Forcepoint CASB vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks comparison

Forcepoint and Palo Alto Networks are both solutions in the Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) category. Forcepoint is ranked #18 with an average rating of 6.0, while Palo Alto Networks is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.2. Forcepoint holds a 1.4% mindshare in CASB, compared to Palo Alto Networks’s 17.8% mindshare. Additionally, 71% of Forcepoint users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of Palo Alto Networks users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 7, 2024

Forcepoint CASB and Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks compete in the cloud security space. Prisma Access offers enhanced value with comprehensive security features that justify its higher costs.

Features: Forcepoint CASB offers real-time data monitoring, data loss prevention, and integration with various SaaS applications. Prisma Access provides endpoint protection, threat intelligence, and a full suite of security tools designed for comprehensive protection.

Room for Improvement: Forcepoint CASB could expand its range of advanced threat protection features, increase its scalability options, and enhance its cloud security integrations. Prisma Access might improve its ease of deployment, reduce setup complexity, and streamline its support services for faster resolution times.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Forcepoint CASB is appreciated for its straightforward deployment and reliable customer support, making it ideal for quick setups. Prisma Access, although more complex in deployment, provides extensive documentation and training, supporting users through detailed resources.

Pricing and ROI: Forcepoint CASB offers flexible pricing models, making it budget-friendly with a clear ROI path. Prisma Access, with a higher initial cost, delivers strong ROI through its advanced features and security benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed Forcepoint CASB vs. Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint CASB vs. Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

September 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.3%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Forcepoint CASB is 1.4%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is 17.8%, down from 19.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks	17.8%
iboss	2.3%
Forcepoint CASB	1.4%
Other	78.5%

Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)

Featured Reviews

Matt Crockford

Head of Cybersecurity at SES Water

It's easy to roll out, and their understanding of our business made it seamless

One aspect we value about iboss is its simplicity. Their customer service is brilliant, and they are super responsive and knowledgeable. It's easy to roll out, and their understanding of our business made it seamless. We were impressed by the solution's mental health function, which can detect if someone needs help. It scans what users are browsing and flags warning signs so we can check to see if they are okay. We've had to use it a couple of times. The user interface is highly intuitive. Our IT team picked it up with minimal training. It's arranged so that it's easy to find where things are. Another advantage is the single pane of glass console, which gives you visibility into what's happening. We're not fully there yet because we haven't implemented zero trust, but we're excited about the possibilities from the demos we've seen. We launched a POC of iboss' ChatGPT Risk Protection feature two weeks ago. AI is a great tool, but you need to be careful what you put into it. My biggest fear is employees inputting sensitive corporate information or customer PII data into one of these chatbots. I was impressed by our trial of the feature. It's exactly what we wanted. Now, when a user goes to ChatGPT, there's a banner warning them not to share information, and we can block conversations containing customer data like bank details and email addresses. I don't want to stop people from using it, but we need visibility. We've only tried it on a test group of 15 people. You can configure it to look for specific keywords or integrate it with your DLP policy if you have that configured

Read full review

Edwin Eze Osiago

Regional Solutions Manager (Sub-Sahara Africa) at Infodata

Reliable, easy to set up and offers good visibility

It could be more robust, especially around custom applications. We've not really seen value around our custom applications, most especially when these applications are hosted on-premise. If there's a way Forcepoint can do something to ensure that the CASB also protects applications that are hosted on-premise, that would be ideal. Currently, basically, cloud-hosted applications, that are internet-facing are protected. If we can also have a CASB sit in front of our on-prem hosted applications, it would be massive. Forcepoint removed the ability to scan for unsanctioned applications on the CASB. Initially, CASB used to have that feature where you can scan for the applications and be able to support unsanctioned applications being used by the user. They moved it to another product. If there is an opportunity to speak to the product managers and get some features back, that would be ideal.

