Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users
Senior Analyst Security and Compliance at a insurance company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
It has great stability and we see a lot of value from it
Pros and Cons
  • "For example, if a security Intel threat talks about an IOC. We can then go to our MSP and say, "Is there a signature for this particular type of malware that just came out?" And if they'll say yes, then we'll say, "Okay. Does it apply to these firewalls? And have we seen any hits on it?" There's absolutely value in it."
  • "It's not really their problem, it's a problem across the board. There will always be problems with interrupted traffic. We have to set it up where we're playing a middle man game where we're stripping it out, looking at it, and then putting it back together and sending it on its way. That requires CPU cycles. And there's some overhead with that."

What is our primary use case?

WildFire is being deployed based on vendor and security best practices and recommendations from our Managed Service Provider. leveraging their inherent knowledge it allows us to think outside the box. 

What is most valuable?

When  a security Intel threat talks about an IOC. We can then go to our MSP and ask, "Is there a signature for this particular type of malware?" The response is generally  yes, it is applied almost in real time. 

What needs improvement?

It's not a problem specific to the technology, it's a problem across the board. All the encrypted traffic can be a challenge. Becoming a man in the middle requires CPU cycles, causing additional  overhead.


What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability's great as long as its sized correctly. no huge hits from a CPU or RAM from a performance perspective. It would be prudent to monitor performance statistics. 

Buyer's Guide
Palo Alto Networks WildFire
April 2025
Learn what your peers think about Palo Alto Networks WildFire. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
848,716 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The way it's delivered, I don't see scalability being an issue.

How are customer service and support?

We're a managed service, so we've got to fill in the middle that's running interference for us.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is really straightforward. Turn the WildFire service on within firewalls and then apply that service to the security policies you want.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Some services require additional licensing. WildFire was one of the services we definitely wanted out of the gate. Suggestion is to determine your requirements of services and map back to the cost of turning on the service.

What other advice do I have?

Install the solution set it up the service in alert mode. Run reports and determine how you want it tuned, them move into block mode. You may want to go to  block mode right away with known out of the box threats. 


Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Network System Administrator at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
It catches modified signatures of known viruses
Pros and Cons
  • "Their technical support is outstanding and top-notch."
  • "It catches modified signatures of known viruses."
  • "They should make their user interface a little more user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

We don't want a virus. We don't want people visiting unknown sites and opening us up to any type of malware or any type of virus attacks.

How has it helped my organization?

We haven't had a virus. That is a good thing. It makes my job easier. For the organization as a whole, no viruses mean people keep their jobs, which is a good thing.

It is an outstanding solution. It is one of the top solutions out there from what we have tested, and we have even tested Cisco Firepower.

What is most valuable?

You can see everything that's going on in your network. It constantly updates their signatures and new anti-spyware signatures. That is updated daily.

It catches modified signatures of known viruses. It is an easy interface to use. 

What needs improvement?

They should make their user interface a little more user-friendly.

For how long have I used the solution?

Three to five years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We are a decent size organization. If the product can fit our organization, it should be able to fit pretty much any other organization just as well.

How is customer service and technical support?

Their technical support is outstanding and top-notch.

How was the initial setup?

They were things that only somebody who had worked with Palo Alto before would probably be able to break down, then tell you how to set up your initial rule sets and explain what exactly they do. The vendor helped us look at what we have going out versus what is coming in.

What about the implementation team?

They provided in-house support when we initially set it up. They made sure that we were supported from start to finish. Any questions we had, we had someone that we could reach out to, and we had an answer within a matter of minutes to hours. They are very responsive and easy to work with.

What other advice do I have?

Test it in your environment because everyone's environment is different.

Most important criteria when selecting a vendor:

  • Price matching up with features.
  • Support
  • SLA agreements
  • Customer relationship management.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Palo Alto Networks WildFire
April 2025
Learn what your peers think about Palo Alto Networks WildFire. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
848,716 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1126782 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Security Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Enhance threat detection for diverse formats with proactive defense capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "I have files tickets and their support was great. I was able to solve the problems of my customers."
  • "Improving detection on non-Windows formats would be beneficial as there are many samples, such as Linux or ransomware for macOS."

What is our primary use case?

I use WildFire mostly for customers, especially when they ask about firewalls. We recommend Palo Alto, FortiGate, Check Point, and then a customer decides what is the best firewall for their tasks. 

I generally recommend WildFire for telecom companies, banks, supermarkets, or any company which has its own IT infrastructure.

How has it helped my organization?

It provides threat intelligence that supports customers' proactive defense strategies. If a customer has an updated database of signatures or behavior, it is useful for their protection.

What is most valuable?

The features depend on the file format. For Windows, there is one set of features, and for Linux binaries, it is another. All sandboxes basically work with new binaries for Linux or macOS since they are not able to emulate behavior, and they are unable to analyze what code snippets or what behavior is malicious for binaries.

