We use this solution to identify whether an unknown file is managed or not. We also use it to identify any unknown file that is executable without reputation. We do this before releasing it to the end-user.
Principal Consultant at Securelytics
Fast analysis, good identification features and reasonable pricing
Pros and Cons
- "The analysis is very fast."
- "There are some formats that the solution cannot support ."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
We release the email and the network traffic but also analyze the file. We can do it concurrently before we release the actual traffic to the end user when we have already completed the analysis.
What is most valuable?
The analysis is very fast. The intermittent is a millisecond and has a speedy response time.
What needs improvement?
There are some formats that the solution cannot support today, but they are mostly very rare formats. So that can be improved.
Buyer's Guide
Palo Alto Networks WildFire
May 2025

Learn what your peers think about Palo Alto Networks WildFire. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for the past three years. We are using the latest version, and it is deployed on Google cloud. In addition, we do an integration with the Cortex XDR together with Palo Alto Networks WildFire.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Regarding scalability, 1000 to 5000 is not a problem, but anything more than that, I am unsure. However, it is scalable, and most of the people in our company that use the solution are from our group's information.
How are customer service and support?
We have used the technical support for analysis purposes. They are sound, and the testing system and updates are good. They proactively give us updates, and they are doing a good job. I rate the technical support an eight out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used different solutions in the past but switched to Palo Alto Networks WildFire due to the fast analysis.
How was the initial setup?
The installation was straightforward. It is a cloud and FaaS-based platform and took about one to two hours to deploy. We completed the deployment in-house, and very minimal maintenance is required.
We have about ten people on our team. We needed only one person to install and deploy and about three to maintain.
What was our ROI?
I am unsure about the specific ROI, but we have managed to quarantine and block multiple manages on the enterprise price, which is good. We have benefited from Wildfire.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Our licensing costs are annual, and I believe it is not that expensive. I rate the pricing a six out of ten, so it is on the cheaper side.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated getting proof of concept for another solution and end-user analyzer, but there were limitations to the integration, so we didn't proceed with it.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution an eight out of ten. Regarding advice, I would recommend doing a proof of concept first before deciding on the solution.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Owner at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Integrates with efficient threat prevention modules and ensures infrastructure security
Pros and Cons
- "The platform is scalable as it integrates with other threat prevention modules."
- "One area for improvement is the expansion of the sandbox environment to include a broader range of platforms, such as Linux, macOS, and mobile operating systems."
What is our primary use case?
We use the product to identify and analyze unknown threats. This includes handling new files or URLs that are not yet known to be malicious. It operates in a secure environment, ensuring that no infrastructure is at risk while determining if a file is harmful.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is WildFire's integration with other threat prevention modules on the firewall. This capability allows for the automatic marking of malicious URLs and rapid propagation of this information, which is crucial for defending against widespread phishing campaigns.
What needs improvement?
One area for improvement is the expansion of the sandbox environment to include a broader range of platforms, such as Linux, macOS, and mobile operating systems.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable and effectively handles the analysis and identification of unknown threats without significant issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The platform is scalable as it integrates with other threat prevention modules.
What other advice do I have?
The integration with threat prevention modules and the quick propagation of malicious URL data make WildFire a valuable tool for threat detection and response.
I rate it an eight.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Implementer
Buyer's Guide
Palo Alto Networks WildFire
May 2025

Learn what your peers think about Palo Alto Networks WildFire. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Application Support Administrator at a transportation company with 501-1,000 employees
Offers advanced threat detection and prevention capabilities
Pros and Cons
- "The most effective feature of WildFire for threat analysis is its collaboration with other security profiles on our Palo Alto firewall."
- "Any enhancements should likely be focused on the firewall appliance to further strengthen overall security capabilities, such as refining app and user identity features."
What is our primary use case?
In our company, Palo Alto Networks WildFire is seamlessly integrated with our firewall, working automatically to detect and prevent zero-day attacks. It is like having an extra layer of defense that kicks in whenever there is a potential security threat. My role mainly involves managing firewall policies and configurations, while WildFire handles the more intricate aspects of threat detection and analysis.
