Check Point CloudGuard WAF Reviews

Our primary use cases include enhancing security for web applications and APIs, optimizing resource utilization to reduce costs, and maximizing efficiency in log management for better insights and savings.

CloudGuard WAF has improved our organization by simplifying security management and enhancing our ability to monitor and analyze logs effectively.

The most valuable feature we have found in Check Point CloudGuard WAF is its rich logging capabilities.

In terms of improvement, I feel like I need more clarity in understanding pricing for DDoS protection.

I have been working with CloudGuard WAF for a month.

CloudGuard WAF impressed us with its stability; it is a powerful tool providing great visibility.

CloudGuard WAF's scalability is excellent, especially as a SaaS, offering significant improvements over on-premises environments and providing consolidated scalability.

The technical support is amazing.

We previously used Cloudflare. Now, we are testing WAF to enhance our log insights.

The initial deployment was straightforward. We transitioned from an on-premises solution to a SaaS model, which was simpler and more useful. Our implementation strategy involved redirecting the site to the new solution and creating policies to ensure smooth operation.

We haven't seen ROI metrics yet, but we expect long-term benefits, especially in budget management and risk reduction.

Before choosing CloudGuard, we evaluated options like Azure and AWS. The main differences lie in policy customization, market size, and preset features. Each has its pros and cons, but CloudGuard stood out for its robust policy options and wide market presence.

By implementing Check Point CloudGuard WAF we aimed to address challenges related to enhancing security for web applications while leveraging powerful logging capabilities.

We check false positives in CloudGuard WAF using logs and the interface, and we have had very few issues, which helps our business.

Using preset policies, the solution preemptively blocks zero-day attacks and detects hidden anomalies without requiring full data.

The solution has cut our web application firewall costs because it is adaptable to our environment.

My advice to new users would be to focus on the benefits of software as a service and ensure clarity in understanding pricing, particularly for DDoS protection.

Overall, I would rate Check Point CloudGuard WAF as a ten out of ten.

I use the solution for almost all of our web servers.

Before CloudGuard, we periodically had some website issues. Since we've had CloudGuard, we've never had these issues happen again. 

The rate limit feature is the most useful feature of the product.

We don't need to rely on signatures. We are protected when the signature doesn't exist. 

It can protect against zero-day attacks and hidden anomalies. It blocks items that would affect the company.

We've been able to reduce our false positive rate. It took a bit of time, however, not long. We're near zero false positives. 

The web user interface needs some improvement, even though the functionality is good. More user-friendly features could be added. Perhaps something between CloudGuard management and the virtual appliance on-site could be faster. 

It could be interesting to have an app for smartphones to manage all the cloud environments.

I have been using the solution for three years. 

The stability is always good. 

The scalability is always good.

I rate the solution nine out of ten. I am satisfied. It is always good. 

We primarily use Check Point CloudGuard WAF for web application security. It protects applications from various threats and vulnerabilities like SQL injections, cross-site scripting issues, and cross-site request forgery. We ensure proper security policies and logs are maintained.

CloudGuard WAF helps by providing advanced protection for web applications and APIs, defending against the OWASP top ten scenarios, and offering comprehensive AI-driven behavior analysis. This assistance in data protection is vital for financial domains such as banks.

One of the best features of CloudGuard WAF is its user-friendly GUI dashboard. It's easy for beginners in security to understand and set policies. The solution's easy access and AI-driven behavior analysis for real-time threat detection are also highly valuable.

Support could be improved, particularly in terms of availability. Although they provide 24/7 support, there are sometimes delays in delivering solutions. Advanced bot protection has recently been improved, which has helped a lot.

I have been using the solution for over four to five years, working as a project manager and handling implementation projects. We are primarily focused on Check Point CloudGuard implementations.

I would rate the stability of the solution as a nine out of ten. The solution is quite stable.

In terms of scalability, I would rate it a nine out of ten. The solution is highly scalable.

Customer service is satisfactory yet requires some improvement. I would rate support as an eight out of ten, as there is room for enhancement.

Positive

I have experience with other WAF vendors such as Imperva and Imperva WAF, which are leading products in India and have a significant presence in the US and UK.

The initial setup is generally straightforward, yet it can vary depending on the client's platform and whether deployment occurs on-site or remotely.

We have a team of around 25 engineers; 50% handle project implementation, while the other 50% provide post-deployment support.

Return on investment is seen when data is properly organized, and the ability to show reports to top management ensures that their expectations are met.

Pricing is average—not too expensive, yet not cheap either. CloudGuard offers bundled packages, which may reduce costs compared to paying for individual features as opposed to other providers.

