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Cisco Umbrella Review

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Should I use Cisco Umbrella?

DNS-Layer and Cloud Cybersecurity Solutions - umbrella.cisco.com

· 1 month ago

Buy if you're a mid-size or large org, ideally already running Cisco gear, that needs DNS-layer filtering across many sites and users. Skip it if you're a small team — quote-only pricing and an end-of-life client make simpler DNS filters a better deal.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 14 public sources. Many search hits were off-topic (literal rain umbrellas), so direct user-quote depth is limited and two scores had no evidence.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of useNo usable usability evidence found
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support evidence in sources
  • Security posture

Pricing

Quote only

Enterprise packages

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed

Best for

  • Mid-size and large IT teams
  • Cisco-centric networks
  • Multi-site DNS filtering
  • Compliance-driven orgs

Not for

  • Small teams — a router filter or DNSFilter suffices
  • Anyone needing transparent, self-serve pricing
  • Solo admins without security staff to tune it
  • Buyers avoiding Cisco ecosystem lock-in

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Quote-only pricing; costs vary per deal — get competing bids before signing

high

Roaming Client is end-of-life; plan rollout around its replacement path

medium

Deep Cisco tie-ins make later migration to another DNS filter painful

medium

Virtual appliances need prompt patching; privilege-escalation CVEs exist

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Filters threats at DNS layer across the whole network, before connections open
  • Packaged tiers let enterprises match features to budget
  • Backed by Cisco's scale and formal security advisory process
  • Deployed at institutions like the University of Rhode Island

Cons

  • No published pricing; everything runs through sales quotes
  • Roaming client reached end of life, forcing migrations
  • Recurring CVEs, including auth bypass and privilege escalation
  • Competitors undercut on price for similar DNS filtering

Sources & method

- 14 sources - Several CVEs from 2022–2026 (auth bypass, privilege escalation); Cisco publishes advisories and fixes.

official x3review x3security x3news x5
  • CVE-2022-20773 — Authentication bypass, Cisco Umbrella authentication bypass vulnerability, tracked in public vulnerability databases.
  • CVE-2026-20246 — Virtual appliance privilege escalation, Cisco advisory cisco-sa-umbrella-priv-esc-F4wJB7AU; patch promptly if running virtual appliances.
  • CVE-2022-20969, Umbrella-related vulnerability listed on NVD; details truncated in the reviewed source.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 2/5

    Rating

  • Quote only

    Starting price

  • 14

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 2/5. Quote-only pricing; rivals undercut it
  • Ease of use. No usable usability evidence found
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Broad DNS-security suite with packaged tiers
  • Support quality. No support evidence in sources
  • Security posture: 3/5. Patched CVEs, but recurring appliance flaws
  • 3+ CVEs since 2022 Incl. auth bypass and privilege escalation, per NVD
  • Quote-based Public pricing No public price list
  • End of life Roaming client Reported by Jimber, 2026
  • G2, PeerSpot, Capterra Review coverage Active user threads on pricing and alternatives

Pricing

Enterprise packages

Quote only

  • Multiple packaged tiers compared on Cisco's site
  • Per-user model per TitanHQ comparison
  • No public price list

Security

Several CVEs from 2022–2026 (auth bypass, privilege escalation); Cisco publishes advisories and fixes.

  • CVE-2022-20773 — Authentication bypassCisco Umbrella authentication bypass vulnerability, tracked in public vulnerability databases.12
  • CVE-2026-20246 — Virtual appliance privilege escalationCisco advisory cisco-sa-umbrella-priv-esc-F4wJB7AU; patch promptly if running virtual appliances.11
  • CVE-2022-20969Umbrella-related vulnerability listed on NVD; details truncated in the reviewed source.

What users say

Active G2, PeerSpot, and r/sysadmin threads show users publicly questioning its cost and weighing alternatives.

“What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Umbrella?”
PeerSpot user question
“Cisco Umbrella alternatives?”
Reddit, r/sysadmin

Companies that use it

  • University of Rhode Island14
Full analysis

Based on 14 public sources. Many search hits were off-topic (literal rain umbrellas), so direct user-quote depth is limited and two scores had no evidence.

Enterprise DNS security built for big Cisco shops; small teams overpay for what a simple DNS filter does.

Methodology

Based on 14 public sources. Many search hits were off-topic (literal rain umbrellas), so direct user-quote depth is limited and two scores had no evidence.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. Cisco Umbrella: DNS-Layer and Cloud Cybersecurity Solutionsumbrella.cisco.com
    official
  2. Cisco Umbrella Packagesumbrella.cisco.com
    official
  3. Cisco Umbrella Reviews — G2g2.com
    review
  4. Cisco Umbrella pricing question — PeerSpotpeerspot.com
    review
  5. Cisco Umbrella alternatives? — r/sysadminreddit.com
    review
  6. Guide to Cisco Umbrella Pricing: Is It Worth It? — Control Dcontrold.com
    news
  7. Cisco Umbrella Pricing vs DNSFilter — dope.securitydope.security
    news
  8. Cisco Umbrella Pricing Per User & WebTitan Comparison — TitanHQtitanhq.com
    news
  9. Top 10 Cisco Umbrella Alternatives in 2026 — dope.securitydope.security
    news
  10. Umbrella Roaming Client End of Life — Jimberjimber.io
    news
  11. Cisco Umbrella Virtual Appliance Privilege Escalation Advisorycisco.com
    security
  12. CVE-2022-20773: Cisco Umbrella Auth Bypass — SentinelOnesentinelone.com
    security
  13. CVE-2026-20246 Detail — NVDnvd.nist.gov
    security
  14. Cisco Umbrella — URI ITS Service Deskits.uri.edu
    official

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