KerioControl Reviews

Vendor: GFI

4.1 out of 5

56 reviews
88% willing to recommend

603 followers

What is KerioControl?

Kerio Control is a popular security product for small and medium-sized businesses. It is a next-generation firewall that provides unified threat management without complexity. Kerio Control provides advanced anti-virus protection and industry-leading web and content application filtering, and has a secure VPN.

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KerioControl is the #11 ranked solution in top Unified Threat Management (UTM) solutions, #14 ranked solution in top Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software, and #29 ranked solution in best firewalls. PeerSpot users give KerioControl an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. KerioControl is most commonly compared to Fortinet FortiGate: KerioControl vs Fortinet FortiGate. KerioControl is popular among the small business segment, accounting for 40% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 24% of all views.

Helped 814,325 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

David Schneiderlin

Co-Owner at Infowa

The filtering rules are valuable. The product is easy to use There is no protocol for VPN in Android. It would be good if the product added a protocol for VPN. The upgrades make the network slower. I have been using the solution for four years. I rate the product’s stability a seven out of ten.…

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Andy Dibble

IT Manager at Flare Technologies

Sometimes it might not be detailed enough, or it might have more details but the customers just don't know where to look. The issue is usually when it comes to specific packets. Sometimes they find it slightly difficult to see exactly what's going on. For example, we had a customer who was using the content filter. They tried to block Facebook using the web filter categories, and in combination with that they wanted to always require that a user was authenticated before accessing web pages. What would happen was that even though they had the content filter enabled to block social networking — Facebook may even be a category — it still allowed them to get in through mobile apps. If they went to the website, it would prompt them for login and then it would deny it, but they would get into the app and they weren't even logged in. That might have been an HTTPS issue and the way that the app was talking, rather than an actual website or what page. We always managed to find a way around. They'll come to us with a question and then we'll figure it out and usually they're happy enough with that. There's also room for improvement in the Traffic Rules. We define networks to use a specific outgoing interface, say VSAT, shore, or marine WiFi, which is okay. But then all we have is a checkbox that says "Use other internet interfaces if this one is unavailable." What we would prefer would be to have a priority list. So if VSAT is unavailable, try to use 4G, etc. We haven't really found a reliable way of doing that in the current release. Finally, the customers sometimes want to use the VPN link for outbound traffic. But at the moment, it appears that there is an all-or-nothing solution, so either everything uses the VPN and breaks out at the remote site or nothing does. The simple example is for the email system we've put in. We can direct traffic in over the VPN, but we'd also like to send that same email traffic out of their server over the VPN to break out on a specific IP address in our data center. We would like to see a little bit of functionality in prioritizing of internet interfaces.

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Arie De Kruijf

EMP Specialist at Global EPM BV

The content filtering in the product is pretty sensitive to configure as all content is being scanned. It can take quite some time to find out what content you want to scan. For example, if you use words for scanning content, there are some words that you really can't scan for because they are synonyms and can be used in all kinds of communications. Therefore you get false positives where it finds the word, but it's actually a case that you should ignore. That makes it a bit difficult to use it. The VPN features are the ones that we really like, but we are using a VPN client to be able to use them. We would like to have an SSL implementation for this same feature so we don't need to install anything on the client side. That's a feature I really miss and that should really be embedded in the product. We really would love to use it via a web browser. Another area for improvement is to be able to import users from a single text file. That functionality is really not developed enough and it is not easy to bulk-import users into a firewall. Finally, if you use a firewall product with a certificate, you can only use one VPN client on one domain name. So if I would serve multiple clients with one firewall, I cannot use different domain names. For example, if I put in the domain name test.com as a certificate name in the firewall, then all users, even if they are using it from different companies, have to use that certificate name as their client settings. That's really not appreciated. We would like to set up a firewall with unlimited users and use it for multiple smaller customers. Those companies use a service from us and we could use one firewall for that, but we can't, simply because we can only use one certificate. We can't use the name of the company with other companies. That's a lack of a feature and we miss it.

