Cisco Secure Firewall Reviews

Name: Cisco Secure Firewall
Brand: Cisco
Rating: 4.1 (411 reviews)

Vendor: Cisco

4.1 out of 5

411 reviews
82% willing to recommend

15K followers

What is Cisco Secure Firewall?

Cisco Secure Firewall stands as a robust and adaptable security solution, catering to organizations of all sizes. It's designed to shield networks from a diverse array of cyber threats, such as ransomware, malware, and phishing attacks. Beyond mere protection, it also offers secure access to corporate resources, beneficial for employees, partners, and customers alike. One of its key functions includes network segmentation, which serves to isolate critical assets and minimize the risk of lateral movement within the network.

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Cisco Secure Firewall is the #4 ranked solution in top Cisco Security Portfolio solutions and #7 ranked solution in best firewalls. PeerSpot users give Cisco Secure Firewall an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. Cisco Secure Firewall is most commonly compared to Fortinet FortiGate: Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate. Cisco Secure Firewall is popular among the midsize enterprise segment, accounting for 50% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 41% of all views.

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Cisco Secure Firewall

April 2025

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Featured Cisco Secure Firewall reviews

Maharajan S

VSO at a computer software company with 501-1,000 employees

Overall, I would rate the product six out of ten. Because of the support and cost, I moved away from Cisco, but otherwise, it is a good product. Recommendation depends on the requirement. If lacking a proper team and being dependent on the OEM and partner, Cisco is not suitable. However, if the team is qualified with Cisco-certified people and the requirement is a big network, it can be considered. In today's hybrid work world, having an expanded gateway is more typical than having a single one. Thus, Cisco is unlikely to be recommended for a hybrid requirement unless in-house skills align. Otherwise, depending on partners and Cisco, it can be a risk. I rate the overall solution six out of ten.

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Dibyendu Roy

Senior Network Administrator at iib

For mid-sized organizations, I do not recommend it. For ISPs or data centers, I would recommend it due to its good performance and hardware capabilities. Their hardware can handle substantial amounts of data without causing latency. I recommend it for ISP or data center. For enterprise purposes, I do not recommend it. I rate the overall solution seven out of ten.

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Reviewer43898

Engineering Services Manager at a tech services company with 201-500 employees

It may sound a bit strange, but one of the most valuable features of Firepower 7.0 is the "live log" type feature called Unified Event Viewer. That view has been really good in helping me get to data faster, decreasing the amount of time it takes to find information, and allowing me to fix problems faster. I've found that to be incredibly valuable because it's a lot easier to get to some points of data now. Also, the new UI is always getting better from version to version. In the beginning, when it came to managing Cisco Secure Firewall, it wasn't always the easiest, but with 6.7 and 7.0, it's gotten easier and easier. It's a pretty easy system to manage. It's especially beneficial for people who are familiar with ASA logic because a lot of the Firepower logic is the same. For those people, they're just relearning where the buttons are, as opposed to having to figure out how to configure things. I've used the backup VTI tunnel and that's a feature that lets me create some redundancy for my route-based stuff and it works pretty well. I haven't had any issues with it Firepower 7.0 also has fantastic Dynamic Access Policies that allow me to replicate a lot of the configurations that were missing and that made it difficult to move off the old ASA platform for some customers. The addition of that capability has removed that limitation and has allowed me to move forward with implementing 7.0. Snort 3 is one of the biggest points on Firepower 7.0. I've been using Snort 3 for quite a while and, while I don't have a ton of customers on it, I do have some who are running on it and it's worked out pretty well. In their use cases, there wasn't a lot of risk, so that's why we started with it. Snort 3 has some huge advantages when it comes to performance and policy and how it's applying things and processing the flows. Dynamic Objects have also been really critical. They're very valuable. Version to version, they're adding a lot more features onto Dynamic Objects, and I'm a big fan. I've also used the Upgrade Wizard quite a bit to upgrade the firmware. And on the management side, there are the health modules. They added a "metric ton" of them to the FMC [Firepower Management Center]. In version 6.7 they released this new health monitor which makes it a lot easier to see data and get to information faster. It's quite nice looking, as opposed to CLI. The new health modules really do stand out as a great way to get to some of that health data quickly—things like interface information, statistics, drops—that were harder to get to before. I can now see them over time, as opposed to at just a point in time. I've used that a lot and it has been very helpful. In addition, there is the global search for policy and objects. I use that quite a bit in the search bar. It's a great way to get some information faster. Even if I have to pivot away from the screen I'm on, it's still great to be able to get to it very quickly there. In a lot of ways, they've addressed some of the biggest complaints, like the "housekeeping" stuff where you have to move around your management system or when it comes to making configuration changes. That has improved from version to version and 7.0 is different. They've added more and have made it easier to get from point A to point B and to consume a lot of that data quickly. That allows me to hop in and do some data validation much faster, without having to search and wait and search and wait. I can get to some of that data quicker to make changes and to fix things. It adds to the overall administrator experience. When operating this technology I'm able to get places faster, rather than it being a type of bottleneck. There is also the visibility the solution gives you when doing deep packet inspection. It blows up the packet, it matches application types, and it matches web apps. If you're doing SSL decryption it can pinpoint it even further than that. It's able to pull encrypted apps apart and tell me a lot about them. There's a lot of information that 7.0 is bringing to the forefront about flows of data, what it is, and what it's doing. The deep packet inspection and the application visibility portion and Snort are really essential to managing a modern firewall. Firepower does a bang-up job of it, by bringing that data to the forefront. It's a good box for visibility at the Layer 7 level. If you need Layer 7 visibility, Firepower is going to be able to do that for you. Between VLANs, it does a good job. It's able to look at that Layer 7 data and do some good filtering based on those types of rules.