How has it helped my organization?
WildFire has significantly enhanced our organization's ability to detect and respond to new threats, especially phishing attacks. It serves as a comprehensive repository of security incidents, providing us with a vast database of threat intelligence. With WildFire in place, we feel more confident and relaxed, knowing that even if our firewall lacks immediate knowledge about a threat, WildFire will provide the necessary information to take action effectively.
What is most valuable?
The most effective feature of WildFire for threat analysis is its collaboration with other security profiles on our Palo Alto firewall. While I primarily view WildFire as a repository for security incidents, its integration with antivirus and antispam profiles enhances our overall threat detection capabilities.
What needs improvement?
There is not much room for improvement for WildFire itself. It serves well as a repository for threat intelligence. Any enhancements should likely be focused on the firewall appliance to further strengthen overall security capabilities, such as refining app and user identity features.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Palo Alto Networks WildFire for almost a year.
How are customer service and support?
Palo Alto Networks' technical support is excellent. They have consistently provided prompt assistance whenever needed, and we are satisfied with their service. I would rate their support as a nine out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
Deploying Palo Alto Networks' products was easy, and integrating WildFire with our existing infrastructure was straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
In Palo Alto Networks' suite, you only pay for what you use or need, rather than a bundled package.
What other advice do I have?
Palo Alto Networks' BPA flagged certain URLs that needed blocking to tighten our firewall's security. WildFire serves as a repository for security incident data, enhancing our threat intelligence across the organization. While we don't manage it directly, WildFire provides crucial information about security occurrences globally.
The sandbox technology of WildFire has benefited us as it provides a layer of protection and immutability against threats.
Whether it is better to integrate WildFire with Palo Alto firewall into one product depends on your infrastructure setup. If you have a reliable internet connection, utilizing WildFire in the cloud is efficient for receiving timely updates. However, if internet connectivity is a concern, having WildFire as an appliance locally might be preferable.
My advice for those considering WildFire is to prioritize its inclusion with your firewall setup. Cybersecurity is interconnected globally, and WildFire provides crucial threat intelligence to keep your firewall updated and effective. It is essential for a smarter, more secure network defense.
Overall, I would rate WildFire as a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Network Security Engineer at MHESI
Comes with a free version that helps to analyze threats
Pros and Cons
- "We get support in the free version."
- "The free version does not have real-time updates. It is slow."
What needs improvement?
The free version does not have real-time updates. It is slow.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the product for four to five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Palo Alto Networks WildFire is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
My company has over 20 users for the product.
How are customer service and support?
We get support in the free version.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We switched to the solution since it matches our requirements and helps to analyze threats with a free version.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I use Palo Alto Networks WildFire's free version.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Palo Alto Networks WildFire an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Easy to deploy, affordable, and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "I give the initial setup an eight out of ten."
- "The technical support response needs improvement."
What is our primary use case?
The solution is used for threat protection.
The solution can be deployed on-prem and in the cloud.
What is most valuable?
All the features are valuable.
What needs improvement?
The technical support response needs improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been a reseller of the solution for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I give the stability an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I give the scalability a nine out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
A long-term customer who has been purchasing Palo Alto products from us for the past five or six years experienced major issues. Despite raising the issue with about ten tickets, the customer did not have an account manager at Palo Alto that we could turn to for assistance. Furthermore, the support team was not responding to their messages or the tickets they opened. Consequently, I had to take action to assist the customer. Unfortunately, I did not receive any response either. It took about four or five months for us to receive a reply, which was not even from Palo Alto but from the distributor we purchased the solution from. We cannot buy directly from Palo Alto. Ultimately, it was the distributor who helped us, as Palo Alto did not resolve the case.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Negative
How was the initial setup?
I give the initial setup an eight out of ten. The deployment of one firewall requires one day.
What about the implementation team?
We implement the solution for our clients.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is affordable and fixed. I give the price an eight out of ten.
What other advice do I have?
I give the solution a nine out of ten.
