Australia verdict (TL;DR)
Verified 2026-05-24Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps wins Australian shops already on Microsoft 365 E5, the dominant federal and APRA-regulated default, with Azure Australia East (Sydney) and Australia Central (Canberra sovereign) residency. Netskope holds the largest pure-play Australian enterprise footprint with IRAP assessment to PROTECTED. Cisco Cloudlock and Forcepoint follow for regulated workloads. Critical infrastructure entities under SOCI Act 2018 should require IRAP PROTECTED status. Iboss, Bitglass (Lookout), and Trellix are weaker Aussie support.
Picks for Australia
- Federal, state, or APRA-regulated organisation on Microsoft 365 E5: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Bundled into M365 E5/A5/G5; Azure Australia Central (Canberra) sovereign region is PROTECTED-rated; one IRAP assessment covers the suite.
- Australian enterprise wanting best-in-class CASB independent of identity vendor: Netskope Largest pure-play Aussie footprint, IRAP-assessed, local SE coverage in Sydney and Melbourne, granular SaaS controls beyond what Defender offers.
- Critical infrastructure entity under SOCI Act 2018: Cisco Cloudlock Mature Aussie partner channel via Data#3, Dimension Data, and Telstra Purple; integrates with existing Cisco Umbrella and Duo deployments common in CI sectors.
- Government department needing DLP-heavy CASB to PROTECTED: Forcepoint CASB DLP heritage suits PSPF-driven classification workflows; deployed across several federal departments.
- Education and research (Group of Eight, TAFE): Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps Bundled with A5; AARNet-friendly; near-zero added unit cost versus standalone CASB on student populations.
How the cloud access security broker (casb) software market looks in Australia
Australian CASB demand is shaped by three forces. APRA CPS 234 has forced ADIs (CBA, Westpac, ANZ, NAB, Macquarie), insurers (Suncorp, IAG, QBE, Medibank), and superannuation funds to demonstrate information security control over third-party SaaS, which is exactly the CASB job description. SOCI Act 2018 and its 2022 amendments extend similar obligations to 22 critical-infrastructure sectors, including Telstra, Optus, AGL, Origin Energy, ports, and water utilities. ASD Essential Eight maturity targets push agencies and contractors toward visibility tooling that proves what SaaS is in use.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps wins by default at organisations already paying for Microsoft 365 E5 or G5, the dominant licence across Australian federal government, state agencies, and large enterprise. Azure Australia East (Sydney) is the standard region; Azure Australia Central (Canberra) is the sovereign IRAP PROTECTED region used by Defence, Home Affairs, and Services Australia. Netskope is the credible alternative for Aussie shops that want a best-of-breed standalone CASB, with IRAP assessment and dedicated Sydney and Melbourne field teams. Cisco and Forcepoint are channel-led, sold heavily through Data#3, Dimension Data, Telstra Purple, and CyberCX.
Mid-market Australian buyers (200-2,000 staff) often skip CASB and rely on Microsoft 365 native DLP plus an SSE bundle from Zscaler or Netskope. The genuine CASB-required workloads sit at the financial-services and federal end of town, where APRA CPS 230, the ASD ISM, and the Protective Security Policy Framework demand demonstrable shadow-IT discovery, OAuth-app governance, and SaaS-to-SaaS data movement controls.
CASB selection in Australia is driven by IRAP assessment status, data residency, and APRA CPS 234. Federal PROTECTED workloads should require IRAP-assessed status with data resident in Australia, typically Azure Australia Central (Canberra) for Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps or a vendor-confirmed Sydney region. APRA-regulated entities must meet CPS 234 information-security controls and the 2025 CPS 230 operational-resilience obligations, with documented control over material SaaS third parties. SOCI Act 2018 critical-infrastructure entities should map CASB coverage to the Risk Management Program rules. The Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APP 11) require reasonable security steps including monitoring of cloud-app data flows; the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme makes shadow-SaaS discovery a regulator-relevant control after a breach. ASD Essential Eight Maturity Level 2-3 expects controlled administrative privileges and application control extending to cloud apps. OAIC enforcement has sharpened post-Optus and Medibank, with civil penalties under the Privacy Act 1988 now up to A$50m or 30% of adjusted turnover.
Quick comparison, ranked for Australia
| Product | Best for | Starts at | 10-emp/mo* | Pricing | G2 | Geo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps | Any Microsoft 365 E5 or Defender for Cloud Apps standalone buyer | $0 + $0/emp | $0 | 4.4 | Global; Azure datacenters in 60+ regions | |
| 1 Netskope | Mid-market to enterprise consolidating CASB + SSE | Quote | - | 4.4 | Global; NewEdge POPs in 70+ regions; strongest in US, EU, UK, APAC | |
| 5 Cisco Cloudlock | Cisco-anchored customers consolidating onto Cisco Secure Access | Quote | - | 4.2 | Global; strongest in US, EU, UK, APAC; federal via FedRAMP | |
| 3 Forcepoint CASB | Existing Forcepoint multi-product customers, federal and regulated industries | Quote | - | 3.8 | Global; strongest in US federal, EU, UK | |
| 6 Lookout | BYOD-heavy or regulated industries with mobile workforce | Quote | - | 4.1 | Global; strongest in US, EU, UK; federal via FedRAMP | |
| 7 Forcepoint ONE (Bitglass) | Forcepoint ONE buyers preferring agentless reverse-proxy CASB | Quote | - | 4.0 | Global; strongest in US federal, EU, UK | |
| 4 Trellix CASB | Existing Trellix XDR multi-product customers | Quote | - | 3.9 | Global; strongest in US, EU, UK | |
| 9 CyberArk Cloud Access Security | Organizations anchoring on privileged access with CASB as complementary | Quote | - | 4.4 | Global; strongest in US, EU, Israel, UK; federal via FedRAMP | |
| 10 iboss | Mid-market to enterprise wanting one-vendor SSE below Zscaler scale | Quote | - | 4.3 | Global; strongest in US (especially education and federal), EU, UK | |
| 8 Trend Micro Cloud App Security | Existing Trend Vision One customers consolidating XDR + CASB | $0 + $3/emp | $30 | 4.3 | Global; strongest in APAC (Japan, Australia), EU; growing US |
*10-employee monthly cost = base fee + (per-employee × 10) using the lowest published tier. For opaque-pricing vendors, no value is shown.