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KerioControl mindshare

Product category:

As of October 2024, the mindshare of KerioControl in the Firewalls category stands at 1.3%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls

Key learnings from peers

Valuable Features

The valuable features of KerioControl mentioned in the reviews include filtering rules, ease of use, accounting and live monitoring of firewall status, graphical interface and user interface, affordability, stability, ease of setup, user-friendliness, complete firewall for small or mid-range networks, all-in-one solution with firewall, antivirus software, and network protection, IPS (Intrusion Prevention System), content filtering options, intrusion detection and prevention, bandwidth management, routing capabilities, effective antivirus with quick filtering options, and easy management. KerioControl is also praised for its long history and evolution as a proprietary firewall.

"The solution has an app manager and a portal where you can maintain all your Keri products. It is a firewall that includes antivirus and anti-malware, which adds security. The VPNs, both site-to-site and client VPNs, are pretty easy to set up."
"The tool shows what has been blocked externally. It's very good because once installed and correctly set up, it allows you to work from home as if you are in the office, without any errors or issues. It's very simple to use, click to connect or disconnect."
"The solution provides feasibility regarding cyber privacy."

Room for Improvement

Users have identified several areas where KerioControl could be improved. One suggestion is to add a protocol for VPN on Android devices, as this feature is currently lacking. The upgrades to the product have also been noted to slow down the network. Users have also expressed concerns about HTTPS decryption and the lack of visibility into actual user internet usage. The VPN features could be expanded to include options such as IPsec VPNs, SSL VPNs, and L2TP VPNs. Integrations with Kerio Operator and larger bandwidth capacity for handling internet connections are also desired. The GUI could use a refresh, as it has remained consistent across versions with no notable changes. The filtering on the unlicensed version of KerioControl is considered inefficient and requires manual website additions. Anti-spamming features for emails are also missing. The reporting side could be improved, as well as content filtering and flexibility in modifying and configuring features. The user login process, particularly in the captive portal, needs improvement to be more user-friendly. Additionally, content filtering for search engine results is currently lacking, which has caused sensitive issues in school environments. The performance and stability of KerioControl have been problematic, requiring restarts to normalize the network. Higher availability and a mobile VPN channel are desired features, along with SD-WAN capabilities in future releases. More dashboards and improved hardware design are also suggested to enhance the overall user experience.

"The solution's hardware is not that great and could use more improvement. However, the VM software and the virtualized KerioControl itself are pretty good. The software is good; it's just the hardware that needs improvement."
"I would like to see geo-IP filtering added to the filtering rules. Incorporating these rules would be very beneficial if you have different ideas or reasons to filter, such as communication to the email server or specific websites."
"The trial duration of the product should be extended."

ROI

The product has proven to be efficient and satisfactory, resulting in a return on investment for users.

Pricing

Users have generally found KerioControl's pricing to be reasonable and fair. The licensing is yearly and all-inclusive, with no additional costs. KerioControl's pricing, setup cost, and licensing have received positive feedback from users, with only a few minor concerns mentioned.

"There's a one-time fee. For KerioConnect, it's just a server. With KerioControl, you have an option. You can virtualize it on a VMware system or have the hardware. I think mid-range or desktop KerioControl hardware could cost around 2000 dollars for a 25 user client. You need annual renewal for additional features like antivirus."
"KerioControl's pricing is reasonable. The license for KerioControl is annual. It's difficult to specify an exact cost since it varies depending on the number of users and additional software combined with it. For example, a basic box might cover 25 users, but licenses can be purchased starting from 10 users."
"We have to pay approximately EUR 175 for the product."

Popular Use Cases

KerioControl's primary use case is for network management, firewall protection, web-filtering user controls, data plan usage, bandwidth management, routing, intrusion detection and prevention, controlling access to the web, and VPN connections. It is used for small and medium networks, on-network management in factories and main offices, and with virtual machines in VMware. The solution provides control over bandwidth internet and gives access control to the web.

