Netskope Alternatives for Data Security and Data Loss Prevention in 2024

Netskope is a cloud security company offering a Security Service Edge (SSE) platform that includes data loss prevention (DLP), cloud access security broker (CASB), and secure web gateway (SWG) capabilities. Using Netskope, businesses can secure their cloud applications and protect sensitive data across various channels. Companies often choose Netskope for its comprehensive cloud security features and integration capabilities.

While Netskope offers robust features for cloud security and data protection, it may not be the ideal solution for every organization. In this article, we review Netskope's capabilities and limitations, comparing them against top competitors in the market to help you make an informed decision about your cloud security and data loss prevention solution.

Limitations of Netskope

User-generated reviews help illustrate Netskope's limitations:

• “Not user friendly and easy to use. High in price comparatively. Model complexity 99%. Does not support customers zero services.” (Gartner)
• “Bandwidth degradation is the problem. For [an organization,] user experience is the priority. We were not able to achieve [this with this] product with the constant or intermittent bandwidth degradation.” (Gartner)
• “The agents will not stay running. They have a setting that if the agent fails, then it will fail close, but this does not work, instead the agent fails open leaving our systems vulnerable to malicious web sites.” (Gartner)
• “[I’m] currently an admin for Netskope in my org. Their product leaves a lot to be desired. The logging dashboard sucks and doesn't log everything. I have worked [multiple] incidents where users openly tell me they clicked on a link but logs for URL access don't start until we put in a block rule. Even days later [their] access to the URLs aren't in the dashboard.” (Reddit)
• “Generated overviews are inaccurate, incomplete and unverifiable.” (Gartner)

Summary of limitations

These insights provide a comprehensive view of the challenges users face when implementing and using Netskope, which are crucial for potential users to consider:

Unreliable agent

• Users report issues with the Netskope Agent not staying running.
• Agent failures can leave systems vulnerable to malicious websites.

Limited reporting

• The logging dashboard is criticized for not capturing all necessary information.
• Generated overviews are described as inaccurate, incomplete, and unverifiable.

Complex implementation

• Users mention high model complexity, making implementation challenging.
• The product is described as not user friendly, and difficult to use.

Impacted performance

• Bandwidth degradation is a significant issue that affects user experience.
• Constant or intermittent performance issues are reported.

High cost

• The solution is considered expensive compared to alternatives.
• The high price point may not be justifiable for some organizations.

Clunky UX

• The user interface is described as not user friendly.
• Complexity in the UI can lead to usability issues and a steep learning curve.

Alternative solutions to Netskope

Nightfall AI

Nightfall AI is the comprehensive, AI-native data security platform that enables organizations to discover and protect sensitive data where end-users work in the modern enterprise: across SaaS and generative AI (GenAI) apps as well as email and endpoint devices. Whether you’re looking to prevent secret sprawl, stop data exfiltration, or secure AI usage, Nightfall’s industry-leading detection engine and flexible APIs cover a wide variety of use cases.

Powered by advanced AI and machine learning techniques, Nightfall’s PII, PCI, PHI, secret, and IP detectors deliver greater accuracy than legacy DLP solutions, which are built on regular expressions (regexes) and heuristics. This increased accuracy means that security teams can respond to high-priority alerts, and maintain continuous compliance with leading standards like HIPAA, PCI-DSS, SOC 2, and GDPR. 

You can get a demo of Nightfall here.

Zscaler DLP

Zscaler DLP is part of Zscaler's broader cloud security platform, offering data protection across various channels. Customers might choose Zscaler over Netskope for its integrated approach to cloud security and its global cloud architecture, which can provide better performance and scalability.

Zscaler's DLP capabilities include content inspection, policy enforcement, and incident management. Its cloud-native approach allows for seamless integration with other Zscaler security services.

However, some users report that Zscaler's DLP can be complex to configure and manage, especially for organizations with diverse data protection needs. The solution may also require significant investment in other Zscaler products to realize its full potential.

Palo Alto Networks Enterprise DLP

Palo Alto Networks offers Enterprise DLP as part of its broader security platform. Customers might choose Palo Alto Networks over Netskope for its comprehensive security ecosystem and strong network security heritage.

Palo Alto's DLP solution provides content inspection, policy management, and incident response capabilities across networks, clouds, and endpoints. It leverages machine learning for accurate data classification and offers integration with other Palo Alto security services.

However, some users find that the full implementation of Palo Alto's DLP can be complex and resource-intensive. The solution may also be more suited to larger enterprises with substantial security budgets.

Forcepoint DLP

Forcepoint DLP offers data protection across various channels, including cloud, network, and endpoint. Customers might choose Forcepoint over Netskope for its strong focus on user behavior analytics and its ability to provide context-aware security policies.

Forcepoint's DLP solution includes features such as optical character recognition (OCR), machine learning-based classification, and robust policy management. It also offers flexible deployment options, including on-premises, cloud, and hybrid setups.

However, some users report that Forcepoint's DLP can have a steep learning curve and may require significant tuning to reduce false positives. The solution's pricing structure can also be complex, potentially leading to unexpected costs.

Proofpoint DLP

Proofpoint DLP secures sensitive data across various channels, including email, web, cloud applications, and endpoints. Customers might choose Proofpoint over Netskope for its strong email security heritage and its comprehensive approach to information protection.

Proofpoint leverages advanced machine learning and sophisticated content inspection techniques to identify, monitor, and control data. Its user-friendly interface and detailed reporting capabilities allow security teams to manage policies, investigate incidents, and generate compliance reports with ease.

However, Proofpoint can be complex to set up and manage, especially for smaller organizations. Some users report high false positive rates, requiring frequent fine-tuning. Pricing can be expensive, particularly for comprehensive coverage.

Final thoughts

When choosing a cloud security and data loss prevention solution, it's crucial to consider your organization's specific needs, budget, and existing infrastructure. While all the mentioned alternatives offer robust features, Nightfall AI stands out as the most innovative and effective option, particularly for organizations prioritizing cloud security and AI-driven protection.

Nightfall's use of GenAI and advanced machine learning techniques provides superior accuracy in detecting sensitive data, with significantly fewer false positives compared to traditional solutions. Its ability to secure both SaaS and GenAI apps, along with email and endpoints, makes it a versatile choice for modern enterprises.

However, each solution has its strengths. Ultimately, while Netskope remains a viable option for some organizations, alternatives like Nightfall AI offer more advanced technologies and better accuracy, potentially providing more value and stronger protection in today's rapidly evolving threat landscape. We recommend thoroughly evaluating each solution, with particular attention to Nightfall AI's cutting-edge features, before making a final decision.