Cisco Secure Client

Cisco Secure Client is an endpoint agent that provides remote-access VPN, zero trust access, network access control, and endpoint security modules in one client for Windows, macOS, and Linux devices. IT and security administrators deploy and manage it, and Cisco describes it as unifying several endpoint security agents in one view. It is the successor to the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client.

Key Capabilities

• VPN: The core AnyConnect VPN, with user and management tunnels. It connects to Cisco Secure Firewall ASA, Secure Firewall Threat Defense, Meraki MX, and some Cisco IOS routers as VPN headends.
• Zero Trust Access: A module for zero trust network access, available from release 5.1.3.62 and supported through Cisco Secure Access.
• Posture: ISE Posture checks device compliance with Cisco Identity Services Engine, and Secure Firewall Posture, formerly HostScan, checks devices that connect to a Secure Firewall ASA.
• Network Access Manager: Manages 802.1X wired and wireless access on Windows.
• Network Visibility Module: Sends endpoint flow telemetry to a collector, Secure Network Analytics, syslog, Splunk, or Cisco XDR.
• Umbrella Roaming Security: DNS-layer protection when no VPN is active, with a separate Umbrella subscription.
• Secure Endpoint: The former AMP for Endpoints client is unified into Secure Client, with licensing for the service separate.
• Other modules: ThousandEyes Endpoint Agent, Duo Desktop, Endpoint Data Loss Prevention, the DART diagnostic tool, and a cloud management module.
• Deployment: Pre-deployment through enterprise software management tools, web deployment from an ASA, Threat Defense, or ISE headend, or cloud deployment through Cisco XDR.

Audience & Use Cases

• Audience: IT and network security administrators who manage remote-access VPN and endpoint security agents.
• Use Case: Providing VPN access to corporate resources for remote users.
• Use Case: Checking device posture before granting network access.
• Use Case: Adding DNS-layer security, endpoint protection, and telemetry to the same client.

Technical Specifications

• Platforms: Windows, macOS, and Linux, with mobile support for some modules. Cisco's release notes carry the current operating system list.
• Licensing: Advantage subscription or perpetual licenses, formerly AnyConnect Plus, and Premier subscription licenses, formerly AnyConnect Apex, are per unique user with a 25-user minimum. VPN Only perpetual licenses, formerly AnyConnect VPN Only, are per concurrent connection. Premier adds ISE Posture, Secure Firewall Posture, the Network Visibility Module, and the management tunnel.
• Current release: Cisco recommends 5.1.20.333 as the primary release, released September 11, 2026. Release 5.0.x users must upgrade.

Name Change: Formerly Cisco AnyConnect

Cisco Secure Client is the rebranded and expanded successor to the Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client. Cisco states that it is built on AnyConnect, and that the AnyConnect VPN core carries over, with a major version increment to 5 and a user interface that is similar apart from new branding and icons. The AnyConnect module for AMP for Endpoints became Cisco Secure Endpoint within the client, and the licensing tiers were renamed, with a shift from concurrent connections to unique users for Advantage and Premier. Cisco ended software maintenance for AnyConnect 4.x on March 31, 2024, and application software support for 4.x ends after March 31, 2027, with Cisco Secure Client 5 as the migration path. Customers with Secure Client 5 licenses are also entitled to earlier AnyConnect releases. Documentation, listings, and reviews that use the AnyConnect name describe the predecessor of this product.