Cisco Umbrella vs Zscaler CASB comparison

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. 

Cisco Umbrella offers flexible, cloud-delivered security according to users’ requirements Cisco Umbrella includes secure web gateway, firewall, and cloud access security broker (CASB) functionality all delivered from a single cloud security service. Cisco Umbrella’s protection is extended to devices, remote users, and distributed locations anywhere. As company employees work from many locations and devices, Cisco Umbrella is the easiest way to effectively protect users everywhere in minutes.

Cisco Umbrella uses machine learning to search for, identify, and even predict malicious domains. By learning from internet activity patterns, this DNS-layer security solution can automatically identify attacker infrastructure being staged for the next threat. These domains are then proactively blocked, protecting networks from potential compromise. Cisco Umbrella analyzes terabytes of data in real time across all markets, geographies, and protocols.

Cisco Umbrella works with leading IT companies to integrate its security enforcement and intelligence. Built with a bidirectional API, Cisco Umbrella makes it easy to extend protection from on-premises security appliances to cloud controlled devices and sites.

Cisco Umbrella is suitable for small businesses without dedicated security professionals, as well as for multinational enterprises with complex environments.

Why use Cisco Umbrella?

• Simplify security management: Cisco Umbrella is the fastest and easiest way to protect all users within minutes and reduces the number of infections and alerts sent from other security products by stopping threats at the earliest point. With no hardware to install and no software to manually update, ongoing management is simple
  
  
• Reliable reporting: Cisco Umbrella reports show activity for each device or network in the system. Users gain a more complete picture of the security risks facing their organization and can take action to remedy them.
  
  
• Manage and control cloud apps: Umbrella provides visibility into sanctioned and unsanctioned cloud services in use across the enterprise. Users can uncover new services being used, see who is using them, identify potential risk, and block specific applications easily.

Reviews from Real Users

Cisco Umbrella stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Some of the major ones are its DNS-based protection, ability to protect users no matter where they are located, stability, and high performance.

Daniel B., a network specialist at Syswind Kft, writes, “We primarily use the solution as cloud security for our branches. It protects us from direct internet outbreaks. It makes for good flexibility. The solution is very easy to manage. We found the initial setup, for example, to be quite simple. Efficient protection on the DNS level and even higher. The sandboxing feature analyses and handles the complicated security risks.”

Victor M., SOC & Security Services Director at BEST, notes, “It provides security for the remote workers and it helps to improve enterprise security in a very easy way. We mainly enjoy web software protection capabilities. It prevents the end-users from getting into bad sites or sites that potentially could have malware or could be phishing. It helps end-users avoid the wrong sites. The solution works very smoothly. The user interface is good.”

OpenDNS is a part of Cisco providing a suite of consumer products aimed at making the internet faster, safer, and more reliable.

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”.