ForcePoint Firewall Alternatives: ForcePoint Competitors
Safeguarding the most important data in your company is your first priority as an IT manager. It's critical to take into account data loss prevention solutions that enable you to precisely regulate data sharing and usage. Your defenses against data loss and breaches are strengthened by these technologies. Forcepoint Data Loss Prevention comes in handy in this situation. A solution for preventing data loss, Forcepoint DLP guards sensitive data against theft and other modern threats. You can access all of your data using it, and it provides you with information on your files and programs.
Although Forcepoint offers helpful capabilities for companies trying to protect their data, it might not be the best option for all kinds of enterprises. Alternatively, a lot of people are looking for strong, cutting-edge software solutions with policy management, AI text summarization, and virtual private networks (VPNs). Firewall software is a technology that is extensively employed. When looking for alternatives to the Forcepoint Next-Gen Firewall, it's also crucial to take the user interface and setup into account. Zenarmor Firewall is by far the greatest substitute for Forcepoint Next-Gen Firewall. F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM), MikroTik Routers and Switches, pfSense, Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks, Cisco, Check Point Software Technologies, Juniper, Sophos, and SonicWall are more programs that are comparable to Forcepoint Next-Gen Firewall.
Verified actual reviews can help you choose which software or service is ideal for your company and how Forcepoint stacks up against its rivals. To help you choose the best data security solution for your needs, we examine Forcepoint's advantages and disadvantages as well as how they stack up against leading rivals in the market.
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Why Use ForcePoint Firewall Alternatives?
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What are the Things to Consider when Choosing ForcePoint Firewall Alternatives?
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Zenarmor
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F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)
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pfSense
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Fortinet
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Palo Alto Networks
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Cisco
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Juniper
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Sophos
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SonicWall
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Who does ForcePoint compete with?
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What type of firewall is ForcePoint?
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What happened to ForcePoint Networks?
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What Feature does ForcePoint Firewall Lack?
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How good are ForcePoint firewalls?
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What happens when ForcePoint expires?
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Is Forcepoint a firewall?
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Is ForcePoint NGFW?
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Is ForcePoint free?
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Does ForcePoint support SASE?
Why Use ForcePoint Firewall Alternatives?
In the cybersecurity space, Forcepoint is a well-known company with a full range of products to shield companies from web threats. Regretfully, Forcepoint has the following drawbacks:
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A challenging user interface,
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possible problems with deployment,
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false positives as well as
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Performance lag on occasion.
Additionally, a few clients have voiced worries regarding cost, customer support responsiveness, and integration challenges. For these reasons, a lot of businesses are currently searching for substitute options that better fit their particular needs.
Competitive alternatives to ForcePoint such as Zenarmor, Cisco FirePOWER, and Sophos Firewall provide comprehensive security capabilities such as intrusion prevention, URL filtering, and malware protection, to meet a wide range of security requirements. A number of ForcePoint alternatives offer superior precision and cost-effectiveness, allowing enterprises to efficiently strengthen their security measures without excessive expenditure.
Who does ForcePoint compete with?
When looking for alternatives to Forcepoint, dependability and usability are crucial considerations. Zenarmor is the superior Forcepoint substitute in general. F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM), Safetica, pfSense, Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks, Cisco, Check Point Software Technologies, Juniper, Sophos, and SonicWall are more programs that are comparable to Forcepoint. Alternatives to Forcepoint are available in Secure Web Gateways, and Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) Software.
What Are the Things to Consider When Choosing ForcePoint Firewall Alternatives?
Potential customers assess competencies in areas including contracting and evaluation, integration and deployment, service and support, and product capabilities when comparing various solutions. Factors to think about while selecting the Forcepoint DLP substitutes are as follows:
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Performance: Evaluate the firewall's performance in terms of its speed and level of dependability. It is of utmost importance that the firewall does not give rise to a bottleneck within your network.
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Configuration and Usability: You should evaluate the simplicity of configuring and utilizing the firewall system. An intuitive interface by users can significantly improve the administration of security rules.
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Scalability: You should assess the scalability of the alternative to determine its potential to accommodate the expansion of your firm. This encompasses the capacity to handle higher volumes of traffic and the capability to combine with other security solutions seamlessly.
