsoft and Broadcom are both solutions in the Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) category. Microsoft is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.4, while Broadcom is ranked #19 with an average rating of 6.0. Microsoft holds a 7.9% mindshare in CASB, compared to Broadcom’s 0.8% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 80% of Broadcom users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 7, 2024

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps and Symantec CloudSOC CASB are competing products in the field of cloud security. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps often receives more favorable feedback regarding pricing and support, while Symantec CloudSOC CASB is noted for its superior feature set, which many find worth the price.

Features: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps offers robust integration with Microsoft's ecosystem, providing powerful data protection and seamless threat detection. It excels in monitoring cloud security posture, unifying reporting structures, and integrating with third-party applications. Symantec CloudSOC CASB provides comprehensive visibility into cloud applications, including granular control and advanced threat detection. Its strong security management and feature-rich environment allow for precise policy implementation, differentiating it from others.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps could enhance its deployment efficiency in cross-platform settings and offer better reporting customization. It might also benefit from streamlined integration processes with non-Microsoft environments. While Symantec CloudSOC CASB offers excellent features, users have indicated a need for more intuitive interfaces. Additional improvements could include simplified integration with various cloud services and reduced complexity in policy management.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Symantec CloudSOC CASB is recognized for straightforward deployment and robust customer service, offering an edge in service quality. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps boasts seamless integration within Microsoft's environment, though cross-platform deployment may demand more effort.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is seen as cost-effective, providing good ROI through integration within the Microsoft stack, and generally lower setup costs. Symantec CloudSOC CASB, despite potentially higher initial expenses, justifies these with its comprehensive feature set and focus on security management, making it valuable for those prioritizing rich security capabilities.

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

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Symantec CloudSOC CASB

September 2025

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Helped 872,846 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 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 Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is 7.9%, down from 11.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec CloudSOC CASB is 0.8%, up from 0.7% 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%
Symantec CloudSOC CASB	0.8%
Other	89.2%

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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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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cto543714

CTO at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Works very well in a hybrid environment in terms of DLP policies, but trying to do your own troubleshooting can be a little bit difficult

It does scale. They have different data centers spread out for you to do things. It scales just fine, but it is the setup and configuration that you have to do in order for it to scale the way you want it to. I know that some of the newer technologies, such as Zscaler, are doing SD-LAN type connections and things of that sort to improve performance and scalability. So, things are still evolving in terms of scalability. Depending on how you deployed it, you can run into some performance gotchas. If you take a VPN connection and try to overtax it, you can run into problems. You can't say that it didn't scale. You have to use a different method to get the traffic, or you may have to set up two VPN tunnels or things of that sort. So, if you want it to scale, you have to think it through and make sure you are deploying it in a manner to scale. It can scale, but you have to plan it and make sure you think everything through.

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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 chose iboss for both zero trust and proxy (SWG) because their SWG was superior."

"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."

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

"iboss is easy to use despite its complexity. Multiple engineers manage it, but it's significantly more straightforward to administer than traditional VPNs and web proxies."

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

"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."

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device. It operates on the network side and is not device-based. This feature was one of the main reasons why we stayed with them for so long."

"The console is cloud-based, which is something I really appreciate."

More iboss pros

"The product’s most valuable feature is SQL database."

"The ability to sanction unsanctioned apps using Secure Score benchmarking, included in Cloud, is also beneficial."

"It is very easy to use, which is what we look for in these types of solutions."

"The raw logs that come directly from Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps contain all the data I need, and the ability to track activities happening on cloud applications and the alerts provided is an interesting aspect."

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

"Shadow IT discovery is the feature I like the most."

"The feature that helps us in detecting the sensitive information being shared has been very useful. In addition, the feature that allows MCAS to apply policies with SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive is being used predominantly."

"One of the most valuable features is auditing. Some of the other protection services have issues with auditing. Microsoft Defender for Cloud has an excellent auditing technique that helps us avoid the risk of filtering or information loss. You can use different tools to guarantee these things. It allows you to conduct an in-depth exploration of applications, users, and files that are harmful or suspicious. You can also enhance your security setup by creating personalized rules or policies that help you better control traffic in the cloud."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps pros

"The value in some of these solutions is just the integration of technologies with their on-prem DLP solution. So, you can tie on-prem and cloud DLP policies together. You can apply on-prem policies to the cloud to have consistent policies in a hybrid environment. So, it works very well in that hybrid environment of on-prem and cloud."

"The ability to monitor for threats is the solution's most valuable aspect."

"One of the most valuable features of Symantec CloudSOC CASB is its detection functionality. It uses the same base as Data Loss Prevention, allowing for close integration between on-premises DLP and the Symantec CloudSOC CASB. This integration lets you manage policies and incidents across both platforms."

"The active directory integration is very valuable as we can connect to the list of users that we have and the cloud control, the blocking, the access control of the cloud, can be handled by this product."

"The monitoring and threat protection were the solution's most valuable features."

"This solution has improved my organization because it allows us to have visibility and monitoring over our global workforce connectivity to Office 365 and for Service Now."

Cons

"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 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."

"The dashboards for local use could be better."

"Sometimes the agent stops working in iboss, and we have to reinstall the agent."

"One thing I would like to see differently with their Zero Trust platform is that some of the AI aspects related to high-risk activities have more false positives."

"Our iboss subscription access should be more secure with an OTP or VPN etc. It is easy to gain access if, for example, hackers obtain my username and password."

"Its pricing could be better."

"The area I would like to see improvement in is the ability with in the reporter to navigate directly to the content the user is traversing. It is kind of there, but it's not perfect. Quite frequently, I receive links that lead me to pages with error messages."

More iboss cons

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

"We would like to get more information from the endpoint. I don't get enough detailed information right now on why something failed. There is not enough visibility."

"I would like to see them include more features in the older licenses. There are some features that are not available, such as preventing or analyzing cloud attacks."

"The product is very good so far, however, it would be better if it could include more up-to-date threat protection."

"The insights could be improved, especially in reporting."

"There are some features, such as user navigation content filtering, that are disabled by default, and it probably makes sense to enable them by default."

"It doesn't actually decrease the time to respond. This has been an issue with Microsoft recently. Sometimes, there is a delay when it comes to getting an alert policy email... Sometimes it takes two or three hours for that email to be sent."

"The insights could be improved, especially in reporting. While it is possible for me to see the usage from different cloud apps, determining if critical data has been uploaded or if it is just normal transport data is difficult."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps cons

"I would like to see them develop the ability to integrate it with a central management system."

"The data security needs improvement. We should be able to leverage it a bit better for situations where someone may be trying to upload documents onto the cloud application."

"It's a niche product. Not many people use it, and therefore there isn't as much of a knowledge base surrounding it."

"They have some room for improvement in terms of being able to do troubleshooting. If you're trying to troubleshoot it, you have to work a lot with their backend people in order to get to a solution. So, trying to do your own troubleshooting can be a little bit difficult."

"The solution should work to incorporate some machine learning policies like IDM and VML."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

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

"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."

"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 pricing is a little bit high but right now, we are okay with it because of the compatibility with Office 365, Teams, and Azure AD."

"This product is not expensive."

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

"It is a little bit expensive. When you want to have the complete package with Office 365, Defender, and everything else, it is expensive."

"The pricing is fair."

"We utilize the Microsoft E5 licensing, which encompasses the entire Microsoft suite; however, it is costly."

"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."

"The price could be better and should be reconsidered."

More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps pricing and cost advice

"It compares well with the competition because they're all priced on a per-user basis. I've seen the rest of them. There is definitely a huge price difference between them."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

22%

Construction Company

Healthcare Company

Manufacturing 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	13
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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What needs improvement with Symantec CloudSOC CASB?

After integrating the Gatelet with a live environment, users experienced connectivity issues because they were not im...

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What is your primary use case for Symantec CloudSOC CASB?

The solution helps detect and control data in the cloud, focusing on Shadow IT and Shadow Data. The audit module help...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Symantec CloudSOC CASB?

I rate the overall product a six out of ten.

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

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

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Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Symantec CloudSOC CASB

Compared 29% of the time

Netskope vs Symantec CloudSOC CASB

Compared 26% of the time

Forcepoint ONE vs Symantec CloudSOC CASB

Compared 19% of the time

More Symantec CloudSOC CASB Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

October 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

October 2025

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps report

Download Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps product report

Buyer's Guide

Symantec CloudSOC CASB

October 2025

Download Symantec CloudSOC CASB product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

MS Cloud App Security, Microsoft Cloud App Security

CloudSOC, Symantec CloudSOC

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

Symantec CloudSOC CASB is a cloud access security broker that provides visibility and control over cloud applications and services. It offers a comprehensive set of security capabilities, including data loss prevention, threat protection, and compliance management. With CloudSOC CASB, organizations can gain insight into cloud usage patterns, identify potential risks, and enforce policies to protect sensitive data. The solution integrates with leading cloud providers, such as Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, and Box, to provide seamless protection across multiple cloud environments.

CloudSOC CASB also offers advanced analytics and reporting capabilities, enabling organizations to monitor and track cloud usage and security events in real-time. With its user-friendly interface and flexible deployment options, CloudSOC CASB is an ideal solution for organizations looking to secure their cloud environments and protect their sensitive data.

Symantec CloudSOC CASB Key Benefits:

Enhanced Cloud Visibility

CloudSOC CASB provides organizations with comprehensive visibility into cloud applications and services being used across their network. It helps identify shadow IT, unapproved cloud usage, and potential security risks associated with unsanctioned applications.

Data Protection and DLP

CloudSOC CASB enables organizations to enforce data protection policies and prevent sensitive data from being leaked or exposed in cloud applications. It helps detect and control data sharing, implements encryption, and offers data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities to safeguard critical information.

Access Controls and User Authentication

SOC CASB enforces granular access controls for cloud applications, ensuring that users have appropriate permissions and follow secure authentication practices. It helps organizations implement strong authentication methods, single sign-on (SSO), and multi-factor authentication (MFA) to enhance access security.

Threat Detection and Incident Response:

CloudSOC CASB incorporates threat intelligence and behavioral analytics to detect and respond to cloud-specific threats. It helps protect against account compromises, malware, data exfiltration, and other advanced threats targeting cloud environments. Real-time alerts and incident response capabilities enable organizations to take prompt action.

Compliance and Governance

CloudSOC CASB assists organizations in meeting regulatory compliance requirements and industry standards. It provides policy enforcement, auditing capabilities, and reporting functionalities to support compliance with data privacy and security regulations. This helps organizations demonstrate adherence to regulatory obligations.

Shadow IT Discovery and Control

CASB helps organizations identify unauthorized or risky cloud applications used by employees, offering insights into shadow IT. It enables IT teams to assess risks, enforce policies, and take appropriate actions to manage and control cloud usage effectively.

Cloud Security Assessments

CloudSOC CASB conducts security assessments of cloud applications and services, providing insights into their security posture and potential vulnerabilities. This enables organizations to make informed decisions about the adoption of specific cloud services and assess their overall risk exposure.

Broadcom

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.

Globe Telecom

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Symantec CloudSOC CASB

September 2025

Free Report: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Symantec CloudSOC CASB

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

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