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Fortinet FortiAuthenticator vs Symantec Advanced Authentication comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 11, 2024

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

Fortinet FortiAuthenticator
Ranking in Authentication Systems
3rd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
62
Ranking in other categories
Single Sign-On (SSO) (6th), Identity Management (IM) (8th), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) (1st)
Symantec Advanced Authentic...
Ranking in Authentication Systems
17th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
8.7
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Authentication Systems category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is 7.4%, up from 7.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Advanced Authentication is 0.6%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Authentication Systems
 

Featured Reviews

Yonas Abebe - PeerSpot reviewer
Integration capabilities simplify authentication and migration challenges need addressing
The integration capabilities of Fortinet FortiAuthenticator are very interesting, as it can be integrated with third-party devices easily and is straightforward to configure. The integration with FortiToken is outstanding, adding a layer of security for authentication. In addition, it can be used by integrating with zero trust single access, enhancing overall security measures.
Umair (Abu Mohaymin) Akhlaque - PeerSpot reviewer
Ensures robust security features and ease of deployment, although it may lack some of the more modern authentication options
There has been a need for aggressive development to modernize the product and align it with contemporary security requirements. While the rebranding has been a step forward, further enhancements are essential to meet the evolving demands of the market. It lacks features such as ActiveSync Exchange security, and it doesn't offer alternatives like password-less authentication via biometrics or patches. While Symantec mainly relies on traditional token-based or password-based methods, newer authentication methods are missing from its repertoire. Support services often lack promptness and depth of knowledge, leaving customers waiting for weeks to resolve issues. In the realm of multifactor authentication, swift resolution of problems is critical, as any slowdown or interruption can significantly impact operations. Urgent improvement is necessary to ensure that support responses are faster and more effective, aligning with the demands of MFA implementation.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The product's on-premise version doesn't have recurring costs."
"The most valuable feature I find in FortiAuthenticator is web filtering."
"The feature I value the most is the one-time passwords because it helps to authenticate users so you know the timing of their usage."
"The product enables SSO."
"The first valuable feature is being able to see everything on one platform. This includes logs and authentication failure."
"The technical support for FortiAuthenticator is excellent."
"The product is stable and reliable."
"It integrates very tightly with the rest of the Fortinet ecosystem."
"One of the most valuable aspects is its remarkable stability."
"One of the most valuable features of this solution is that it's a strong authentication solution that's able to integrate with applications."
"It tells us exactly what we want in terms of authentication to various applications and provides protection for users who access them."
"Rules on Risk Authentication are very good."
 

Cons

"The only way the solution could be improved is if it were cheaper."
"We have issues with HA (high availability). These should be addressed in future releases."
"The area for improvement in Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is its price."
"The stability of Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is rated as six out of ten, indicating some instability issues."
"There are some protocols, such as SHA and SHA-2, that are not supported."
"Integration with FortiGate could be more fluid."
"Improvements in the product could start from the dashboard, overall customization, and configuration."
"The product must provide full support for third-party FIDO security keys."
"This solution could be improved with risk-based authentication. I think that this product has everything that most customers are looking for, but modern technology has people looking for security tools with risk-based authentication, which they have a separate tool for. If they could integrate this, it would improve Symantec Advanced Authentication. They have to look at what's newly trending and how things are moving forward, and then adapt and adopt those features. Symantec's technical support should also be improved, in terms of response time."
"Advanced Authentication talks about the Device ID. But how the device ID is captured, I want to know more about that."
"Urgent improvement is necessary to ensure that support responses are faster and more effective, aligning with the demands of MFA implementation."
"We have seen quite a few issues with bugginess. It is indeed pretty buggy and we have had to install some fixes."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate the price of Fortinet FortiAuthenticator a three out of five."
"The solution is not very expensive."
"The platform is cost-effective as it does not require a separate license for SD-WAN functionality."
"When we buy the Fortinet FortiAuthenticator device there is a comparison between price and security."
"The customers need to pay for licenses, and some pay on a yearly basis while others pay on a three-yearly or five-yearly basis. Also, it is not an expensive solution."
"The product could be more competitively priced."
"I rate the product price as two or three on a one-to-ten scale, where one is expensive, and ten is cheap."
"It is usually cheap. Without a license, you can use some basic features. You can buy a 20-year license and implement the solution once."
"There are eventually going to be implementation costs. Sometimes you're required to have custom code developments there, so that has to be part of the implementation price."
"The price is reasonable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiAuthenticator?
Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is not overly expensive compared to other Fortinet subscriptions. However, it would be beneficial if the licensing allowed for more flexibility to cover additional users.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiAuthenticator?
The area for improvement in Fortinet FortiAuthenticator is its price.
What do you like most about Symantec Advanced Authentication?
One of the most valuable aspects is its remarkable stability.
What needs improvement with Symantec Advanced Authentication?
There has been a need for aggressive development to modernize the product and align it with contemporary security requirements. While the rebranding has been a step forward, further enhancements ar...
 

Also Known As

FortiAuthenticator
CA Advanced Authentication, CA Strong Authentication, CA Risk Authentication, Arcot WebFort, Arcot RiskFort
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Global bank, Large Filipino Bank and SK Infosec
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiAuthenticator vs. Symantec Advanced Authentication and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,295 professionals have used our research since 2012.