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Compatibility: You should verify that the alternative firewall is compatible with current security software, including antivirus, IPS, and SIEM systems, in order to effectively maintain a comprehensive security stance.
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Compliance: Verify that the alternative satisfies any industry-specific compliance criteria that are applicable to your firm.
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Cost: Evaluate the overall cost of ownership, encompassing license fees, maintenance expenses, and any supplementary hardware needed.
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Analysis of Performance and Reviews: You should consult customer reviews and performance data validated by industry benchmarks, such as those from Gartner, to assess the performance of the alternatives in practical situations.
1. Zenarmor
The main purpose of Zenarmor, a practical and efficient firewall, is to safeguard IT resources, including apps. It is widely utilized in homes and small businesses as a result. Large organizations utilize this corporate firewall.
Zenarmor is relatively simple to deploy on any network platform. The user just has to have internet connectivity. As a result, Zenarmor might be used for household activities as well as big corporate ventures.
Businesses can quickly and easily construct firewalls and secure settings as small as home networks or as large as multi-cloud deployments using Zenarmor's robust, lightweight, appliance-free technology.
Features
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When it comes to preventing and managing unwanted programs and traffic, Zenarmor excels. Furthermore, any port number may be used with the protection.
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With over a thousand apps, the application database is quite rich.
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In terms of real-time network visibility, the firewall works really well. It digs down to the specifics of each link.
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User-based reporting is one of Zenarmor's other noteworthy features. For example, it can identify the user's odd behavior.
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Cloud apps are equally compatible with Zenarmor. This means that a user may designate specific access controls for different cloud services like Dropbox, Microsoft Azure, and so on.
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Blocking a botnet using the firewall takes less than a minute.
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Whitelists and blacklists are automatically customized.
Benefits
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It is a next-generation firewall that can manage networks and apps with equal ease.
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The ability to restrict certain programs is quite effective.
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It has a very thorough reporting procedure.
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Zenarmor is incredibly easy to install.
2. F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)
Targeted network infrastructure-level assaults are quite common in software development, necessitating the use of unwavering firewall management. We can secure our data center and safeguard all of our apps in addition to defending our network thanks to F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager. It accomplishes this by keeping track of network sessions, thwarting assaults, and upholding minute details, all the while preserving app awareness.
3. pfSense
One of the most reliable open-source firewalls in the world is pfSense® Plus software. The program has been installed more than three million times and has won the admiration and respect of users everywhere.
Advantages
Easy to install, comprehend, and apply; the methods for creating rules and checking logs are clear and easy to follow; reporting is quite straightforward to use; and complete bandwidth control and capping are very simple. pfSense may be quickly and easily installed on a number of different platforms, depending on the use case. As an enterprise service provider, they help their clients set up and manage systems in both on-site data centers and cloud environments. Many design and deployment options are made possible by the choice between a virtualized pfSense software installation and a hardware solution.
Cons
The backup method could feature an automated installation and task sequence.
Update management for pfSense can occasionally be a little awkward. Enabling automatic updates would be really appreciated, particularly for patching security vulnerabilities. Or perhaps a message alerting the pfSense administrator whenever a fresh update becomes available.
Most of the time, users are unaware of updates until they check into the online interface, and many of them may go weeks or months without logging in. In this case, a push or email notice would be useful.
4. Fortinet
In the market for network security appliances, Fortinet offers a competitive, affordable option. The firewalls' physical quality is flawless; the hardware is sturdy and well-built. Most of the features offered by top manufacturers in the market are typically supported by the Fortinet software. The configuration file format and CLI syntax seem a little complicated. While much of the GUI's functionality is intuitive, some of it feels outdated.
Advantages
Behavioral analysis and sandboxing are two of its numerous detection approaches that successfully recognize and stop complex attacks.
Drawbacks
It offers thorough support, although occasionally we have trouble getting quick help from technical support teams.
5. Palo Alto Networks
The PA-series is a feature-rich technology with a wide range of practical functions that are advantageous to the company. It takes some time to become familiar with all the features and the best ways to stage your deployment in your environment, but once you have the tools down pat, this is a really strong platform. The platform's primary problem is that it needs constant upkeep, including updates and hot fixes, internal certificate management reboots, and content package reboots.