The Palo Alto Networks WildFire solution is effective, however, it is limited in terms of support. Therefore, I recommend using this solution only if adequate support is provided.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Principal Cloud Security Engineer at Providence Health and Services
Great security with near real-time updates for signatures and excellent reliability
Pros and Cons
- "Stability is never a concern."
- "There are more specialized solutions that compete with Wildfire. Therefore, they need to work on their machine learning and AI to be more competitive."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution both in our company and with our clients. It is mostly used for security.
What is most valuable?
The solution offers near real-time updates for signatures, which is very useful for intelligent threat stamping. They update and improve frequently.
The sandboxing is very helpful. They have a cloud-based sandbox.
They've introduced machine learning and supervised machine learning, which is helpful.
They offer DNS security.
The solution continues to grow quite extensively.
The UI, the marketing, and everything recently has changed and rebranded, and gotten better.
From a security perspective, they are always the best.
Stability is never a concern.
The solution can scale.
What needs improvement?
The UI could continuously be improved. They've been working on this aspect and are getting better and better.
There are more specialized solutions that compete with Wildfire. Therefore, they need to work on their machine learning and AI to be more competitive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been dealing with the solution for eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability has been very good.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is very good. However, it does depend on what service tier you are at - whether premium or standard.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is competitive. It was not too expensive. The pricing depends on the environment and the number of devices. The pricing varies.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a consultant.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Helps to analyze files transmitted over the network
Pros and Cons
- "The graphic user interface of Palo Alto is good and it's easy to configure."
- "In the future, Palo Alto could reduce the time it takes to process the file."
What is our primary use case?
I'm a reseller.
What is most valuable?
WildFire analyzes the malware in the network such as SSDB and can help analyze the files transmitted over the network, and can detect if the file contains malware.
There are features such as sandboxing in cloud. It submits malware to Palo Alto on the cloud, verifies the reputation file, and analyzes the malware in the files.
The graphic user interface of Palo Alto is good and it's easy to configure.
What needs improvement?
Palo Alto limits the files submitted per day. There are limitations with the boxes for the Palo Alto module. In the future, I think Palo Alto will reduce the sandboxing in the on-prem version because the box cannot operate.
In the future, Palo Alto could reduce the time it takes to process the file. Sometimes it takes 10 minutes.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is very good. In Vietnam, we work directly with Palo Alto engineers.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I also have experience with Check Point, Fortinet, and Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
Configuration is easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For the last three years, the price of Palo Alto in Vietnam has been very high.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution 9 out of 10.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Senior System Administrator at a government with 10,001+ employees
Gives accurate assessment and filters out what's good and what's bad, and doesn't cause any slowdown on our computers
Pros and Cons
- "It gives a more accurate assessment of a virus in terms of whether it's truly a virus, malware, or a false positive. We have some legacy software that could pop up as being something that is malware. WildFire goes through and inspects it, and then it comes back and lets us know if it's a false positive. Usually, when it finds out that it's not a virus, it lets us know that it's benign, and it can exclude it from that scan, which means I don't even have to worry about that one popping up anymore."
- "They can keep on doing more updates. As new malware and viruses are coming out, they can make sure that WildFire is up to date."
What is most valuable?
It gives a more accurate assessment of a virus in terms of whether it's truly a virus, malware, or a false positive. We have some legacy software that could pop up as being something that is malware. WildFire goes through and inspects it, and then it comes back and lets us know if it's a false positive. Usually, when it finds out that it's not a virus, it lets us know that it's benign, and it can exclude it from that scan, which means I don't even have to worry about that one popping up anymore.
What needs improvement?
I haven't seen anything that needs improvement on it. It's a very stable platform. They can keep on doing more updates. As new malware and viruses are coming out, they can make sure that WildFire is up to date.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It has been very stable. It doesn't cause any slowdown on our computers. It filters out what is good and what's bad.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We haven't had a need to scale it. We have a hybrid environment. We have some cloud, but we still have a lot of on-prem.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's comparable to what the competition is. It is probably a little lesser than what the competition is because, as a state government, we go for whatever the lowest cost is.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate it a 10 out of 10 because it has been a really good tool.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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Updated: May 2025
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