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Cisco Secure Firewall video interviews

Watch video interviews with real Cisco Secure Firewall users to learn how the Firewalls solution helped improve their organization. The videos include info about the challenges and benefits of implementing Cisco Secure Firewall.

Aug 3, 2023

Robert LaCroix

Network Engineer at Red River

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Aug 3, 2023

Bryan Broadhurst

Cybersecurity Designer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees

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Cisco Secure Firewall mindshare

Product category:

As of April 2025, the mindshare of Cisco Secure Firewall in the Firewalls category stands at 5.8%, up from 5.5% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls

PeerAnalyst reports based on Cisco Secure Firewall reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Firewalls	Apr 19, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Apr 19, 2025	Download
Comparison	Cisco Secure Firewall vs Netgate pfSense	Apr 19, 2025	Download
Comparison	Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate	Apr 19, 2025	Download
Comparison	Cisco Secure Firewall vs OPNsense	Apr 19, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Fortinet FortiGate	4.2	21.1%	90%	327 interviews Add to research
Netgate pfSense	4.3	14.4%	94%	216 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Cisco Secure Firewall offers valuable features such as robust firewall capabilities, advanced security features like IPS, access control from layer 3 to layer 7, and high availability with instant failover. Its GUI and CLI are user-friendly, and it supports VPN options including AnyConnect. Users appreciate its stability, easy deployment, management, and integration with other Cisco tools for application visibility and threat detection, providing comprehensive security and reliability.

"Customer service and support are excellent. I would rate their support 10 out of 10."
"The most valuable features of Cisco Secure Firewall include the next-generation firewall and its strong anti-malware capabilities."
"Cisco Firewall has very good features, like trusted applications and restricted access for users based on keywords."

Room for Improvement

Cisco Secure Firewall requires improvements in several areas. Many users mention the need for a more user-friendly interface, better integration with third-party products, and enhanced features such as URL filtering and application control. Pricing is a concern, along with the complexity of the licensing model. Some also express a desire for better documentation and technical support. Performance and throughput enhancements, especially when using additional features, are other noted areas for improvement.

"The configuration might be slightly difficult compared to other players in the market like Fortinet or WatchGuard."
"Cisco Secure Firewall could improve in areas like user-friendliness and cost-effectiveness, as it is very costly and difficult to manage. I would rate it seven out of ten, but I would recommend other firewalls due to its high cost and complexity."
"Technical support is unsatisfactory for me. There might be restructuring within Cisco India or with the partner's capability."

ROI

Cisco Secure Firewall provides long-term reliability and robust security, minimizing business downtime and enhancing productivity. Users appreciate its cost-effectiveness, advanced protection, and reduced operational expenses. The firewall seamlessly integrates new features, leading to fewer outages and easy management. High availability and proactive threat mitigation contribute to a strong ROI. Along with offering extensive support and quick updates, Cisco Secure Firewall's comprehensive protection aligns with companies' needs, affirming its value over time.

Pricing

Cisco Secure Firewall pricing is perceived as high, with initial purchase and licensing costs viewed as substantial by users. While some appreciate its value and reliability, others consider it costly compared to competitors like Fortinet and Palo Alto. Licensing, often complex and subscription-based, is a recurring issue, though discounts and enterprise agreements can provide some cost relief. Overall, Cisco is recognized for its performance but remains a premium investment choice for enterprises.