Palo Alto Networks' next-generation firewall uses application, application function, user, and content classification to classify all traffic, including encrypted data. Applications may be safely enabled when you design detailed, exact security controls. This significantly lowers the possibility of cyberattacks throughout the whole company by allowing only authorized users to run approved programs.
Advantages
The user interface is simple to use, and there is plenty of online help available. The best feature is that by reading thorough, current documentation, one may setup anything without consulting their support staff. They have been deploying Palo Alto firewalls to their customers on-premise locations. The availability of APIs facilitates task automation utilizing Python, Postman, and Ansible scripts.
Disadvantages
You can configure most of it yourself, but any issues will require support help. At that point, you'll experience response delays, which exacerbate your dissatisfaction. You may see a little lag in issue fixes. If this is not your first experience with this kind of gadget, configuration could seem intimidating. Anticipate to wait for the gadget to reset for at least twenty minutes.
6. Cisco
Cisco Umbrella offers a unified set of features in a single, cloud-native solution, simplifying cybersecurity and compliance. Customers are delighted with the end-to-end experience it provides because of its mix of DNS-layer security, a secure web gateway, CASB, and more. Umbrella has repeatedly received AV-TEST's top security effectiveness rating, processing more than 600 billion internet queries daily and utilizing Cisco Talos, the largest cyber threat intelligence team in the world. Umbrella gives you the confidence to fulfill today's cloud security goals and seize tomorrow's prospects, regardless of whether you need to fortify your present security stack or move to a more SASE-based design.
Pros
Consistent protection for both on-premises and remote users, extensive visibility and control over internet activity, and strong, multi-layered security against a variety of cyber threats are just a few of the benefits that make Cisco Umbrella useful. Because of its cloud-based architecture, security measures are kept current with the most recent threat intelligence, simplifying deployment and management.
A user-friendly and straightforward administration platform is provided by Cisco Umbrella. Deploying the rules to both on-premises and mobile users can be completed in a matter of minutes, and they are simple to create.
Cons
The online interface occasionally takes a while to provide tracked and collected data for reporting. It doesn't really like Safari, to be honest, and there have been problems in the past when using specific browsers.
It can be expensive to use Cisco Umbrella, especially for small and medium-sized companies with tight budgets. Certain companies could find the pricing strategy to be unaffordable.
7. Juniper
Approximately twenty years ago, Pradeep Sindhu, Dennis Ferguson, and Bjorn Liencres formed the Silicon Valley-based technology business Juniper Networks. The company's goal is to create cutting-edge goods and services that are specially made to satisfy the rising needs of our globally interconnected society. Their business model's main goal is to transform networking. With its headquarters located in Sunnyvale, California, the corporation employs approximately 9,000 people in 50 different countries. Numerous businesses and service providers from all over the world use the services that Juniper offers. The business also provides services to a number of governmental organizations and universities. Juniper connects ideas through innovation to unleash human potential and believes in the power of networking as a means of exchanging information. Their goal is to create a network that is open to all vendors and network environments, secure, intelligent, and adaptable.
Advantages
The product's components and overall hardware performance are excellent and dependable, with a low failure rate.
Drawbacks
Even after ten years, Jweb still has a lot of issues. Web control over rules is a preferable option for a sophisticated firewall.
8. Sophos
Comprehensive next-generation firewall protection driven by synchronized security and deep learning is offered by Sophos Firewall. Firewalls provide unparalleled insights by revealing hidden application, user, and threat dangers on the network. It is exceptional in that it can immediately respond to security incidents by isolating compromised computers. Sophos offers cutting-edge firewall defense that automatically isolates hacked computers in response to events and prevents unknown threats.
Advantages
In-depth reporting and analytics features are often available with Sophos firewalls, giving users insight into network traffic, security incidents, and general network health. It is simple to apply and utilize. Direct network assaults are prevented by it.
Cons
Although Sophos firewalls offer an extensive range of security capabilities, customers may discover that, in comparison to competing firewall systems, they lack some sophisticated customization possibilities.