Service and Support

Customers have had varied experiences with the customer service and support of KerioControl. Some have found the support team's answers to be good and appreciate their quick response time. Others have not needed to use technical support because they find all the answers online or find online communities to be a helpful resource. However, there are limited websites and communities available for support.

Deployment

KerioControl's setup was described as easy, straightforward, and simple by multiple reviewers. They mentioned that it can be deployed quickly, taking anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. Documentation and online resources were available to assist with the installation process. A network administrator can set it up within ten minutes. Reviewers also mentioned that the initial setup is user-friendly and can be implemented without much difficulty. Some reviewers mentioned that they have done the installation multiple times, indicating familiarity and ease with the process.

Scalability

KerioControl is described as scalable and easy to extend. It is considered good and it is described as powerful and fast, although it may slow down the Internet due to filtering services.

Stability

Based on the reviews, users have varying opinions on the stability of the solution of KerioControl. Some users rate it highly, with one person giving it a nine out of ten rating and another stating that it is extremely stable. There are also positive comments about its reliability and lack of bugs or glitches. However, there are also a few users who mention experiencing problems with performance or errors during updates.

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

Download our KerioControl Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

24%

Media Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Comms Service Provider

Retailer

Wholesaler/Distributor

Educational Organization

Real Estate/Law Firm

Hospitality Company

University

Insurance Company

Healthcare Company

Outsourcing Company

Legal Firm

Consumer Goods Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Construction Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Marketing Services Firm

Performing Arts

Leisure / Travel Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Non Profit

Transportation Company

Logistics Company

Cloud Solution Provider

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Learn more about KerioControl

With Kerio Control you can:

Preserve the integrity of your network.
Manage bandwidth to streamline traffic flows.
Improve productivity with filtering capabilities.

Kerio Control Features

Some of Kerio Control’s most valuable features include:

High availability, deployment flexibility, deep packet inspection, advanced routing, usage reporting, quick administering, intrusion detection and prevention (IPS), gateway anti-virus, VPN, web and content application filtering, and centralized administration with MyKerio.

Kerio Control Benefits

Eliminate downtime risks: Because Kerio Control offers high availability and failover protection, you can eliminate the risk and cost of connectivity or threat protection downtime.
Detailed reports: Kerio Control makes it easy to view individual users’ internet activity through detailed reports.
Traffic monitoring: Traffic monitoring allows you to manage bandwidth and makes it possible for you to control access to streaming video and peer-to-peer networks.
Server protection: Using Kerio Control’s advanced networking routing and deep packet inspection, you can protect servers.
Easily create policies: With Kerio Control, you can create both inbound and outbound traffic policies, and can also restrict communication by specific URLs, applications, traffic type, content category, or even time of day.
Snort-based analysis: Kerio Control gives you the ability to add a transparent layer of intrusion prevention with snort-based analysis along with a database of rule and blacklisted IP addresses that is regularly refreshed.
Optionally integrated anti-virus: WIth this feature, you can prevent viruses, Trojans, or spyware from entering your networks.

Reviews from Real Users

Here is some feedback from some of our users who are currently using the solution:

PeerSpot user Brian C., Senior Technology Specialist, VP at Unified Technology Solutions, writes "It is very comprehensive and simple. It has all the active protections. It's updated. We love that you can set how often it is updated so you can work on what is right for you. A large company with a lot of bandwidth can update the virus definitions and security definitions hourly, if they want. A smaller site that's remote, where maybe updating the definitions will eat into the bandwidth, we can schedule those more to go later at night. It's very flexible and works for us in all types of situations. This is great because then we don't have to learn seven different products to be able to work with seven different scenarios."

Andy D., IT Manager at Flare Technologies, praises how easy it is to use and says, "One thing we use quite a lot, as well, is the DHCP Server, because we do a lot of work where all our devices need to have static IP addresses. Rather than going around and configuring every box, we do it all through DHCP reservations. It's easier. We've got a record of it. We can manipulate it if we need to change something or change some hardware. It's all easy. Even guys who are not used to using it can pick it up quite quickly."