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Roberto Pastorino

Network and Cybersecurity Consultant at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Have supported client adoption of security solutions but need more control over infrastructure

It's a working solution. It's not the easiest, but no DLP solution is easy. With Netskope, the whole infrastructure is proprietary. Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks is using a service in AWS, and it's not totally a proprietary infrastructure. Sometimes a third-party outage could impact the whole operability. I'm not certain if the vendor is moving towards sovereignty of infrastructure at this moment, but from what I saw in the past, there was this reliance on third parties for the infrastructure: AWS, GCP, Oracle, and others. This is one point of attention for me. I would prefer more proprietary infrastructure.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device."

"Its initial setup was straightforward."

"Content filtering is the most useful feature of iboss."

"Valuable features: Within the filter: Controls (Web categories, applications, and Allow/Block list) and Network (local Subnets). Within the reporter: Logs (Event Log) and Reports."

"iboss is pretty scalable. They provide good support. The case managers you work with to coordinate what you need are pretty good."

"The solution has massively improved our security posture, giving us full visibility into what our staff does online."

"First of all, the security policies are essential. I do not have to rely solely on Active Directory for our users."

"We were impressed by the solution's mental health function, which can detect if someone needs help. It scans what users are browsing and flags warning signs so we can check to see if they are okay. We've had to use it a couple of times."

More iboss pros

"As it is based on AWS, it is not a problem."

"The tool's most valuable feature is its management ease."

"Generally, most of our customers are happy with it though."

"The most valuable aspect for us is the fact that the product seamlessly integrates with the Forcepoint DLP."

"It gives you value for your investment."

"Macro integration is a good feature."

"The product offers an easy initial setup."

"Being able to use the user ID or Active Directory Group is one of the great features for control and providing more flexibility without worrying about IP addresses."

"The solution's most valuable features were the model's reduced complexity on the client side and its capability to provide security."

"Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks makes our life easier because the firewall solution we had before was totally outdated and performing poorly. This solution has completely transformed our operations."

"A feature I've found very helpful is run time security because most of the products on the market will look at security during the build time, and they don't really look at what happens once you're going into production."

"The tool's consolidation is pretty quick."

"The most valuable feature of Prisma Access is its ability to provide enterprise-class security for both Internet and internal application access."

"The visibility perspective is pretty cool. If I want to know how much data is being used for a specific project, I can look at how much data has been used, from which region, and which users have been connected. That visibility is very good so that I can see how many licenses we have and how many are used."

"Prisma helped us build a moat around our production systems. It's now impossible to log into our production from a non-MDM laptop. Prisma Access provides decent security overall."

More Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks pros

Cons

"Sometimes the agent stops working in iboss, and we have to reinstall the agent."

"Their on-premise hardware's network interface is capped at one gigabit, which is sort of a problem. If you stand a filter up where all traffic flows through that, according to them, in order to go above a gigabit, you have to have multiple devices, which in today's IT seems a little bit silly. They could easily put in an SFP port into their device that could accommodate 10 gigs or at least offer a box."

"Iboss is growing so fast that it is often hard for them to keep up with the challenges."

"File integrity monitoring would be very advantageous as an additional feature."

"Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern."

"If they could implement an extra security layer preventing access to iboss from the open internet, it would be great."

"Sometimes, obviously, there are bugs."

"Our biggest problem with their service was it did not recognize the device and filtering did not always work correctly."

More iboss cons

"Integration is an area of the solution that needs to be improved."

"They should work on the possibility of consolidating all of the products with the group of agents."

"When using the Forcepoint CASB, and you are a remote worker, basically not in the office, you have to have an agent on your computer, a Forcepoint agent. However, with many other CASB solutions, they can integrate with MDM."

"The solution needs to be easier to install, and they need to clean up the backend, so stuff doesn't break."

"There are various modules to secure a public cloud, such as Cloud Security Posture Management. You might have seen these features available if you've reviewed solutions like Zscaler or Netskope. A full-fledged CASB should be manageable. However, the tool does not seem to offer complete public cloud visibility. While it provides some cloud visibility and can manage API traffic for Web 2.0, it lacks a specific module for securing public cloud environments."

"Forcepoint removed the ability to scan for unsanctioned applications on the CASB."

"Lacks different ways to authenticate users."