I have evaluated solutions like Empower and EmpowerVac, which are leading WAF products in India and other countries.

I would definitely recommend Check Point CloudGuard WAF to other users due to its availability, scalability, and support. These aspects contribute significantly to receiving new contracts and maintaining client referrals.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

We utilize Check Point CloudGuard to protect our Office 365 email system from phishing attempts, which were becoming increasingly common. Additionally, we rely on it to secure our usage of Microsoft Teams for collaboration, as well as for our SharePoint platform. Furthermore, we leverage CloudGuard Endpoint to safeguard our machines, particularly because many of our end users frequently travel abroad. This ensures that we have visibility into their activities and locations, allowing us to restrict access if necessary or provide remote assistance when needed.

We were facing several challenges that prompted us to implement CloudGuard Application Security. Previously, we used another vendor for email security, but we found that many emails were slipping through, requiring us to manually review each one. This became a significant overhead, as we had to ensure that every email was properly tagged. With Check Point's email security solution, this overhead was practically eliminated. 

Now, the number of emails slipping through is minimal, perhaps only once or twice a month. Additionally, Check Point's solution streamlines the process by notifying users of potentially legitimate emails that were flagged as suspicious. This feature has been particularly helpful since our company relies heavily on email for contract-related communications. On the endpoint security front, we were impressed by Check Point's ransomware protection feature, including its anti-ransomware rollback capability. Having experienced the importance of such features in previous roles, it was a straightforward decision for us to switch from our previous vendor to Check Point.

The benefits we've observed are significant. On the email front, my workload has been drastically reduced, practically eliminating overhead. As for Check Point, it provides peace of mind knowing that in the event of a ransomware attack, the system has a rollback feature. This reassures me that I'll have the opportunity to investigate and diagnose any issues that may arise.

In terms of email, Check Point's solution effectively blocked numerous phishing emails that were previously slipping through, which is a significant advantage. Regarding Check Point in general, the cloud-based management capability is highly beneficial as it eliminates the need for on-premise appliances or servers. Additionally, it ensures that I can still manage the security of devices even when they're outside the corporate network.

It's very important that CloudGuard Application Security defends our applications against threats without solely relying on signatures. Relying solely on signature-based detection is limited, as it's only as effective as the signatures themselves. With the ever-evolving nature of threats, especially in environments like conferences where new threats emerge frequently, relying solely on signatures may not be sufficient. I've taken the initiative to test various security solutions by experimenting with different malware downloads and observing how they perform. This hands-on approach underscores the importance of having a robust behavioral engine, like the one provided by Check Point, which adds an additional layer of security beyond traditional signature-based detection.

Regarding false positives with CloudGuard Application Security, particularly in emails, I've encountered very few instances.

The solution has effectively lowered our total cost of ownership for our web application firewall, particularly in the context of email security.

We opted not to go with our CloudGuard vendor's web application firewall because, in the case of Microsoft, we decided to try their email security system. However, it didn't perform as expected, with many threats slipping through. Consequently, Check Point's solution proved to be more effective in this scenario.

On the endpoint side, the most valuable feature is undoubtedly the cloud-based management capability, along with the ransomware protection, despite not encountering any instances so far. Regarding email security, the standout feature is the minimal overhead, essentially reducing the task to routine maintenance.

One area for potential improvement is the management interface. Occasionally, when there are major updates, the layout of the menus changes, which can be somewhat disruptive as I need to search for familiar options. Consistency in menu structure would be beneficial, as it allows users to develop muscle memory and navigate the interface more efficiently over time. Improving the process for handling licensing renewals would be a welcome enhancement.

I have been using it for five years.

In terms of stability, I find it generally reliable. However, there have been a few issues, particularly with license renewal, where the system would unexpectedly go offline without notifying me. This would sometimes take a couple of days to resolve, requiring support intervention to address licensing issues.

Tech support is prompt, knowledgeable, and efficient. On a scale from zero to ten, I would rate them a solid ten.

Positive

Previously, our email security solution was provided by Barracuda, and our endpoint security was handled by ESET.

The initial setup was straightforward, primarily because it involved mainly APIs, which simplified the process.

I was in charge for the deployment.

We've observed ROI primarily in terms of cost reduction. This is mainly because there are fewer servers to manage now compared to other solutions, where on-premise servers were necessary.

I find the pricing to be reasonable.

I also evaluated SentinelOne, CrowdStrike, Mimecast, and CheckPoint. Ultimately, I chose Check Point because of its comprehensive IT toolset, which allows me to manage all aspects from a single dashboard. I appreciated the convenience of not having to switch between different units for different functionalities, thus avoiding the creation of multiple interfaces.

