Item: Palo Alto Networks Advanced URL Filtering
Rating: 10
Author: Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Palo Alto Networks Advanced URL Filtering

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use Palo Alto Network's Advanced URL Filtering throughout our organization. Every network and every user is secured and protected with this technology. The advantage to using Palo's product is that we can use one platform to filter everything. There is no need to have different vendors to secure endpoints vs networks. By incorporating this with Prisma Access, we are even able to filter remote/VPN users as well.

Management of the URL filtering is centralized resulting in a consistent filtering experience that is independent of location/network. User's are able to access different categories of URLs based on AD/Azure group membership. Primarily we use this to prevent access to cloud storage, webmail and other avenues to exfiltrate data. It greatly reduces our risk for leaks of our intellectual property.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Centralized Management
Filtering by URL Category and/or Custom URL Lists
Frequently Updated
Categories for Unknown URLs and IPs

Cons

Reporting mis-categorization is cumbersome
No ability to re-categorize within environment
Must manage exceptions by specific URL

Return on Investment

We have reduced Internet traffic by blocking ad-related URLs
We have reduced the support required to clean machines from malware
We have greatly reduced our risk for data loss and exfiltration

Usability

It is very easy to use and setup. It integrates well within all of Palo's products such as NGFWs and Prisma Access. There is a dedicated log inside of Palo products for URL filtering to aid in troubleshooting. It integrates with AD/Azure so that different users can have different URL filtering rules. Filtering can be adjusted in real-time.

Alternatives Considered

Cisco Umbrella and Mimecast Web Security

Palo offers a superior product because it is much easier to integrate within existing networks and environments. It is not a DNS redirection which can be easily worked around.. but built into the data path itself. It is much more easily managed than any other product I have seen. Between the ease of management and the ability to work deeper into the network stack it is just in a league of its own.

Key Insights

Do you think Palo Alto Networks Advanced URL Filtering delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Palo Alto Networks Advanced URL Filtering's feature set?

Yes

Did Palo Alto Networks Advanced URL Filtering live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Palo Alto Networks Advanced URL Filtering go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Palo Alto Networks Advanced URL Filtering again?

Yes

Other Software Used

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access, Palo Alto Networks Advanced Threat Prevention, Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls - PA Series

Likelihood to Recommend

It is well suited for environments that require consistent and reliable filtering. It is not a "best-effort" solution that is easy to work around. Simply stated, if this product is properly configured, you can rest assured that your URL traffic is safe.

It is not well suited for environments that require visits to a wide range of URLs. In order to allow visits and also be protected to unknown/new URLs you must manage them by exception by a block/allow list.

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Palo Alto - Advanced URL Filtering