"The Prisma Access could improve in terms of adding more machine learning and AI capabilities to automate tasks such as incident response."

"When we deploy firewall rules via Panorama, we find it's a little bit slow. We have a global environment and might have 100 gateways or VPNs in the cloud. When we deploy something, it tries to deploy it one-by-one, and that can be slow."

"It wasn't so satisfying to work with it. There is room for improvement in the policy management. It is difficult to cover the entire scenery through Palo Alto products."

"They automatically update and they should give us time to fully understand what they're updating so that we can make sure it doesn't impact production."

"The licensing model isn't flexible enough. It's an all-or-nothing model. Other providers in the market allow you to buy modules or add-ons separately. With Prisma Access, you have to purchase the same module for all users."

"The solution’s stability could be improved."

"We would like to see improvements in the licensing; currently, Palo Alto provides 500 to 1000 licenses for users, and we want to see 1500 to 2000 licenses for one version."

"Prisma's integration between operational technology and IT should be more seamless. Right now, it requires additional setup and maintenance."

More Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."

"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."

"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."

"We had the cost of purchasing a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs. However, the following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs."

"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."

"The solution is not that expensive compared to Zscaler. Netskope is between Forcepoint CASB and Zscaler in terms of cost. Forcepoint CASB would be the first choice because it negotiates well and offers a perpetual license, though it may seem subscription-based. I rate its pricing a six out of ten."

"The pricing really depends on the size of the customer's business because it is price-relevant to the environment."

"It's pricey, it's not cheap. But you get what you pay for."

"It is pretty expensive. We have to balance the cost of some features. They need to work on some of the services and products, price-wise."

"Based on what I have heard from others, it is a pricey solution as compared to its peers, but I am not sure. However, considering the features that it offers, it is a break-even point. You get whatever they are promising."

"Actually the solution is very expensive. I don't know the particulars since the purchasing team dealt with it."

"I'm still comparing, but the solution is quite expensive."

"The licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis and for what we get, the price is good."

"The initial prices of Prisma Access were okay. But as soon as you start deploying Palo Alto gear, the support prices and the recurring prices, which are the major operational costs, tend to increase over time."

"It is not cheap. It is expensive. The good thing is that you are able to pay for what you need, but overall, it is not cheap. The pricing is not based on packages. You pay based on the features. If you want DLP, you only pay for DLP. They are very flexible. It is not cheap, but the licensing is flexible. There are no additional costs in addition to the standard licensing fees."

More Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

12%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Computer Software Company

12%

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	2

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	23
Midsize Enterprise	21
Large Enterprise	27

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company Exxon...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for iboss?

Previously when I used iboss, we did the POC for iboss for ExxonMobil. Four or five people wanted to move from our ol...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern. There are cheaper alte...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Forcepoint CASB?

The solution is not that expensive compared to Zscaler. Netskope is between Forcepoint CASB and Zscaler in terms of c...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Forcepoint CASB?

There are some areas that could be improved, particularly regarding support issues. Forcepoint could enhance their pr...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Forcepoint CASB?

People typically use Forcepoint CASB along with other Forcepoint tools such as Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway.

See all answers

What is the better solution - Prisma Access or Zscaler Private Access?

We looked into Prisma Access before choosing Zscaler Private Access (ZPA). Palo Alto’s Prisma Access is a secure ac...

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What do you like most about Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks?

The most valuable features of the solution are in the areas of the secure remote access it provides while also being ...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks?

From my experience, Palo Alto is more expensive compared to solutions like Netskope and Triscale.