The advice I would offer to others regarding Check Point products revolves around their robust features, particularly the rollback feature. I appreciate how Check Point handles this compared to some competitors who use their own driver on the DriveSpace, whereas others leverage Microsoft VSS. Regarding email security, it's straightforward to deploy and has a high catch rate compared to competitors. Overall, I would rate it ten out of ten.

We did a PoC with Check Point CloudGuard WAF for a month. We had acquired it for a month for testing purposes to see how it would help us with our setup.

It was placed at the starting point of our network infrastructure wherein all the traffic was monitored. We created security policies on Check Point CloudGuard WAF. Whenever an IP used to come to us, it would basically go through a set of policies, and then Check Point CloudGuard WAF would search for malware and other things in the traffic.

During the PoC, we did not face any issues related to false positives. I am in the network security team, and we have a security operations team as well. The security operations team has an SIEM tool. Whenever an alert got updated in the SIEM tool, they used to pass it on to us. We could easily find the logs for a particular alert generated on Check Point CloudGuard WAF. It was always correct. We did not observe any false positives with them.

Check Point CloudGuard WAF protects your applications against threats without relying on signatures. It works fine without signatures, but it cannot detect all the malicious traffic that might enter the setup.

Check Point has its own threat intelligence database. It is global. All the malicious samples are added to that. Whenever there was a new CVE, Check Point CloudGuard WAF used to block them. That was a good feature of Check Point CloudGuard WAF.

We had scheduled a time for the database update, so every day at 3 pm, the CVE database used to get updated.

It was costlier than other solutions. We brought it into our setup for PoC purposes. It was there for one month. We liked all the features, but compared to its competitors, such as Fortinet and Palo Alto, it was a little bit costly. However, considering the cost, it was good and efficient. Other than the price, I did not see any room for improvement.

I used Check Point CloudGuard WAF for a month. It was in the month of January 2024.

We never faced any issues with Check Point CloudGuard WAF. However, in the case of Check Point Firewall, we experienced crashing issues with the SmartConsole application.

I have not contacted Check Point support for Check Point CloudGuard WAF. It was with us only during the PoC. During the one-month period, we did not face any issues, but for other products, we generally raise a TAC case with the Check Point team. We have a Check Point Firewall in our setup, and whenever we face issues with it, we raise a case with Check Point TAC. Technical support of Check Point is good. They respond on time. They analyze the logs properly and give a proper workaround.

I was not involved in its deployment. We have a company named Softcell in India. They are the first point of contact, and Check Point is the second point of contact in our setup. Whenever we have to implement any new Check Point devices in our setup, we raise a service request with the Softcell team, and they provide an engineer for the implementation. However, I was a part of the deployment team of the Check Point Firewall 16000 series, and we did not face any issues.

I work for an Indian banking client. In India, companies are on a budget. The company liked Check Point very much, but it was a little bit costly compared to FortiWeb. However, it had more features compared to FortiWeb. 

Check Point CloudGuard WAF was quite good compared to FortiWeb. We have FortiWeb now due to budget constraints, but feature-wise, Check Point CloudGuard WAF was quite durable and reliable.

I am not very aware of how Check Point CloudGuard WAF works at preemptively blocking Zero Day attacks and detecting hidden anomalies. If it is updated in the global database, Check Point CloudGuard WAF could prevent Zero Day attacks from getting triggered.

Overall, I would rate Check Point CloudGuard WAF a nine out of ten.

It's our cloud security tool for management solutions. We have tenants on the web portal and other systems, which are part of the POC activity. We haven't bought it; they just put it on the computer today.

It has helped us to improve our security posture by providing us with a centralized platform for managing security across all of our cloud environments. It has also helped us to save time and money by automating many of our security tasks.

I find the configuration and real-time monitoring features valuable.

It doesn't detect user activity like some of its competitors. It's not a vulnerability, but it's a legitimate activity that it doesn't detect. It only detects vulnerabilities or misconfigurations.

Additionally, Zenix features are not handled or captured.

We just had a POC for CloudGuard. It's only been two or three months.

It is a stable solution. We didn't face any downtimes. 

It is scalable enough for our use case. 

The customer service and support were very good.

Positive

We had POCs from different vendors. We haven't used any other solution before. This is our first time trying a cloud security solution.

There were a few reasons. First, we are from India, and Check Point has a strong presence in the Indian market. Second, we needed a solution that could support multiple cloud environments, including Azure, AWS, and Oracle.  

The initial setup is a straightforward process. There were no difficulties. 

It took us one to two weeks to deploy it. We have deployed it in AWS and Oracle cloud. 

