Top 6 NGFW Vendors to Choose in 2023

1. Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks is often termed the global cybersecurity leader. Palo Alto is the brainchild of Nir Zuk, who is an exceptional network security expert. Palo Alto Networks was the first company to release an NGFW in 2007.

One of the reasons why Palo Alto has been one of the most trusted firewall brands is its varied features, including threat intelligence technologies, traffic identification, and malware prevention. It doesn’t rely on the port protocols or procedures for securing the network traffic from potential threats. Instead, it offers a range of tools like:

So, these NGFWs are software or hardware-based network security devices which can identify and block unauthorized attacks beyond the traditional firewall technologies. Let's find out the top next-gen firewalls to choose from in 2023:

Content ID is also known for additional data filtering, which enables organizations to tighten their security layers of intrusion detection while advancing the prevention capabilities for keeping critical assets secure.

Why Palo Alto Networks?

The unique capabilities of Palo Alto Networks define why this brand has managed to dominate the network security market. As per the company’s claim, some of its incredible features are:

Given these benefits, no wonder that Palo Alto Networks is considered to be one of the best firewall solutions across the global platform. Their ML-powered NGFWs are known for protecting the entire organization, from startups to the largest data centers and cloud workloads. As a result, the PA-Series has garnered the vendor Leader designation from Gartner Magic Quadrant for Network Firewalls and has achieved the Leader status in the Forrester Wave in 2020.

2. Fortinet

Fortinet is the forerunner in delivering robust firewall technology while combining IPS, SSL inspection, and web filtering to strengthen the client company's security capabilities. In addition, the brand is known for enabling administrators with proper visibility across network segments.

Fortinet is also known for delivering flawless convergence, which can be customized per client requirements. Be it cloud or remote offices, get the services irrespective of the setup or location. So what distinguishes Fortinet from the other top NGFW brands available in the market?

Fortinet is the Leader in the 2021 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for WAN Edge Infrastructure. So, the brand is known for delivering exceptional enterprise security to any edge business at any scale. Also, it helps reduce your overall expenses by eliminating the point products while protecting hyperscale to meet business growth requirements. And with that, you get a seamless user experience along with operational efficiency with automated, coordinated, and consistent security at any specific location.

3. Cisco

Cisco firewall security goes with the slogan “Frustrate attackers, not users,” highlighting the fact that the brand is keen on embedding zero trust across the clients’ multi-environment IT.

Known for securing access at the speed of your business, the Cisco firewall has managed to offer incredible malware detection and IPS capabilities. It can identify potential vulnerabilities along with the indicators of compromise within the company’s network. Furthermore, with the availability of regular signature updates, it gets easier for IPS to detect emerging online threats.

Some of the significant highlights of the Cisco firewall are:

4. Juniper

Juniper is one of the most searched names on the digital platform when it comes to shortlisting the best NGFW for businesses. This is because Juniper Networks brings you a wide range of firewalls along with SD-WAN solutions designed for hybrid, private and public cloud environments.

The brand is known for combining the ability and behavior to identify threats in real time while reliably protecting your apps, users, and devices from malware, viruses, and other malicious attacks. It does so by addressing the online threats with deep packet inspection and incoming scanning traffic to advance the app's visibility and control beyond limits.

The key features of Juniper NGFW are:

5. Sophos

Sophos, a UK-based cybersecurity brand, was the Niche Player in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Network Firewalls in 2018. The brand is known for offering a stack of NGFW solutions under the famous Sophos Firewall Xstream architecture. They also provide modern data protection for SD-WAN, SaaS, and cloud traffic. Sophos uses the global threat data while automating response and detecting malicious activities, isolating the suspicious behavior to block lateral movement.

Sophos has impressed industry analysts for multiple reasons. Its latest SD-WAN capabilities enhance network performance, resiliency, and flexibility. The full mesh SD-WAN is easy to set up with just a few clicks. With deep packet inspection and application acceleration, Sophos is able to reduce the latest ransomware and data breaches while automatically updating security policies to optimize performance.

Let’s have a quick look at the highlights of Sophos firewall offerings:

6. Barracuda

The last one on this list of top NGFW tools is none other than Barracuda. Barracuda CloudGen Firewall is available for distributed enterprises as well as SMBs. It is the NGFW available with SD-WAN and traffic management features. So, these NGFWs can protect digital assets against DoS attacks, intrusions, malware, and advanced persistent threats. It can also enforce network access controls while regulating web traffic and integrating application awareness.

The NGFW series has an advanced threat protection feature that enables enterprises to identify malicious activity while using the updated cryptographic hash database. If the system can detect any such action, it immediately responds with an automatic quarantine to control the issue.

The top key features of Barracuda NGFW are: