What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case of Fortinet FortiRecon is threat intelligence and digital risk protection. Since we operate in the banking sector in Pakistan, protecting sensitive customer and financial data is critical. FortiRecon helps us identify potential threats from the dark web, phishing domains and external attack surfaces before they impact our environment.
We use FortiRecon in combination with our on-prem FortiGate firewalls and SIEM to strengthen overall visibility. While FortiGate and our internal controls secure the internal network and branch connectivity, FortiRecon extends this protection by monitoring external risks in real time.
How has it helped my organization?
Speaking from my experience in the banking sector, Fortinet FortiRecon provided us with much-needed visibility into external threats. It allowed us to identify exposed assets and leaked credentials at an early stage, which reduced the risk of exploitation. Although it did not directly enhance our internal branch connectivity or firewall protections, it improved our overall security posture and gave our team more confidence in monitoring and managing digital risks.
What is most valuable?
The whole GUI of Fortinet FortiRecon is very user-friendly. The endpoints we were catering to were very visible and easy to navigate, so we didn't have to go through minute details to get the info and the stats out. Fortinet FortiRecon has done what other vendors haven't provided: easy accessibility and the whole process is very simplified.
Fortinet FortiRecon provides us with much clearer visibility into our external attack surface and digital assets. It allows us to identify leaked credentials and exposed information more easily, which is often tricky to manage on other platforms.
What needs improvement?
The only feature I would recommend for Fortinet FortiRecon is smoother integration with third-party SIEM and SOAR platforms. For instance, we use IBM QRadar and it would be ideal if FortiRecon’s threat intelligence findings could be pushed directly into QRadar rather than requiring manual exports or custom API setups
Cross-platform integration should be made easier. While FortiRecon provides useful threat intelligence, getting this data into other SIEMs like
IBM QRadar or open-source platforms like
Wazuh often requires custom API work or manual steps. Fortinet tends to keep things within its own ecosystem, which makes third-party integration more challenging. On the positive side, FortiRecon has one of the easiest GUIs compared to other competitors, making it straightforward to navigate findings and alerts.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Fortinet FortiRecon from September 2024 till February 2025.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Regarding stability, it is quite stable. Fortinet upgraded their system in January 2025, which caused a minor downtime for three days, but overall it has been very stable without any crashes or lag.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability can improve with better integration with other vendors, which would allow it to be used in professional environments and high-end organizations.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate Fortinet support about seven and a half, on a scale from one to ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have also used CrowdStrike Falcon, which was very good. The integration scenario in CrowdStrike Falcon was very nice.
How was the initial setup?
The setup process for Fortinet FortiRecon was straightforward since it’s a SaaS solution. Once we reviewed the documentation and configured the scopes for monitoring, it was fairly easy to get started. Unlike traditional Fortinet tools, there isn’t a VMware image or on-prem version for lab practice, which might have been useful for technical teams who want hands-on training before moving to production.
What about the implementation team?
Currently, there is a team of eight members that used Fortinet FortiRecon until February 2025.
What other advice do I have?
Even though we are no longer actively using Fortinet FortiRecon and are now exploring other CTI tools, I still found its features very useful for monitoring our external attack surface. It gave us good visibility into exposed assets, leaked credentials and potential indicators of compromise linked to our organization.
We initially used it alongside a broader infrastructure that included Symantec devices Cisco Catalyst switches, and FortiGate firewalls. That said, it’s important to understand that FortiRecon doesn’t directly protect these assets the way an endpoint or firewall solution does. Instead, it gives you an outside-in view, showing what an attacker could potentially discover about your environment from the outside.
Integration with other vendors is possible through API keys but the process feels a bit manual and takes extra effort. The documentation is straightforward, but I think Fortinet could do a better job of offering more in-depth training focused specifically on FortiRecon, especially for teams that are new to external threat intelligence tools.
Overall, I would recommend FortiRecon to organizations that want clearer visibility into their external risks. It’s easy to use, does a great job of highlighting issues we weren’t aware of, and is more beginner-friendly compared to many other threat intelligence platforms. I would give it an 8 out of 10 for visibility and usability, but after factoring in the integration challenges, my overall rating comes to 7 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud