Cisco Web Security Appliance vs Fortinet FortiProxy comparison

Cisco and Fortinet are both solutions in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category. Cisco is ranked #17 with an average rating of 8.0, while Fortinet is ranked #11 with an average rating of 7.9. Cisco holds a 2.1% mindshare in WSG, compared to Fortinet’s 3.9% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Fortinet users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

Cisco Web Security Appliance and Fortinet FortiProxy are advanced web security solutions, with FortiProxy having a slight edge due to its integration and simplicity.

Features: Cisco Web Security Appliance is known for comprehensive security with anti-malware, URL categorization, and integration with Cisco products. It offers granular control and robust policy management. Fortinet FortiProxy is praised for user-friendliness, integrating with security products, and features like granular access control, application control, and traffic inspection.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Web Security Appliance needs better interface consolidation and reporting features, as well as improved integration capabilities. Fortinet FortiProxy should improve documentation and integration with AI/ML technologies, along with addressing policy management bugs. The interface language limitation for non-English users needs attention.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco offers diverse deployment options with generally praised technical support, although some users report slow responses. Fortinet FortiProxy offers versatile deployment but with less extensive support compared to Cisco. Both experience occasional support delays.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Web Security Appliance is often seen as expensive, especially for smaller businesses, despite its long-term security investment value, which may require multi-year contracts. Fortinet FortiProxy has moderate pricing, appealing to businesses for its user-friendly and cost-effective nature compared to other competitors.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Web Security Appliance vs. Fortinet FortiProxy Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Web Security Appliance vs. Fortinet FortiProxy

December 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 January 2026, in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.4%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Web Security Appliance is 2.1%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiProxy is 3.9%, down from 5.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
iboss	2.4%
Fortinet FortiProxy	3.9%
Cisco Web Security Appliance	2.1%
Other	91.6%

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

Featured Reviews

reviewer2701851

Managing Director

Enhances web security with a single pane of glass and flexible deployment

I don't see any need for improvement; one of the really good things about iboss as a company is that they listen to customer feedback. I have suggested enhancements, and they are responsive, making changes for the better, and they do a lot of testing. To improve iboss, although we haven't used it, we considered the VPN solution that comes with the highest tier licensing, which includes DLP and various other add-ons. We prefer using another product which automatically logs you back onto your network when turning on your PC. With iboss, the connection is manual, which doesn't meet our needs. Additionally, sizing can be tricky because, although the initial recommendations may seem adequate, actual usage may require more gateways than anticipated.

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Vusa Ndlovu

Security Solution Architect at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees

Advanced protection features offer robust security while integration process presents challenges

With the WebAssign integration, it is not easy when I am integrating policies within the company, especially with NAND and wireless policies. The challenge arises when traffic is blocked from either wireless or wired connections. Although implementing it as a standalone is quicker, integrating BYOD with Cisco I and FTB can be tiring. Once it is done correctly, the functionality and reports become valuable, although the implementation part can still be challenging.

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Emmanuel Dasho

Cyber Security Engineer | Network/Security at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Ease of configuration and seamless integration enhance operational efficiency

The App Control feature in the Fortinet FortiProx * Deep Packet Inspection (DPI): FortiProxy analyzes traffic at the application layer to detect applications even if they use non-standard ports or are encrypted. * Application Signatures: Uses FortiGuard’s application signature database (constantly updated) to recognize thousands of applications. * Policy Enforcement: You can create policies to Allow, Block, Monitor, or Shape (QoS) based on application type, category, or specific apps.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The security aspect of the solution, particularly the malware behind it, is excellent. That's something that really helped us out. It's not just a simple proxy that just blocks the insights of potential threats that come on behind it. They do malware detection and that helps us a lot."

"Granular setup, which was able to set different levels of filters using the OUs in the AD."

"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."

"I would rate the technical support of iboss a solid 10 without a shadow of a doubt."

"Its initial setup was straightforward."

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

"We chose iboss for both zero trust and proxy (SWG) because their SWG was superior."

"The console is cloud-based, which is something I really appreciate."

More iboss pros

"The most valuable features of the solution are the functions of proxy for the users who use the internet and the security it offers against the not-so-secure web pages."

"The product is stable."

"It integrates well with Cisco Email Security Appliance."

"The best feature of Cisco Web Security Appliance is its policy framing. It also has a good UI and it can handle traffic well. Cisco Web Security Appliance is a good product."

"The most valuable feature is security."

"Cisco regularly upgrades features for the customer's security requirements."

"The deployment process is very simple."

"It's a scalable product."

More Cisco Web Security Appliance pros

"It seamlessly integrates with various security products, enhancing threat intelligence and improving indicators of compromise."

"The App Control feature in the Fortinet FortiProxy Deep Packet Inspection (DPI): FortiProxy analyzes traffic at the application layer to detect applications even if they use non-standard ports or are encrypted."

