Zscaler overview

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Zscaler is a cloud-based cybersecurity company described as a Zero Trust Exchange platform, which helps organizations securely connect users to applications. The platform is advertised as a replacement to traditional network security appliances like Firewalls and VPNs with a cloud-native security that operates on the principle of “zero trust,” meaning that no entity/individual is inherently trusted, and verification is required at all times.

The “zero trust” principle is delivered through the following offerings:

• Secure Internet Access (ZIA): A cloud based secure web gateway that inspects traffic for threats and enforces policies to protect users from malware, phishing, and other cyber threats on the internet

• Private Access (ZPA): A network access solution that enables secure remote access to internal applications without the need for traditional VPNs.

• Data Protection (CASB): Capabilities for data loss prevention (DLP), cloud access security broker, and encryption to protect sensitive information.

Drawbacks of Zscaler

• Complex Policy Management: Users often find the security policy configuration and management console to be complex and challenging, requiring significant expertise or headcount to configure.

• Latency Issues: Users report performance impacts, including increased latency, due to routing traffic through Zscaler's cloud infrastructure.

• High Cost: Zscaler's services are considered to be expensive compared to other solutions, especially for smaller organizations or those with tighter budgets.

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dope.security overview

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dope.security delivers an on-device SSL Proxy that inspects all application and internet traffic locally on the user's device, unlike traditional cloud proxies which route traffic through data centers and points of presence around the globe. Paired with CASB Neural DLP, which leverages LLMs to identify and classify sensitive publicly exposed files in your Google and Microsoft 365 drives, dope.security delivers a modern user centric approach to cyber. 

Secure Web Gateway

Dope.security’s Secure Web Gateway is built on a patented architecture called Fly Direct that removes the thorn in everyone's side, the data center. It does not backhaul your traffic for policy checks and enforcement, instead all SWG capabilities happen on the device (laptop) itself; URL filtering, SSL Inspection, Cloud App Control and more. It's a secure direct to internet connection resulting in reduced latency, improved performance, and a fully private experience. 

CASB DLP

CASB Neural DLP fuses beautiful design and AI to crawl, extract and establish context of the sensitive publicly exposed data living in your Google and Microsoft 365 drives. Once the scan is complete, you get an LLM generated classification summary, called DOPAMINE, when your data is in fact sensitive, and you can remediate directly from the console. This is very different from existing traditional CASB DLP solutions in that dope.security does not rely on regex pattern matching or manual boolean logic. Taking this new approach significantly reduces the number of false positives, and reduces the manual maintenance overhead that comes with traditional legacy DLP solutions.

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Other Zscaler Alternatives

Fortinet: A Reliable OnPrem and Hybrid VPN & Firewall 

Fortinet is a global cybersecurity company known for its Firewalls and FortiClient VPN, which are part of a bigger portfolio designed to secure networks, endpoints, applications, and cloud environments. Fortinet's Security Fabric architecture also integrates these products, providing visibility, control, and automation for companies. 

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Pros of Fortinet

• Simple VPN Connection & More: Provides reliable remote access to your organization's private network, endpoint security features like firewall protection, anti-virus and anti-malware.
• Price/Performance: FortiGate firewalls, FortiClient VPN and other Fortinet products are known for their reliable enterprise performance which many users are content with for the price they pay.
• Integration and Automation: Fortinet's Security Fabric architecture allows for seamless integration of Fortinet products, providing centralized management and visibility.

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Cons of Fortinet

• Complexity: Fortinet's extensive product line and feature set can be complex to manage, especially for smaller organizations without dedicated security teams.
• Learning Curve: Such a broad and complex range of offerings has a steep learning curve, making it challenging for new users or those unfamiliar with the platform.
• Architecture: Fortinet, while it has cloud solutions, also heavily invests in on-premises hardware and hybrid solutions so it will suffer from occasional latency due to this traditional architecture. 

