Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs Zscaler CASB comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps and Zscaler CASB based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Zscaler CASB Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The protection offered by the product is the most valuable feature. It detects vulnerabilities or traps on our users' phones and then prompts them to clean up their devices. Tools we used previously would only discover, which required us to gather information on the backend, so Lookout is a welcome upgrade.""On the outside, the main differentiation is because Lookout ingest. They have ingested basically all of the apps for the last ten years and all the versions of all the apps, and we have that in a corporate database that allows us to do very large-scale machine learning and analysis on that data set. That's not something that any of the competitors really have the capability to do because they don't have access to the data set. A lot of the apps you can no longer get them because that version of the app is five or six years old, and it just doesn't exist anywhere anymore, except within our infrastructure. So, the ability to have that very rich dataset and learn from that dataset is a real differentiator.""The solution is stable.""The most valuable features are the antivirus as a whole, the anti-malware, and all of the protection features that scan our enterprise devices."

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"Defender helps us control which applications are being used and gain more security insight into remote and hybrid users based on user identity and log in location. You can also integrate Defender for Cloud Apps with Defender for Endpoint to extend its capabilities.""There are a lot of features with benefits, including discovery, investigation, and putting controls around things. You can't say that you like the investigation part but not the discovery. Everything is correlated; that's how the tool works.""The most valuable feature is its policy implementation.""I like the alert policies because they are quite robust. It has some built-in templates that we can easily pick up. One of them is the alert for mass downloads, when a particular user is running a massive download on your SharePoint site.""The most valuable feature is the ease of management. It's important.""The general usability of the solution is very straightforward.""The product helps us with privileged identity management to control who has access to what and for how long.""The most valuable feature is the seamless integration across different clouds."

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"The tool's scalability is good.""Zscaler CASB's latency and architecture are excellent.""The most valuable features of Zscaler CASB are API integration and DLP.""It has been helpful in maintaining our infrastructure. The granular level control it offers allows us to set application policies per application for each user.""Overall, the solution does a pretty good job at web filtering.""Has a good zero trust feature."

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Cons
"The stability depends on the service from where you access it. Because sometimes, the place you are in, you have Gateway. You don't have Gateway. The gateway is overutilized. At the end, you need to go through their gateways. And this is the key point here. You have a tracking point. If it's not well orchestrated, and it scales up as you add more to the existing team, you will suffer""From the analysis that we've done, they do seem to be maybe a step behind in trying to enter the market with a new solution. But when they do pick up, they do come out with some good products.""We just submitted an enhancement request reflecting the main area we want to see improvement in; the APIs. Currently, we're able to build dashboards, but it's somewhat backward because we use our MDM API to create them. Lookout should provide API to customers so we can query our data and use it in our cloud, and this is the only outstanding area for improvement with the product right now.""Lookout was moving into the SSE space. And so their work on SecureWeb Gateway and SD-WAN is still sort of evolving."

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"This service would be better if it had a separate license, only for this service, that could be used to track usage.""The response time could be better. It will be helpful if the alerts are even more proactive and we can see more data. Currently, the data is a little bit weak. It is not complete. I can't just see it and completely know which user or which device it is. It takes some effort and time on my part to investigate and isolate a user. It would be great if it is more user-friendly or easy for people to understand.""There could be more granular roles that are out of the box included in the product.""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.""Defender for Cloud Apps could come with more configured policies out of the box. Also, integration could be easier. Integration is moderately difficult because Microsoft hasn't developed a solution that unifies device onboarding and management. You have to use Intune to manage devices and Defender for Endpoint to enforce policies. They need to fix their integration, but I believe they will straighten it out by the end of the year.""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.""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.""They need to improve the attack surface reduction (ASR) rules. In the latest version, you can implement ASR rules, which are quite useful, but you have to enable those because if they're not enabled, they flag false positives. In the Defender portal, it logs a block for WMI processes and PowerShell. Apparently, it's because ASR rules are not configured. So, you generally have to enable them to exclude, for example, WMI queries or PowerShell because they have a habit of blocking your security scanners. It's a bit weird that they have to be enabled to be configured, and it's not the other way around."