"The tool's most valuable feature is traffic inspections."

"The most valuable feature is intrusion prevention (IPS) and antivirus profiles. These features help control user activity, ensuring that they access only permitted websites and protects from downloading viruses."

"I liked the tool's ability to provide detailed access control. For example, we could allow users to watch YouTube videos but not post comments. This level of control wasn't available in FortiGate."

"The tool's most valuable feature is its granular access control. For example, users can browse the main site if you allow access to Amazon, but it stops them from visiting secondary Amazon websites without specific permission. This granular control is really helpful."

"It is a really stable solution."

"It helps to secure the networks at the DNA level and ensure proper identification and filtering of DNS traffic."

More Fortinet FortiProxy pros

Cons

"The dashboards for local use could be better."

"I'd like to see them accelerate development on the security side, particularly around data loss prevention."

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

"The reporting feature needs improvement."

"The area I would like to see improvement in is the ability with in the reporter to navigate directly to the content the user is traversing. It is kind of there, but it's not perfect. Quite frequently, I receive links that lead me to pages with error messages."

"The reporting feature needs improvement. It doesn't give you the expected results. It is quite difficult to get the specific reports needed, and it is not as intuitive as the rest of the platform."

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

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

More iboss cons

"The solution needs to be more user-friendly and easier to navigate."

"The product is great, however, incorporating features offered by competitors would be beneficial."

"The tool needs to provide logs. They need to improve firewall threat defense."

"The GUI is not user-friendly, so it needs to improve or be simplified."

"Customer support is good but could be improved."

"With the WebAssign integration, it is not easy when I am integrating policies within the company, especially with NAND and wireless policies."

"Sometimes reporting is a little bit short."

"The one thing I don't like about Cisco is that they are very much fragmented in terms of providing the complete solution. They keep on breaking their different feature sets into different boxes."

More Cisco Web Security Appliance cons

"Its power supply process for some of the proxies needs improvement."

"I see that the solution's interface is not in French...It would be good for our company if we could have the tool interface in French."

"Integration with existing infrastructure was generally easy, especially if you had tools like LDAP. However, I had to go through a lot of documentation as it was my first time working with a proxy server. We did experience some issues with certain web applications not working properly after implementing Fortinet FortiProxy."

"For IT administrators and managers, the reporting features are the main issues that should be addressed in order to improve the performance, security, and effective utilization of the product."

"Fortinet FortiProxy should integrate AI/ML technologies. Its pricing needs to be more flexible."

"Fortinet FortiProxy should improve by adding more documentation and guides."

"Its web filtering capabilities could be improved."

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

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

"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."

"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."

"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."

"I rate Cisco WSA a seven out of ten since it is costly."

"At the time, licensing fees were paid on an annual basis."

"This is an expensive solution."

"Cisco Web Security Appliance is not the cheapest solution on the market, but it's well worth it."

"The tool's licensing is yearly."

"The licensing options begin with 100 users and this is a high threshold for smaller networks."

"The solution has a standard license."

"The solution's cost depends on how many users you purchase. It was maybe $3 or $5 per user, which is a bit expensive."

More Cisco Web Security Appliance pricing and cost advice

"The tool's pricing is in the middle."

"It is a cost-effective solution."

"The solution is neither too expensive nor very cheap."

"It offers a more cost-effective solution than alternatives like FortiMail, FortiGate, and various Barracuda devices."

"Price-wise, Fortinet FortiProxy is moderate - not the highest among competitors, but not cheap either."

"It can be considered expensive, with a limited lifespan and support that eventually requires updating to newer solutions."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Financial Services Firm

23%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

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	11
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	11

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	3

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...

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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 Cisco Web Security Appliance?

Comparing with other products, Cisco has more functionality, but pricing is a challenge. Cisco is not a product for s...

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What needs improvement with Cisco Web Security Appliance?

With the WebAssign integration, it is not easy when I am integrating policies within the company, especially with NAN...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cisco Web Security Appliance?

The user interface that I usually provide for the web app includes malware protection, URL filtering, data loss preve...

See all answers

What do you like most about Fortinet FortiProxy?

The tool's most valuable feature is traffic inspections.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiProxy?

For me it may be the wildcards for urls whitelist or blacklist, somehow the page loads. Aside from that there no other..

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Fortinet FortiProxy?

My advice to others who are considering Fortinet FortiProxy is that it is seamless, easy to use, and quite straightfo...

See all answers

Comparisons

Netskope vs iboss

Compared 13% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs iboss

Compared 10% of the time

Cisco Umbrella vs iboss

Compared 9% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs iboss

Compared 9% of the time

FortiSASE vs iboss

Compared 7% of the time

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Cisco Umbrella vs Cisco Web Security Appliance

Compared 19% of the time

Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway vs Cisco Web Security Appliance

Compared 10% of the time

Advanced URL Filtering by Palo Alto vs Cisco Web Security Appliance

Compared 9% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs Cisco Web Security Appliance

Compared 9% of the time

Symantec Proxy vs Cisco Web Security Appliance

Compared 9% of the time

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Fortinet FortiGate vs Fortinet FortiProxy

Compared 37% of the time

Forcepoint Secure Web Gateway vs Fortinet FortiProxy

Compared 8% of the time

Zscaler Internet Access vs Fortinet FortiProxy

Compared 7% of the time

Blue Coat Secure Web Gateway Virtual Appliance vs Fortinet FortiProxy

Compared 6% of the time

F5 BIG-IP Access Policy Manager (APM) vs Fortinet FortiProxy

Compared 6% of the time

More Fortinet FortiProxy Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

January 2026

Download iboss product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Web Security Appliance

January 2026

Download Cisco Web Security Appliance product report

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiProxy

January 2026

Download Fortinet FortiProxy product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

Cisco WSA, Cisco Web Security

FortiProxy

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

Cisco Web Security Appliance (WSA) is a web security solution provided by Cisco Systems. It is designed to protect organizations from web-based threats, enforce acceptable use policies, and provide secure access to the internet for users within the organization.

Cisco Web Security Appliance Benefits:

Easy to use
Comprehensive security features
Blocks malicious websites and prevents data loss
Efficient reporting and analytics capabilities
Scalable and integrates with other Cisco security products

Cisco Web Security Appliance Features:

Web Filtering: WSA offers web filtering capabilities to control and enforce policies for web access.
Malware Protection: The solution incorporates advanced threat intelligence and security technologies to detect and block web-based malware, viruses, spyware, and other malicious content.
URL Filtering and Reputation: WSA leverages URL filtering and reputation services to categorize and assess the reputation of web domains and URLs in real-time.
SSL/TLS Inspection: The appliance supports SSL/TLS decryption and inspection, allowing organizations to examine encrypted web traffic for threats and enforce security policies.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): WSA includes DLP capabilities to prevent the exfiltration of sensitive data through web channels.
Application Control: The solution enables organizations to control and manage web applications and protocols.
User Authentication and Access Control: WSA integrates with existing identity providers and authentication mechanisms to enforce user-based policies and provide secure access to the internet.
Reporting and Analytics: The appliance provides comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities, allowing organizations to gain insights into web traffic, user activities, security events, and compliance violations.

Cisco Web Security Appliance is typically deployed as a physical or virtual appliance within an organization's network infrastructure. It can be integrated with other Cisco security products and solutions to provide a layered approach to web security and network protection.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by Cisco Web Security Appliance users.

Md Manirul Islam, Deputy General Manager Pre-Sales at Beximcocomputers, states that "The most valuable feature of Cisco Web Security Appliance is the provided anti-malware functionality and URL categorization. I can block access to malicious websites. 99 percent of the cases are related to a malicious website. If I cannot browse those malicious websites, then we are 99 percent protected."

Surendar Ganesan, Technical Lead, writes that "The best feature of Cisco Web Security Appliance is its policy framing. It also has a good UI and it can handle traffic well. Cisco Web Security Appliance is a good product."

Atdhe Zyhranaj, Network Security Consultant at NSCON Network Services & Consulting GmbH, says that Cisco Web Security Appliance is "Easy to set up with scalable virtual machines and good reliability."

Cisco

Fortinet FortiProxy is a secure web gateway that provides advanced web filtering, malware protection, and SSL inspection capabilities. It is designed to protect organizations from web-based threats and prevent data loss by enforcing granular policies for web access. FortiProxy is available as a physical or virtual appliance and can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud. FortiProxy uses a combination of signature-based and behavior-based detection techniques to identify and block known and unknown threats. It also includes advanced features such as sandboxing and machine learning to detect and prevent zero-day attacks. FortiProxy can inspect SSL traffic to detect and block threats hidden in encrypted traffic. FortiProxy provides granular control over web access by allowing administrators to create policies based on user identity, device type, time of day, and other factors. It also includes pre-defined categories for web filtering, such as social media, gambling, and adult content. FortiProxy can also enforce compliance with regulatory requirements such as GDPR and HIPAA. FortiProxy integrates with Fortinet's Security Fabric, allowing it to share threat intelligence with other Fortinet products and provide a coordinated response to threats. It also includes a web-based management console that provides real-time visibility into web traffic and allows administrators to quickly respond to security incidents.

Fortinet FortiProxy is a comprehensive web security solution that provides advanced protection against web-based threats and allows organizations to enforce granular policies for web access.

Fortinet

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.

New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Caixa Seguradora

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Web Security Appliance vs. Fortinet FortiProxy

December 2025

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