See all answers

Comparisons

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 13% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs iboss

Compared 13% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs iboss

Compared 12% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

Cloudflare One vs iboss

Compared 6% of the time

More iboss Competitors

Netskope vs Forcepoint CASB

Compared 16% of the time

Skyhigh Security vs Forcepoint CASB

Compared 14% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs Forcepoint CASB

Compared 13% of the time

Akamai Enterprise Application Access vs Forcepoint CASB

Compared 11% of the time

Proofpoint Cloud App Security Broker vs Forcepoint CASB

Compared 6% of the time

More Forcepoint CASB Competitors

Netskope vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 13% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 11% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 8% of the time

FortiSASE vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 6% of the time

Cato SASE Cloud Platform vs Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Compared 6% of the time

More Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

October 2025

Download iboss product report

Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint CASB

October 2025

Download Forcepoint CASB product report

Buyer's Guide

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

October 2025

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks report

Download Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

Imperva Skyfence

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access, Prisma Access, GlobalProtect, Palo Alto GlobalProtect Mobile Security Manager, Prisma SaaS by Palo Alto Networks, Prisma Access

Overview

Iboss offers a comprehensive cloud-based security platform valued for its scalability and autonomous features, ensuring robust security with easy deployment and management capabilities.

Renowned for its robust security architecture, Iboss integrates seamlessly within diverse networks, delivering efficient granular filtering and advanced content categorization. Its single pane of glass console provides ease of management, allowing rapid scalability suitable for rapidly deploying environments. Operates in BYOD setups due to inline filtering without device installation. Integration with cloud-based applications enhances user control, and features like SASE, SSL inspection, and ChatGPT risk protection stand as highlights. Despite its strengths, users have pointed out areas for enhancement like direct navigation in reports, SSL decryption, and better cloud integration while having room to improve data loss prevention.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

Scalability: Supports rapid deployment across diverse networks.
SASE: A consolidated approach to secure access.
SSL Inspection: Ensures safe data transmission.
Granular Filtering: Detailed control over accessible content.
Single Pane Management: Unifies control through a centralized console.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Cost-effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing with robust features.
Autonomous Operation: Reduces management overhead.
Responsive Support: Provides assistance when needed.
Flexible Deployment: Available for both cloud and on-premises environments.

The usage of Iboss spans educational institutions, specifically K-12, to enforce internet policies, protect data, and support remote work environments. It provides web filtering and security frameworks to ensure safe browsing. Its platform-as-a-service model offers flexibility for both cloud-based and on-premises requirements, integrating seamlessly to deliver enhanced security features suitable for various deployment needs including zero trust, CASB, and network security for work-from-home setups.

iboss

Forcepoint CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) is a security solution which is designed to secure and monitor the use of cloud services within an organization. It helps organizations gain visibility and control over the cloud applications and services being used by their employees. Forcepoint CASB integrates with cloud service providers' APIs and employs various techniques such as traffic analysis, proxying, and API-based controls to provide security and visibility into cloud application usage. It can be deployed as a standalone solution or integrated with other security technologies within an organization's existing infrastructure.

Forcepoint CASB Features:

Cloud Application Visibility: CASB helps organizations discover and gain insights into the cloud applications and services being used across their network.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): It enables organizations to enforce data protection policies and prevent sensitive information from being leaked or exposed in cloud applications.
User Behavior Monitoring: CASB monitors user activities and behavior within cloud services, allowing organizations to detect and respond to potential insider threats or anomalous behavior.
Compliance and Governance: It helps organizations enforce regulatory compliance requirements and maintain control over data stored and processed in the cloud.
Threat Protection: CASB offers protection against cloud-specific threats such as account hijacking, unauthorized access, malware, and data breaches.
Access Control and Encryption: It provides capabilities to control user access to cloud applications and data, as well as encryption options for securing sensitive information.

Forcepoint CASB Benefits:

Cloud Visibility: Provides a clear view of cloud applications and services used within the network.
Data Protection: Enforces policies to prevent data leakage and ensures compliance with regulations.
Insider Threat Detection: Monitors user behavior to identify potential insider threats or malicious activities.
Compliance and Governance: Helps meet regulatory requirements and maintain control over cloud data.
Threat Protection: Detects and prevents cloud-specific threats like account compromise and data breaches.
Access Control and Encryption: Implements strong access controls and encryption for secure cloud access.
Shadow IT Discovery: Identifies unauthorized cloud applications for risk assessment and control.
Integration and Orchestration: Integrates with existing security technologies for enhanced visibility and response.