"Pricing depends on partnerships and certifications."
"Pricing is high."
"The solution’s pricing is competitive."

Popular Use Cases

Cisco Secure Firewall is primarily used for perimeter security, VPN services, and data protection across various sectors. Companies utilize it for internet edge protection, remote access VPN, data center security, and as a firewall for network traffic management. It provides flexibility with integrated IPS and advanced malware protection, helping businesses ensure their networks are secure. Its deployment includes cloud integration, on-premise data centers, and protection for retail, financial, and government environments.

Service and Support

Customer service and support for Cisco Secure Firewall are generally praised, featuring knowledgeable, responsive staff. However, experiences vary; some users encounter quick solutions, while others face delays or inconsistent support. The support quality tends to depend on the staff's expertise and issue complexity. Overall, Cisco's technical support is highly regarded, seen as a strong aspect of their service offering. Despite some negative encounters, many rate their experience highly, highlighting the professionalism and reliability provided by Cisco's assistance.

Deployment

Initial setup of Cisco Secure Firewall can vary in complexity. For seasoned users or those with Cisco experience, it is straightforward and supported by extensive documentation. New users often find it challenging, particularly due to its complex configurations and the need for specific Cisco knowledge. Many users benefit from training or external assistance during deployment. Despite initial challenges, the setup becomes manageable with practice and familiarity. Migration from other systems can require additional effort and planning.

Scalability

Cisco Secure Firewall's scalability varies widely across different models and usage cases. Many reviews indicate no issues scaling, especially with proper initial sizing, while some highlight challenges due to licensing and cost. High-end models offer robust scalability for large enterprises, enabling integration with Cisco products. The ability to add nodes and clusters supports dynamic environments, although certain features like Firepower Management Center may limit expansion for extensive deployments. Cost and licensing complexity are notable concerns among users.

Stability

Cisco Secure Firewall exhibits high stability with minimal downtime and resource issues. Many users report no significant stability challenges, noting that the firewall operates reliably even under continuous use. While some users mention occasional bugs with specific versions and upgrade challenges, the majority find the platform dependable, noting that effective management and timely updates enhance its robust performance. Frequent updates further improve stability and the resolution of any potential glitches.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Cisco Secure Firewall Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

41%

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Government

University

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Retailer

Construction Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Hospitality Company

Media Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Insurance Company

Non Profit

Legal Firm

Transportation Company

Outsourcing Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Performing Arts

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Consumer Goods Company

Logistics Company

Compare Cisco Secure Firewall with alternative products

Learn more about Cisco Secure Firewall

The core features of Cisco Secure Firewall are multifaceted:

Advanced threat protection is achieved through a combination of intrusion prevention, malware detection, and URL filtering technologies.
For secure access, the firewall presents multiple options, including VPN, remote access, and single sign-on.
Its network segmentation capability is vital in creating barriers within the network to safeguard critical assets.
The firewall is scalable, effectively serving small businesses to large enterprises.
Management is streamlined through Cisco DNA Center, a central management system.

The benefits of deploying Cisco Secure Firewall are substantial. It significantly reduces the risk of cyberattacks, thereby enhancing the security posture of an organization. This security also translates into increased productivity, as secure access means uninterrupted work. Compliance with industry regulations is another advantage, as secure access and network segmentation align with many regulatory standards. Additionally, it helps in reducing IT costs by automating security tasks and simplifying management processes.

In practical scenarios, Cisco Secure Firewall finds diverse applications. It's instrumental in protecting branch offices from cyberattacks, securing remote access for various stakeholders, safeguarding cloud workloads, and segmenting networks to isolate sensitive areas.

User reviews from PeerSpot reflect an overall positive experience with the Cisco Secure Firewall. Users appreciate its ease of configuration, good management capabilities, robust protection, user-friendly interface, and scalability. However, some areas for improvement include better integration capabilities with other vendors, maturity, control over bandwidth for end-users, and addressing software bugs.

In summary, Cisco Secure Firewall is a comprehensive, versatile, and reliable security solution that effectively meets the security needs of various organizations. It offers a balance of advanced protection, user-friendly management, and scalability, making it a valuable asset in the realm of network security.

Cisco Secure Firewall was previously known as Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) Firewall, Cisco ASA NGFW, Adaptive Security Appliance, Cisco Sourcefire Firewalls, Cisco ASAv, Cisco Firepower NGFW Firewall.

Cisco Secure Firewall customers

There are more than one million Adaptive Security Appliances deployed globally. Top customers include First American Financial Corp., Genzyme, Frankfurt Airport, Hansgrohe SE, Rio Olympics, The French Laundry, Rackspace, and City of Tomorrow.