The pricing is competitive compared to other solutions on the market. So, the licensing cost is average. 

Overall, I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. 

Currently, I am working in a DNB environment. Since we have on-premises to Azure traffic, we utilize the Azure subnet. From the Azure subnet, we have different tags and servers hosted over the Azure side. When our internal traffic moves from the DNB to the Azure site, we use the CloudGuard firewall. Multiple tags are created in that firewall, each containing multiple servers. Users connect through the Azure site, utilizing an ExpressRoute link from on-premises to Azure. The CloudGuard firewall at our premises helps secure traffic to the Azure site.

The CloudGuard firewall's multiple features like web access filter, HTTPS inspection, and authentication are very useful in our environment. It provides secure and flexible connectivity between the user and the Azure subnet.

The most valuable features are its ease of use and multiple functionalities. In CloudGuard, we create tags with servers, which makes connections secure and flexible. Features like web access filters, HTTPS inspection, and authentication are very important for our environment.

The user interface, SmartConsole, sometimes malfunctions and requires a restart. This part of the interface needs improvement.

I rate the stability as seven or eight out of ten. We sometimes experience lagging, crashing, and downtime.

The scalability of CloudGuard is very good. I would rate it as nine.

Whenever we observe any issues at the firewall level or require assistance, we contact tech support. We open cases, especially during upgrades, and they provide standby support. I would rate their support as eight out of ten.

Positive

When I joined the project, most of the deployment had started, so I was not aware of previous solutions used by the company. Personally, I have worked with Check Point on-premises firewalls but not on the Azure site before joining this company.

Some deployments were already in progress when I joined, and I participated in about half of the deployment process. It was easy with third-party vendor assistance, if required.

The deployment was handled in-house with occasional vendor support related to specific components such as blades.

Pricing is a bit high, but it is justified considering the features and support provided by Check Point.

I recommend CloudGuard for its extensive security features. It not only provides security but also detects threats and inspects traffic thoroughly. It is especially useful for securing connections between users and Azure subnets.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

Check Point CloudGuard Application Security is the one-stop solution for the security of applications and providing API protection to servers and facilities 24/7. 

The security of API integrations is the need of the hour for all kinds of businesses. All the workloads and cloud servers are singularly managed through a unified security mechanism, which ensures round-the-clock protection of applications and servers from endpoints and malware threats.

For our organization, it plays a critical role in easy deployment and API integration with all kinds of cloud servers and platforms of external stakeholders.

It has provided 24/7 security to our servers on-premise and works remotely for our remote workforce and workloads. 

It offers all-around protection from malware attacks and endpoints and has helped us to bring more compliance in the organization and also ensure that no slips ups happened on aspects of security for servers and cloud systems integrated pan country with different external stakeholders system. 

It helps to bring confidence in clients, and there is better retention of business for a longer period of time.

Also, it helps us to streamline our revenue streams, and comparatively, we are burning less money on application security now. 

The best features for ensuring application and cloud servers security are:

1. High-grade and extremely advanced security features like Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) for restricting entry of potential ransomware into the system and server.

2. They offer free trials, which is quite appreciative and grabs more attention from new users and businesses.

3. Security enhancement of systems and servers through "bot prevention" is amazing and worth using to ensure end-to-end security of applications.

4. The easy deployment and flexible customizations as per user and market requirements are worth adding to our systems.

I advise proactive threat detection intelligence offline, which can also help monitor and ensure system checks and compliances are in place. At present, we require a lot of customization and additional features to make it usable in our system.

The additional customization features are costing us huge, which is why we are a bit hesitant in doing fast, rapid customizations as it's quite dynamic, and features might change in the next six months due to the huge level of tech advancement in the cloud application security environment.

The cost should be minimal so that every business can use the offerings without any hesitation, and it does not become a burden for anyone.

I've spent almost nine months with this software.

The solution offers stable services.

It is highly scalable across different work environments.

An internal security solution was being used previously and it was locally managed by a third party.

The solution is straightforward to set up and easygoing throughout.

We implemented through vendor services only as that's the only permissible mode for our organization as per our internal compliance and approved processes.

We've seen an ROI of close to 90%.

I would strongly recommend all IT workforce and IT organizations try Check Point Cloud Guard Application Security. It is one of the best solution providers and is highly dependable and credible in terms of the way they operate and its professional commitment. It's amazing to work with them as they never disappoint you and you will have the best customer experience ever.

We evaluated quite a lot of options. We looked into Qualys Cloud Platform, Trend Micro Security, Onapsis, etc. 

Try their solution and experience the utilities and service offerings yourself. This will give you first-hand exposure and experience and will result in longer customer satisfaction.