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Microsoft Defender: A New XDR 

Microsoft Defender is a security solution that provides antivirus, anti-malware, and endpoint protection for Windows operating systems, macOS and mobile devices. 

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Pros of Microsoft Defender

• Built-in Integration: Seamlessly integrated into Windows OS, providing out-of-the-box protection without needing third-party software.
• Cost-Effective: Included at no additional cost with Windows, making it a cost-effective solution for individuals and small businesses.
• Advanced Threat Protection (ATP): Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides advanced features like endpoint detection and response (EDR), threat analytics, and automated investigation and remediation.

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Cons of Microsoft Defender

• Missing SWG: Does not perform URL filtering or typical Secure Web Gateway capabilities
• Inaccuracies: False positives are very common with Defender as well as missing true positives
• Customer Support: Customer support is unreliable and takes a very long time to resolve tickets according to active super users. 

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Netskope: A SASE Leader 

Netskope provides a consolidated security platform designed to protect data and defend against threats in real-time, whether users are accessing the web, cloud services, or private applications. Netskope is a leader in the cloud security space, offering solutions like Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).

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Pros of Netskope

• Gartner Leader in CASB: Netskope is recognized for its strong capabilities in protecting data and managing threats across a variety of cloud services, making it a leader in CASB.
• SASE Leader: Netskope One is considered a leader in the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) market, delivering a Secure Web Gateway, CASB DLP and ZTNA solution in one platform. 
• Granular Data Protection: The platform provides deep visibility and control over data, with detailed data protection and web policies.

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Cons of Netskope

• Complex Deployments: The initial setup and configuration of Netskope can be complex including the DLP policy configurations. Deployment requires a significant time investment and expertise.
• Negative Performance Impacts: Performance issues are common, due to the cloud proxy architecture. This can negatively impact the user experience and slow down their machines.
• Cost: Netskope is often noted as being on the higher end of pricing, particularly when additional features or modules are included to fully satisfy the customer use case.

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Cisco Umbrella: DNS Filtering for Small Businesses

Cisco Umbrella is a cloud-delivered security solution that provides DNS-layer protection, securing users from threats such as malware, phishing and other internet threats. By monitoring and filtering DNS requests, Cisco Umbrella prevents users from accessing malicious websites and unsafe internet resources. 

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Pros of Cisco Umbrella

• Ease of Deployment: Organizations can quickly set up and enforce DNS filtering across all users, even those working remotely or on mobile devices.
• Integration with Cisco Security Suite: It integrates well with other Cisco security products, allowing for vendor consolidation within organizations that are already invested in Cisco’s ecosystem.
• Effective DNS Filtering: Cisco Umbrella is good at blocking malicious domains and preventing access to dangerous websites, providing protection against phishing, malware, and other online threats.

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Cons of Cisco Umbrella

• Limited Granularity: Limitations in customizing policies and settings are prevalent. The platform offers a range of default settings, but more granular controls that might be required for specific use cases can not be achieved unless the user upgrades.
• Customer Support: Customer support during the initial setups stages as well as ongoing tickets is not as reliable and knowledgeable as it could be according to users. 
• Remote Coverage: Coverage for remote workers usually requires purchasing additional products from their suite, like the Roaming Client, which was recently EOL’d and does not reliably work all the time.

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Forcepoint: A Data Security Magic Quadrant Vendor

Forcepoint offers solutions that focus on the protection of sensitive data across various environments, including on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. Offerings from Forcepoint include data loss prevention (DLP), web and email security, cloud security, and network security.

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Pros of Forcepoint

• Customization and Policy Controls: The platform allows for customization of security policies, enabling organizations to tailor protect their specific needs and compliance requirements.
• Cloud and Hybrid Environment Support: Forcepoint solutions are designed to work in cloud, on-premises, and hybrid environments, offering flexibility and scalability for organizations.
• Full SASE: Forcepoint offers a SASE suite of security solutions, allowing organizations to protect data, users, and networks through a consolidated platform. 