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"Zscaler CASB breaks down at times.""The pre-defined dictionaries could be improved.""User management can be improved.""The solution's granularity should be improved because it has limited granular options to control, visible, allow, block, delay, and receive.""Zscaler CASB should include integrations with other SaaS applications.""It needs to offer SSO, single sign-on, and items of that nature."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "The pricing is fair; it's comparable to our previous solution, and we carried out multiple POCs and POVs (proof of value). The product is worth the money we pay for it."
  • "Lookout is definitely on the lower end when it comes to price point and that seems to be the only differentiator. The technology is in place in this space and it's really about who is coming in at the better price point now."
  • "In terms of feature performance versus cost, they're a good value."
  • "The licensing costs are good. Prisma has much more options and support for security, but it has a higher cost. For example, Lookout costs 2/3rd of Prisma's licensing price."
  • More Lookout Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "We have an educational licensing agreement. It's a customer agreement for multiple years."
  • "This product is not expensive."
  • "Our clients normally use the Microsoft E1 licensing, which is renewed yearly."
  • "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."
  • "I'm not totally involved in the pricing part, but I think its pricing is quite aggressive, and its price is quite similar to Netskope. Netskope has separate licensing fees or additional charges if you want to monitor certain SaaS services, whereas, with MCAS, you get 5,000 applications with their Office 365. It is all bundled, and there's no cost for using that. You only have the operational costs. In the country I am in, it is a bit difficult to get people with the required skill sets."
  • "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."
  • "The price could be better and should be reconsidered."
  • "It is a little bit expensive. When you want to have the complete package with Office 365, Defender, and everything else, it is expensive."
  • More Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Zscaler CASB is an expensive solution."
  • "The solution has increased prices this year."
  • "As per industry leads, Zscaler CASB is an expensive solution."
  • More Zscaler CASB Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The licensing costs are good. Prisma has much more options and support for security, but it has a higher cost. For… more »
    Top Answer:The solution could improve identity integration as well. Zero trust, it's a good start as a zero-trust solution… more »
    Top Answer:Cisco Umbrella is an integral component of the Cisco SASE architecture. It integrates security in a single, cloud-native… more »
    Top Answer:It does a great job of monitoring and maintaining a security baseline. For us, that is a key element. The notifications… more »
    Top Answer:Where we are right now, this is an acceptable pricing. I would like to see more transparency given to the end user. The… more »
    Top Answer:I use Zscaler CASB to get the visibility of the cloud application since everything is moving to the cloud these days. We… more »
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    CipherCloud
    MS Cloud App Security, Microsoft Cloud App Security
    Learn More
    Overview

    Lookout is a well-established and powerful secure web gateway (SWG) solution that protects more than 200 million users from threats that can result from the penetration of unsecured web traffic into their networks. Lookout is designed to enable organizations to work remotely while maintaining a tight blanket of security over their confidential business data. It provides administrators with security that extends from their endpoints to the cloud service that they are using to run their organization’s network. 

    Users of Lookout are able to proactively detect threats and keep themselves secure from a field of threats that constantly evolves. IT teams can protect their organizations without having to rely on any other security solutions. This singular solution can run on multiple kinds of mobile devices. The privacy of individuals is preserved while keeping compliance rules intact. Additionally, users gain access to a number of tools that enable them to prevent security breaches from taking place.

    Lookout Benefits

    Some of the ways that organizations can benefit by deploying Lookout include:

    • Ease of deployment. Lookout is a solution whose design makes it easy for users to deploy it. It provides users with simple, step-by-step instructions that remove the need for organizations to devote extensive amounts of time to make sure that it is properly set up. Anyone can quickly set up the solution without undergoing technical training. 
    • Built-in support. Users of the Lookout application have access to built-in demos that can teach them how to use various solution features. Instead of spending time trying to figure out the application, users can watch the demo that is most relevant to them and see for themselves how that particular feature is used.
    • Easy-to-use user interface. Lookout’s user interface is laid out in an intuitive way that makes it easy for administrators to navigate. This interface is present in both the mobile and desktop versions of this solution. 
    • Settings customization. Lookout has a built-in settings customization menu. This makes it possible for administrators to easily customize their settings so that they best conform to their needs. 

    Lookout Features

    • Activity monitoring and activity tracking. Lookout’s activity monitoring and activity tracking capabilities enable users to keep a close eye on the activities that are taking place in their networks. IT teams and administrators have the ability to watch their networks for any unusual activity. These features ensure that organizations can keep ahead of any potential threats. They provide the kinds of insights and warnings that make the jobs of those IT teams and administrators much easier and more streamlined. 
    • Encryption. Organizations that employ Lookout can encrypt their networks and keep crucial business data from being read by unauthorized parties. This feature keeps the secrets organizations are trying to keep out of the wrong hands.
    • Anti-virus tools. Lookout provides users with tools to block threats from harming their networks. These tools can successfully block 99.6 percent of threats without raising false alarms. 

    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".

    Zscaler CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) is a security solution offered by Zscaler, a leading cloud security company. CASB technology helps organizations gain visibility and control over cloud applications and services being used by their employees. Zscaler CASB specifically focuses on securing cloud access and data protection.

    Zscaler CASB Benefits:

    • Easy to use interface
    • Offers a wide range of security features
    • Provides real-time protection against malware and viruses
    • Theft protection feature helps locate lost or stolen devices
    • Data backup feature ensures important data is not lost
    • Safe browsing feature blocks malicious websites

    Zscaler CASB Features:

    • Cloud Application Visibility: Zscaler CASB helps organizations discover and gain insights into the cloud applications and services being used across their network. It provides visibility into shadow IT and unapproved cloud usage.
    • Data Loss Prevention (DLP): It enables organizations to enforce data protection policies and prevent sensitive information from being leaked or exposed in cloud applications. Zscaler CASB helps identify and control data sharing and transfers, protecting against data breaches.
    • Access Controls: Zscaler CASB enforces granular access controls to cloud applications, ensuring that users have appropriate permissions and are authenticated securely. It helps organizations implement strong authentication methods, single sign-on (SSO), and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for cloud access.
    • Threat Protection: Zscaler CASB offers protection against cloud-specific threats, such as account compromises, malware, and data exfiltration. It uses threat intelligence and behavioral analysis to detect and mitigate these threats in real-time.
    • Compliance and Governance: Zscaler CASB helps organizations enforce compliance with industry regulations and data protection standards. It offers policy enforcement, auditing, and reporting capabilities to meet regulatory requirements for data privacy and security.
    • Shadow IT Discovery and Control: Zscaler CASB identifies unauthorized or risky cloud applications being used by employees, providing organizations with insights into shadow IT. It enables IT teams to assess risks, enforce policies, and take appropriate actions to manage and control cloud usage.
    • Encryption and Data Protection: Zscaler CASB provides options for data encryption and tokenization to protect sensitive information stored and transmitted in cloud applications. It helps organizations maintain data privacy and confidentiality.

    Zscaler CASB integrates with cloud service providers' APIs and employs various techniques, such as proxying and traffic analysis, to provide security and control over cloud application usage. It can be deployed as a standalone solution or integrated with other security technologies within an organization's existing infrastructure.

    Reviews from Real Users 

    PeerSpot user, IT Security & Operations Manager at a wholesaler/distributor, says that “Web filters well, with good whitelisting/blacklisting capabilities and installs easily on endpoints”.

    Another PeerSpot user, System Analyst at an insurance company, “User-friendly, easy to deploy with a good zero-trust feature”.

    Sample Customers
    Customers for Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps include Accenture, St. Luke’s University Health Network, Ansell, and Nakilat.
    Zenith Live, Azure, Carlsberg Group
    Top Industries
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Financial Services Firm10%
    Manufacturing Company10%
    Government7%
    REVIEWERS
    Educational Organization27%
    Financial Services Firm18%
    Government9%
    Engineering Company9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company16%
    Financial Services Firm12%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Government7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company16%
    Financial Services Firm9%
    Insurance Company9%
    Manufacturing Company6%
    Company Size
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise62%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business27%
    Midsize Enterprise27%
    Large Enterprise47%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business21%
    Midsize Enterprise14%
    Large Enterprise65%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business29%
    Large Enterprise71%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business22%
    Midsize Enterprise11%
    Large Enterprise66%
    Buyer's Guide
    Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Zscaler CASB
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Zscaler CASB and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is ranked 2nd in Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) with 30 reviews while Zscaler CASB is ranked 11th in Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) with 6 reviews. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is rated 8.4, while Zscaler CASB is rated 7.6. The top reviewer of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps writes "Integrates well and helps us in protecting sensitive information, but takes time to scan and apply the policies and cannot detect everything we need". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Zscaler CASB writes "A stable solution that provides API integration and DLP, but lacks integrations with other SaaS applications". Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is most compared with Zscaler Internet Access, Cisco Umbrella, Netskope , Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks and Forcepoint CASB, whereas Zscaler CASB is most compared with Skyhigh Security, ThreatLocker Elevation Control, Cisco Umbrella, Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks and Ivanti Application Control. See our Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps vs. Zscaler CASB report.

    See our list of best Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) vendors.

    We monitor all Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) 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.