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Idira Endpoint Privilege Manager vs Symantec Protection Engine comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 2, 2026

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

Idira Endpoint Privilege Ma...
Ranking in Anti-Malware Tools
11th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
38
Ranking in other categories
Endpoint Compliance (4th), Privileged Access Management (PAM) (7th), Application Control (6th), Ransomware Protection (5th)
Symantec Protection Engine
Ranking in Anti-Malware Tools
20th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.4
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Anti-Malware Tools category, the mindshare of Idira Endpoint Privilege Manager is 1.2%, down from 1.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Symantec Protection Engine is 0.6%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Anti-Malware Tools Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Idira Endpoint Privilege Manager1.2%
Symantec Protection Engine0.6%
Other98.2%
Anti-Malware Tools
 

Featured Reviews

Sumit Chavan - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Consultant at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
Helps secure the infrastructure and control users with admin rights
There are many features that are currently missing. A customization option is required for certain policies. For instance, if we need to stop PowerShell scripting, we have to create a different policy for that. Being able to create a sub-level policy within a top-level policy would be good. Currently, no user-based policy option is available inside the EPM console. We can only create computer-based policies. The database is available, but there is a drawback in not being able to create local groups on the EPM console. We only have to depend on Active Directory. This limits infrastructure security as we depend on the Active Directory team to manage user groups. If they remove any users, we lose control. If we could create groups locally and block them or set specific policies, we would have more control. Local endpoint management is missing from the EPM site. Moreover, there is an issue with policies not running as expected when we make enhancements. We have to find multiple ways to whitelist applications or enhance policies.
Abhimanyu Das - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Cybersecurity Engineer at Kyndryl
Real-time file security has reduced incident tickets and improves threat detection accuracy
The best features of Symantec Protection Engine include machine learning, file reputation, and real-time scanning. It efficiently handles heavy loads through ICAP and cloud-based processing, reducing the burden on endpoints compared to Trend Micro and other endpoint security solutions. Its centralized control is also noteworthy. Through machine learning, it detects both known and unknown malware and malicious URLs, in addition to performing signature-based scans that assist SOC teams in analysis. The solution is highly effective in leveraging both machine learning and file reputation. Regarding centralized control, it offers a unified management console for policy deployment and provides real-time visibility through dashboards, helping save significant administrative time. Symantec Protection Engine has had a positive impact on our organization by enhancing our overall security posture. It effectively blocks a high volume of file-based threats across more than 200 servers, saves SOC analysts time in endpoint remediation, and streamlines compliance processes. It further strengthens security through real-time scanning and machine learning-based quarantine, blocking phishing payloads in SharePoint uploads before they reach endpoints, thereby reducing incidents by 30–40% compared to signature-only tools.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager has had a positive impact on my customers' security posture."
"The most valuable feature is that it does lifecycle management and that it will change to whatever the end target is."
"It doesn't affect operational efficiency. If you set everything correctly, the user doesn't notice that it is in the background."
"The most valuable feature is that their database is completely encrypted and protected with multiple layers."
"CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager enhances computer security by providing minimal access, effectively preventing ransomware attacks."
"You can use it to strip users of their local admin rights and, at the same time, elevate applications for them."
"The most valuable features of CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager are password management, session management, onboarding rules, platform customization, and safety management."
"It identifies the original source, and all instances of malicious applications in the environment."
"Symantec Protection Engine provides me with the option of both cloud and on-premise solutions, which stands out for both me and my clients."
"Symantec Protection Engine has improved my security posture by helping me identify potentially malicious files before they reach users or critical systems, and the automated scanning process has also reduced manual efforts for my team, allowing us to focus on other security tasks and respond to threats more efficiently."
"The best features that I like the most include the threat intelligence network, which is effective in protecting against evolving threats."
"The operational efficiency with the high-performance scanning of Symantec Protection Engine is very good."
"What I appreciate in Symantec Protection Engine is the Virtual Policy Manager (VPM) and the Application Name feature, which are really effective."
"Symantec Protection Engine's been a game-changer for us at Kantar—blocks like 80-85% of file-based threats right at the gateway before they hit our 200 servers, cutting down endpoint incidents big time."
 

Cons

"For an experienced system implementer it will take approximately one day. However, for somebody who is inexperienced it may take up to five days."
"The product's threat protection and defense capabilities need enhancement."
"Despite newer versions and functionalities, CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager lacks sufficient knowledgeable support staff, resulting in longer wait times for assistance."
"CyberArk should consider whitelisting important applications like PowerShell and DLL that are currently not allowed due to some malicious content."
"Technical support is slow to respond when we run into issues."
"Another enhancement needed is the scheduling of deployment, which I expect in future releases."
"CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager can be better by making its UI more consistent."
"There are many features that are currently missing. A customization option is required for certain policies."
"For the improvement of Symantec Protection Engine, the engine did not work with their basic engine when I was working, which was almost three or four years before."
"While I have mentioned many advantages of Symantec Protection Engine, there are areas for improvement, particularly the dashboard features."
"To improve Symantec Protection Engine, I suggest simplifying its integration with other tools, as it is more complex compared to Trend Micro and CrowdStrike."
"Price is a significant area for improvement. The pricing is quite expensive, and it is particularly high for regular customers."
"I would like to see improvements in reporting and troubleshooting capabilities for Symantec Protection Engine, as more detailed insights and simplified diagnostics would make day-to-day administration easier."
"I have concerns about scalability."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Although I do not deal directly with the pricing, CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager is costly compared to other solutions. However, it offers beneficial features."
"We pay about $17 per user."
"I feel that the price of the product is nominal. It must be around 10 to 15 USD per installation. I rate the product price an eight to nine out of ten, where one is high price, and ten is low price."
"I think that it was in the range of $200,000 that had to get approved."
"The tool is a bit pricey compared to its competitors. My company does work with competitors, but I don't have hands-on experience with other software. I've just done some comparisons."
"licensing for this solution is based on the number of APV (privileged users), and the number of sessions that you want to record."
"The solution requires an annual license to use it. There can be some extra costs in some cases."
"The product's license is easy to procure."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Outsourcing Company
8%
Construction Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
12%
Construction Company
12%
Healthcare Company
12%
Outsourcing Company
12%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business18
Midsize Enterprise9
Large Enterprise19
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

Looking for recommendations and a pros/cons template for software to detect insider threats
This is an inside-out --- outside-in --- inside-in question, as an insider can be an outsider as well. There is no short answer other than a blend of a PAM tool with Behavioral Analytics and Endpo...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager?
I believe it's quite a reasonably priced solution. It's not very common to use CyberArk because it's a niche solution, but customers who are willing to control administrative accounts are willing t...
What needs improvement with CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager?
While CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager is a great tool, I believe the functionality could be wider. If it could work not only with permissions but also involve pure EDR tasks or User and Entity ...
What needs improvement with Symantec Protection Engine?
While I have mentioned many advantages of Symantec Protection Engine, there are areas for improvement, particularly the dashboard features. I find that some features are not available, leading us t...
What is your primary use case for Symantec Protection Engine?
Clients usually use Symantec Protection Engine primarily for protecting their computers from malware or any kind of attacks, which includes viruses or trojans, as a comprehensive security solution ...
 

Also Known As

Viewfinity
No data available
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Idira Endpoint Privilege Manager vs. Symantec Protection Engine and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
908,800 professionals have used our research since 2012.