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Cons of Forcepoint

• User Experience: The user interface is challenging. It can be less intuitive compared to other security platforms. This can make day-to-day management and monitoring more cumbersome.
• Negative Performance Issues: Forcepoint’s solutions can negatively impact system performance. This is particularly a concern with configuring DLP, and web security filtering, which may slow down network traffic.
• Support and Documentation: Forcepoint’s customer support and documentation could be improved. Delays in receiving support and difficulties in finding detailed documentation for basic features is very common.

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Palo Alto Networks: A Leader in Firewalls

Palo Alto Networks is a cybersecurity leader best known for its Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW), which integrates advanced threat prevention capabilities, including intrusion prevention, URL filtering, and application control. In addition to NGFW, Palo Alto Networks offers a portfolio that includes cloud security (Prisma), extended endpoint protection (Cortex XDR), and SASE solutions (Prisma SASE) to name a few. 

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Pros of Palo Alto Networks

• Comprehensive Suite: Palo Alto Networks provides a unified security platform that integrates multiple security functions, such as NGFW, endpoint protection, and cloud security.
• High Performance: Palo Alto Networks’ solutions are recognized for their high-performance capabilities, especially in large-scale enterprise environments, where they can handle high traffic volumes without significant latency.
• Innovation: Palo Alto Networks aims to innovate, introducing new features and capabilities to address new threats, most recently incorporating AI into several key areas of its platform.  

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Cons of Palo Alto Networks

• Cost: They are generally considered premium products with high upfront and ongoing costs. They try to bypass this by offering free licenses, but will start charging 3-6 months later once the customer is “sticky” to their platform. 
• Resource Intensive: The advanced capabilities of their products can be resource-heavy, requiring robust hardware, infrastructure and headcount resources to operate.
• Complexity of Deployment: While the solutions are powerful, they can be complex to deploy and configure, organizations may require specialized teams to fully leverage the platform.

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Skyhigh Security: A Middle of the Pack Cloud-based Zero Trust Security

Skyhigh Security offers solutions designed to protect data and manage risks across cloud services, web traffic, and enterprise applications. The company is known for its Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solutions, which provide visibility and control over data in cloud environments, as well as Secure Web Gateway (SWG) and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) capabilities.

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Pros of Skyhigh Security

• Data Loss Protection: The platform provides data loss prevention (DLP) features that protect sensitive information across cloud services, web traffic, and on-premises environments, a key requirement for organizations with strict compliance requirements.
• Scalable Solution: The cloud-based nature of the service allows for expansion as the organization grows.
• Full SASE Offering: Robust portfolio offers SWG, CASB and Private Access under one cloud console.

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Cons of Skyhigh Security

• Cost: Similar to other premium security solutions, Skyhigh Security can be costly, especially for smaller organizations or those with limited budgets. The cost can increase further with the addition of advanced features or services.
• Complexity: The initial setup and configuration of Skyhigh Security's solutions can be complex, requiring designated headcount resources and careful planning to ensure proper deployment and integration.
• False Positives: While they’re recognized as a “leader” in the CASB DLP space, they still suffer from delivering a high amount of false positives, misclassifying non-sensitive documents as sensitive. 

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Conclusion

While there are a ton of options out there, some tools have made a significant mark in the industry. It’s essential to carefully evaluate and consider the best practices and limitations when choosing the right solution for your business. Still unsure about which Zscaler alternative to choose? Before making a decision, Try dope.security for free today and experience a new standard in secure, efficient, and user-focused protection.

Want to talk to a rep? Book a demo.

dope.security offers a strong alternative to Zscaler by addressing key drawbacks of traditional cloud-based security. Its on-device SSL proxy with Fly Direct architecture eliminates the need for traffic backhauling, reducing latency and improving performance. Unlike Zscaler's complex policy management and higher costs, dope.security provides a user-centric, efficient solution. Its AI-powered CASB Neural DLP further reduces false positives and maintenance, making it a cost-effective and modern choice for organizations looking for streamlined cybersecurity.

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