What needs improvement?

Improving detection on non-Windows formats would be beneficial as there are many samples, such as Linux or ransomware for macOS. Enhancing detection in these areas would be great.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been familiar with WildFire for two to three years, but it depends on the customer because it can be rather periodic.

How are customer service and support?

I have files tickets and their support was great. I was able to solve the problems of my customers.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I have interacted with Microsoft Box and some online sandboxes.

What was our ROI?

Generally speaking, it is hard to analyze ROI since no one in Ukraine did analytics on sandbox networks.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is hard to say because there is a significant difference between some European countries and Ukraine in the ability to buy expensive products. European countries may not find it a huge problem to spend $10,000, however, it is a significant issue for Ukrainian companies, especially given the current situation with war.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I use any online sandbox which is allowed to be public and frequently check malicious files in virus or sandboxes, including virus total information.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend improving detection in non-Windows formats. Currently, scripts like PHP scripts, Bash scripts, and other issues not related to Windows rank much worse.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
Flag as inappropriate
PeerSpot user
reviewer1396008 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Engineer at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Quick technical support, easy to set up, and is part of a complete product
Pros and Cons
  • "What I like about Palo Alto is that it is a complete product, with everything in it."
  • "In the future, I would like to see more automation in the reporting."

What is our primary use case?

I work on the network equipment in our company including switches, routers, firewalls, VPN, and all of the perimeter devices. Palo Alto WildFire is one of the products that we use to secure our network.

Generally, it detects threats to our network and blocks them. This includes checking applications for malware.

What is most valuable?

What I like about Palo Alto is that it is a complete product, with everything in it.

What needs improvement?

In the future, I would like to see more automation in the reporting.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using WildFire for between four and five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This product is pretty stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Our network and security group are the ones who use it. We haven't had to scale beyond that.

How are customer service and technical support?

We don't have a lot of contact with technical support but when we do, they are pretty quick.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I haven't used another solution that is better than this one.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. It was not complex for me at all.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is highly expensive.

What other advice do I have?

From my perspective, Palo Alto is the best solution in the market. This is the reason that we implemented it.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer818484 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Security Manager at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
The automatic threat determination makes it a perfect complement to a Palo Alto Firewall
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the Automatic Verdict, to recognize whether something is a threat, or not."
  • "I would like to see them continue on their developmental roadmap for the product."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case for this solution is for threat intelligence, to detect threats.

How has it helped my organization?

This solution has given us a higher level of assurance that we don't have an active threat.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the Automatic Verdict feature that recognizes whether something is a threat or not.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see them continue their developmental roadmap for the product.

For how long have I used the solution?

Approximately one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have never experienced any downtime or inaccuracies.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This product is super scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

Their technical support is excellent.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We previously used a different solution but it was ineffective and didn't integrate well.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup for this solution was very easy. You just turn it on and put it in monitoring mode. One person can deploy and maintain this product.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented in-house.

What was our ROI?

The ROI is pretty much right away.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The licensing fees are on an annual basis and there are no costs in addition to the standard fees.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Before choosing this solution we evaluated OpenDNS.

What other advice do I have?

WildFire is a perfect complement to a Palo Alto Firewall, it's invaluable.

I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
CEO at E-DIRECT CLOUD SOLUTIONS SP. Z O.O.
Real User
Offers good protection against zero-day malware
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the cloud-based protection against zero-day malware attacks."
  • "The only complaint that we receive from our customers is in regards to the price."

What is our primary use case?

We are a solution provider and WildFire is one of the security products that we implement for our customers. We are also using it for testing purposes.

It is primarily used to check for cloud-based malware.

How has it helped my organization?

Nowadays, this product is very important for customers because there are a large number of zero-day attacks. It gives them a sense of security and confidence because you never know what type of malware will be invented tomorrow.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the cloud-based protection against zero-day malware attacks.

What needs improvement?

The only complaint that we receive from our customers is in regards to the price. Our clients are happy with the technical aspects, but the cost is expensive.

Some customers complain that it takes a long time to make changes to the configuration, but this depends on the customer and the environment. It may not be a problem that is directly related to the product. There are a lot of changes that need to be made for the security of a big company.

The technical support team in Poland should be larger.

Palo Alto needs to invest more in marketing because there is not enough awareness for the brand in Poland. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using WildFire for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have not experienced any problems related to stability in our environment, and have not had any such complaints from our clients. 

How are customer service and technical support?

We have not had any issues that required going outside of our own technical team.

The Palo Alto team in Poland is very small, so getting an engineer's time can be a challenge.  If you have a small team then it's hard to support everybody. The local distributor has taken over some of the responsibilities for solving technical issues that customers have.

My thinking is that we don't have to contact technical support with serious issues because we don't have big problems with the product. I'm sure that there are bigger customers in need of support, and it may be lacking in Poland, but of course, there is an international team that can handle issues as well.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We deal with other vendors including Cisco and Fortinet, and we see a trend where more and more companies are implementing a WildFire-type solution into their products.

Fortinet is the market leader in Poland, in part because of their pricing. Another important thing is that if you want to implement a PoC and need a device of any kind, it is readily available from Fortinet. However, with Palo Alto, it cannot be done so quickly.

We have been in contact with Cisco technical support, and it is much easier to contact an engineer than it is with Palo Alto. The Cisco support is really good in Poland.

How was the initial setup?

When it comes to installation and configuration, it is very good. The length of time required for deployment depend on the number of features and how much configuration has to be done. Typically, it takes between one and three weeks.

We also deploy WildFire using VM models so that we can test various solutions for our clients.

What about the implementation team?

Our in-house team is responsible for the deployment, maintenance, and support.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

This is an expensive product and the market for Palo Alto in Poland could be much bigger if the pricing was comparable to Fortinet. We have lost a lot of deals to Fortinet over the price issue.

As an example, if somebody is satisfied with Fortinet and they only need to renew their subscription then it is difficult to convince them to try a completely new device at a higher price.

What other advice do I have?

WildFire is always a product that we recommend for our Palo Alto clients because it tracks potential malware in the cloud and it is very important to prevent these types of attacks.

In today's climate with the pandemic, a lot of staff are working offsite and remotely, leading to a surge in internet usage. This makes the work environments prone to various threats, which is one of the reasons that products like WildFire are so important.

Overall, from our point of view, it is a good product that works well.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Sr. Network Engineer at a tech services company
Consultant
Strengthens existing protections, provides significant visibility into files and apps moving through the company's systems
Pros and Cons
  • "Detailed reporting on analysis of content. The inspections are easily applied to security policy profiles and profile groups, and may be assigned on a per-rule basis."

    How has it helped my organization?

    This product/feature is an enhancement to traditional company/corporate AV and VP solutions, not a replacement. As such, it strengthens existing protections and provides significant visibility into files and applications that are moving through the company's systems.

    What is most valuable?

    Detailed reporting on analysis of content. The inspections are easily applied to security policy profiles and profile groups, and may be assigned on a per-rule basis.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    One to three years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    No stability issues.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    No scalability issues.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I have never accessed PAN (Palo Alto Networks) technical support regarding this feature.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    This is a fairly unique feature offered by Palo Alto Networks (may be comparable to FireEye). As such, it was an addition to our existing protection suites.

    How was the initial setup?

    Very straightforward. Basically, a few check boxes and desired behaviors.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    It is expensive, a feature more accessible to enterprise class customers, but provides an enhanced possibility that Zero- or near-Zero-day threats may be identified and mitigated. The cost of the product weighed against the potential impact of even one successful crypto malware-type exploit may justify the expense.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    No, again this "WildFire" is a fairly unique feature. The closest comparison may be FireEye, but I have not used that product.

    What other advice do I have?

    Consider your level of exposure to exploits of any nature. Also, consider the impact (cost and loss of business) of even one successful exploit to help make a business decision regarding this product.

    I would also advise that the decision should be considered with regard to the company's ability/willingness to provide the assets to keep abreast of these types of products and features. There are no set and forget type functions.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer2082015 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Servicio Posventa at a security firm with 11-50 employees
    Real User
    An integrated cloud malware protection engine with a useful analysis feature
    Pros and Cons
    • "I like the analysis they apply to the unknown files, and I think they have good technology to use as a sandboxing tool. I didn't find something similar to WildFire in the marketplace."
    • "The price could be better."

    What is most valuable?

    I like the analysis they apply to the unknown files, and I think they have good technology to use as a sandboxing tool. I didn't find something similar to WildFire in the marketplace.

    What needs improvement?

    The price could be better.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Palo Alto Networks WildFire for about four years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Palo Alto Networks WildFire is a stable solution.

    On a scale from one to ten, I would give stability a ten.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Palo Alto Networks WildFire is a scalable solution.

    On a scale from one to ten, I would give scalability a ten.

    How are customer service and support?

    On a scale from one to ten, I would give technical support a seven.

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Neutral

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was straightforward. It takes ten minutes or less because it's just to activate a button. And after that, the client has to apply the security profile to security rules. One cybersecurity engineer can deploy and maintain this solution, but it depends on the company's size.

    On a scale from one to ten, I would give the initial setup a ten.

    What was our ROI?

    Our clients say they have an ROI because they don't have to analyze the file with a lot of different tools. They consider that all the information is centralized, and they like that.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The price could be better.

    What other advice do I have?

    I used the solution, and I think that it's wonderful. They have different layers of analysis, but I wouldn't say I like the price. 

    On a scale from one to ten, I would give Palo Alto Networks WildFire a nine.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Palo Alto Networks WildFire Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: April 2025
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Palo Alto Networks WildFire Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.