9. SonicWall
Globally, SonicWall's real-time breach detection and prevention solutions safeguard over a million networks. For medium-sized organizations, the Sonicwall NSA Series Sonic OS 7 is ideal. It provides protection and dependability and starts at $2700. A management port with a default IP address and a power button are included with the NSA Series.
Advantages
The most advantageous feature of a Sonicwall is its ability to enable global access to the primary corporate network for all members of the organization while upholding security measures. It creates a private and secure connection to enable the completion of all tasks in a secure manner. Because all the settings you need are on the welcome page, Sonicwall is very simple to use. It is frequently utilized for formal tasks. It has a ton of features as well. One advantage is the ability to alter the business network with relative ease. It is very easy to install and utilize.
Cons
These qualities are detrimental since they are unable to identify and stop sophisticated cyber threats like ransomware and zero-day assaults. Especially in high-traffic situations, turning on specific security features or configuring SonicWall devices in certain ways may affect network speed or add delay. Businesses should thoroughly assess their performance needs and take hardware specs into account.
A bit more user-friendliness and intuitiveness might have been added to the user interface. Although it's not as seamless as it might be, the existing UI is nonetheless functional.
Is Forcepoint a firewall?
Yes, Forcepoint functions as a firewall. In reality, Forcepoint's goal is to create secure and trustworthy settings by protecting workers and sensitive data everywhere by providing a comprehensive security solution that comprehends digital identities and their cyber behaviors. Forcepoint accomplishes this goal by making security easier for governments and multinational corporations. Zero Trust, Security Service Edge (SSE), and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) may be easily implemented thanks to the company's all-in-one, fully cloud-native platform, which guards against the loss or theft of confidential information and intellectual property wherever employees operate. Forcepoint solutions are designed to understand how people interact with data, as opposed to giving a static, one-size-fits-all approach. This allows workers to produce value while still granting secure access. Forcepoint lowers risk and fosters secure, dependable settings where clients and their staff may reach their full potential.
The Forcepoint NGFW software in the Firewall/VPN function, along with the hardware device or virtual machine that the software operates on, are collectively referred to as the "firewall."
An integrated operating system (a specifically hardened version of Linux) is part of the Forcepoint NGFW software. Operating system updates or patches are not required separately. During the software upgrade, every engine's software is updated.
What type of firewall is ForcePoint?
ForcePoint is a next-generation firewall (NGFW). Since next-generation firewalls, or NGFWs, include extra features including intrusion prevention systems, encrypted traffic inspection, and antivirus software with classic firewall technology. Its inclusion of deep packet inspection (DPI) is most notable. Deep packet inspection looks at the contents within the packet itself, whereas standard firewalls simply look at the packet headers. This allows users to more successfully identify, classify, or halt packets containing dangerous material. ForcePoint is a next-generation firewall (NGFW) with all of these characteristics.
One or more Forcepoint NGFW engines and the Forcepoint NGFW Security Management Center (SMC) make up the Forcepoint NGFW system. The management part of the Forcepoint NGFW system is called the SMC.
VPN connectivity and access control are provided by the NGFW Engine in the firewall/VPN role.
Forcepoint NGFW includes NGFW engines for both Layer 2 firewall and IPS functions. Deep traffic inspection and access control are provided by the Layer 2 firewalls, while intrusion detection and prevention are handled by the IPS component.
Is ForcePoint NGFW?
Yes, ForcePoint is an NGFW or next-generation firewall. Actually, a Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) is a more advanced network security solution than a stateful firewall. Forcepoint NGFW is a high-availability solution that integrates an SD-WAN with a next-generation firewall. You may set up dedicated lines, wireless networks, and the internet on your premises with Forcepoint NGFW, and it will provide failover protection against service outages. With the dashboard's aerial perspective of network activities, you can quickly detect and address security issues.
What happened to ForcePoint Networks?
Forcepoint, formerly known as Websense, is a cybersecurity company that has experienced numerous changes and acquisitions throughout its history. Forcepoint was established in 1994 as NetPartners, an information technology reseller. The organization commenced operations as a reseller of network security products, and subsequently developed software to regulate employees' internet usage. In 1999, it was rebranded as Websense and was publicly traded in 2000.