Reviews from Real Users

Edwin Eze Osiago, Regional Solutions Manager (Sub-Sahara Africa) at InfodataReliable, says that Forcepoint CASB is "Easy to set up and offers good visibility".

PeerSpot user, Professional Services Coordinator at a tech vendor, writes that Forcepoint CASB "Needs better backend code, requires stronger technical support, and the initial setup should be easier" and also adds that "The most valuable aspect for us is the fact that the product seamlessly integrates with the Forcepoint DLP".

Mahendra Bedre, Lead at Infrastructure Solutions ALM, says that Forcepoint CASB's "Macro integration and IDs for credentials are great features; It is easy to use with a good layout".

Forcepoint

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks provides consistent security for all users and applications across your remote networks. Prisma Access grants users safe access to the cloud and data center applications and the internet as well. In addition, the solution combines all of your security and networking capabilities into a single cloud-delivered platform, enabling flexible hybrid workforces.

Prisma Access can be managed two ways:

Cloud Managed
Panorama Managed

Prisma Access delivers both networking and security services, including:

SD-WAN
VPN
Zero Trust network access (ZTNA)
Quality of service (QoS)
Clean Pipe
Firewall as a service (FWaaS)
DNS Security
Threat Prevention
Cloud secure web gateway (SWG)
Data loss prevention (DLP)
Cloud access security broker (CASB)

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks Features

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks has many valuable key features including: App-ID, User-ID, Device-ID, SSL Decryption, Dynamic User Group (DUG) Monitoring, AI/ML-Based Detection, IoT Security, Reporting, URL Filtering, Enterprise Data Loss Prevention (DLP), Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM)*, Logging, Policy Automation, Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), and many more.

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks Benefits

Some of the benefits of using Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks include:

Security: Prisma Access gives you consistent security to protect against cyberattacks, with enforcement of policy at every location. By implementing Prisma Access, you also gain protection that works to prevent known and unknown malware, exploits, credential theft, command and control, and many other attack vectors across all ports and protocols.
Global connectivity: Prisma Access provides global coverage through use of its connectivity layer.
Scalability: With Prisma Access, scaling is automatically managed and is scalable, flexible, and agile.
Instant deployment: Deployment is fast, eliminating wasted time that may otherwise be associated with setting up a solution, operating it, or shipping hardware in order to get started.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics

users who are currently using the solution.

PeerSpot user Partha D., Global Network Tech Lead at a computer software company, speaks about his experience using the product, saying, "It protects all app traffic so that users can gain access to all apps. Unlike other solutions that only work from ports 80 and 443, which are predominantly for web traffic, Prisma Access covers all protocols and works on all traffic patterns... The most sophisticated attacks can arise from sources that are not behind 80/443."

Tejas J., a Sr. Cloud Security Architect at a computer software company, mentions that "it is geographically dispersed, and it sits on top of Google and AWS platforms. Therefore, you don't face the standard issues, such as latency or bandwidth issues, that you usually face in the case of on-prem data centers.”

Another PeerSpot reviewer, Max I., Associate Director at Cognizant, comments that "Security is absolutely spot-on, really top-notch. It's the result of all the components that come together, such as the HIP [Host Information Profile] and components like Forcepoint, providing end-user content inspection, and antivirus. It incorporates DLP features and that's fantastic because Prisma Access makes sure that all of the essential prerequisites are in place before a user can log in or can be tunneled into."

Palo Alto Networks

Sample Customers

More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss Cloud Platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies.

Zions Bank, GE Healthcare, HomeAway, Logitech, Universal, California National Resources Agency and many mor

Concord Hospital, State of Colorado, Essilor International, RheinLand Versicherungsgruppe, University of Westminster, Universidade Nove de Julho, SPAR Austria, CAME Group, ZipRealty, Greenhill & Co., IKT Agder, Aviva Stadium, Animal Logic, Management & Training Corporation, Brigham Young University Hawaii, School District of Chilliwack

Buyer's Guide

Forcepoint CASB vs. Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

September 2025

Free Report: Forcepoint CASB vs. Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks

Find out what your peers are saying about Forcepoint CASB vs. Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.

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