In May 2015, Raytheon acquired an 80% stake in Websense for approximately $1.9 billion.
Websense, Stonesoft, and Sidewinder were amalgamated and rebranded as Forcepoint in January 2016. In addition, Raytheon's "Cyber Products" division was integrated into the new brand. The company specializes in offering cybersecurity solutions that safeguard networks, data, and users from a wide range of threats.
Forcepoint has been consistently enhancing its product offerings, with a particular emphasis on cloud security, data protection, and user behavior analytics. In January 2021, Forcepoint was acquired by Francisco Partners, a prominent global investment firm with expertise in technology businesses. This acquisition was intended to expedite Forcepoint's expansion and advancement in the cybersecurity industry.
What Feature does ForcePoint Firewall Lack?
Some limitations that users reported about ForcePoint firewall are summarized below.
ForcePoint offers integration options, but organizations with complex, multi-vendor environments may find the integration process less smooth compared to other firewalls that prioritize open architecture and extensive API support. For example, Although ForcePoint offers Active Active load balancing, some users have reported difficulties when trying to integrate more than two firewalls in certain configurations.
Certain ForcePoint NGFW models may not have certain features, such as a swap partition or other advanced security functionalities, due to differences in engine versions.
ForcePoint Firewall may not be able to identify GTP (GPRS Tunneling Protocol) traffic, which could pose a limitation in certain network environments.
The initial setup of ForcePoint Firewall is difficult and time-consuming, needing a lot of work and money. For inexperienced users or those not familiar with the system, its intricacy may be a hindrance. While maintaining and connecting with other third-party systems can be challenging and may require more resources, interaction with other Forcepoint products is smooth.
The Cloud Access Security Broker, or CASB, solution has come under fire for failing to fulfill enterprise-level specifications and for lacking essential features like thorough data identification across numerous SQL servers.
Users complain about difficulties setting up policies correctly and a lack of thorough logging. This may make it more difficult to correctly monitor and handle situations.
Users bring up particular functional concerns that they would want to see rectified, such as long-standing issues with machine learning, fingerprint identification, OCR capabilities, and rule tweaking.
How good are ForcePoint firewalls?
ForcePoint firewalls are highly respected in the cybersecurity industry due to their strong security features and extensive threat protection. They are well-known for their seamless integration with ForcePoint's extensive security ecosystem, encompassing data protection, cloud security, and network security solutions. This integration enables a cohesive approach to security management across different environments. ForcePoint has an aggregate Gartner rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars based on more than 160 evaluations.
deep packet inspection, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and application control are some of the advanced features that ForcePoint firewalls provide. By utilizing these features, threats can be quickly identified and effectively mitigated. In addition, they offer centralized management, making it easier to administer security policies across multiple sites.
By prioritizing a deep understanding of user behavior and data to effectively anticipate and thwart breaches ForcePoint firewalls excel in their approach to cybersecurity. Nevertheless, the efficacy of ForcePoint firewalls can vary depending on the unique requirements and setup of an organization. It is recommended that businesses assess their specific needs and consider conducting a trial to ensure compatibility with their current systems.
What happens when ForcePoint expires?
Traffic and policy violations are no longer monitored when a ForcePoint subscription/license expires, as no inspection or analytics will be conducted. The system will cease to transmit log, status, and monitoring data upon expiration, which will affect the capacity to monitor activities. Based on pre-configured parameters, the system may either permit or block requests, resulting in complete denial of service or unrestricted access.
Is ForcePoint free?
No, although ForcePoint offers 30-day free trials, it is not free. Additionally, users have the option to request a demonstration of any ForcePoint product in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how it aligns with the requirements of their organization.
Through the Forcepoint website, you may sign up for a free trial or request a demo of any Forcepoint product.
Does ForcePoint support SASE?
Yes, ForcePoint provides a cloud-native, single-vendor SASE solution and incorporates Zero Trust Network Access technology, which eliminates the necessity for VPNs. ForcePoint ONE facilitates a modular approach to SASE, enabling businesses to deploy the requisite components as required, thereby guaranteeing secure access for remote employees and seamless integration. ForcePoint's SASE solutions are intended to protect business data while simultaneously enabling users to access it from a variety of locations.