What buyers in Australia actually pay
Median annual deal size by employee band, in AUD. Crowdsourced from anonymized buyer disclosures.
| Product | Employee band | Median annual (AUD) | Sample | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps | 500-2,000 staff | A$0 | 18 | Bundled in M365 E5/A5/G5; marginal CASB cost A$0 when already on E5 |
| Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps | 500-2,000 staff standalone | A$65,000 | 9 | Standalone MDCA SKU at ~A$5.45/user/month list |
| Netskope | 500-2,000 staff | A$180,000 | 14 | Netskope CASB + SWG bundle, IRAP-assessed |
| Netskope | 2,000-10,000 staff | A$620,000 | 8 | Full SSE platform |
| Cisco Cloudlock | 500-2,000 staff | A$145,000 | 7 | Cloudlock + Umbrella bundle via Data#3 |
| Forcepoint CASB | 1,000-5,000 staff | A$210,000 | 5 | Federal-skewed sample |
| Lookout | 500-2,000 staff | A$125,000 | 4 | Lookout CASB (former Bitglass) limited Aussie footprint |
Australia-built or Australia-strong vendors worth knowing
Not yet ranked in our global top 10, but credible options for Australia buyers and worth a shortlist.
CyberCX
Visit ↗Sydney-headquartered. Largest Australian-owned cyber services firm. Major CASB integrator and managed-service partner for Netskope, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, and Zscaler across federal and APRA-regulated buyers.
Tesserent (Thales)
Visit ↗Melbourne origin, now owned by Thales Australia. Federal-cleared CASB and SSE integrator with PROTECTED-eligible staff.
Macquarie Government
Visit ↗Macquarie Telecom Group. Operates Macquarie Government Cloud (PROTECTED-rated) and integrates CASB controls for federal tenants.
Vault Cloud
Visit ↗Canberra. Sovereign IRAP-assessed cloud often deployed alongside CASB controls for Defence and intelligence community workloads.
Global picks that don't fit here
- ibossLimited Australian footprint; no IRAP assessment as of 2026.
- Trend Micro Cloud App SecurityTrend has strong endpoint Aussie footprint but CASB module rarely sold standalone; Microsoft Defender or Netskope usually wins the bake-off.
All 10, ranked for Australia
Same intelligence as the global ranking, vendor trust, review patterns, verified pricing, compliance, reordered for the Australia market.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
CASB bundled into Microsoft 365 E5; default for Microsoft-anchored buyers.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps (formerly Microsoft Cloud App Security, originally the Adallom acquisition in September 2015 for ~$320M) is the Microsoft-native CASB, included in the Microsoft 365 E5 bundle and tightly integrated with Entra ID, Microsoft Purview (DLP and information protection), and Defender XDR. Best fit for any Microsoft 365 E5-licensed organization where the CASB is effectively pre-paid as part of the bundle, or for hybrid Microsoft-anchored shops standardizing on the Defender XDR stack. Trade-offs: outside the Microsoft licensing envelope the product is materially less compelling than Netskope on pure CASB depth and discovery quality; the deep Microsoft integration is a double-edged sword for non-Microsoft customers (Google Workspace, AWS-native, and Slack-first shops report inferior discovery and policy granularity); per-user pricing as a standalone SKU (outside E5) is high relative to feature parity; and the product roadmap has historically prioritized Microsoft-ecosystem use cases over multi-cloud breadth.
Microsoft 365 E5-licensed organizations (any size) where the CASB is effectively bundled, or Microsoft-anchored shops standardizing on Defender XDR.
Google Workspace-anchored shops, AWS-native cloud-first organizations, Slack-first companies, or buyers needing deepest CASB feature depth (Netskope better).
Strengths
- Included in Microsoft 365 E5 (effectively pre-paid for E5 customers)
- Deepest integration with Entra ID conditional access
- Tight integration with Microsoft Purview DLP and information protection
- Defender XDR cross-signal correlation strong
- Public company financial transparency (NASDAQ:MSFT)
- Global hyperscale via Azure datacenters; no separate SASE POP network needed
- 31,000+ apps catalogued in app catalog (largest in category)
Weaknesses
- Less compelling outside Microsoft 365 E5 licensing envelope
- Non-Microsoft buyers report inferior discovery for Google Workspace, AWS, Slack-first shops
- Standalone SKU pricing high relative to feature parity
- Roadmap historically prioritizes Microsoft-ecosystem use cases
- Policy granularity less rich than Netskope for complex DLP scenarios
- No standalone SSE bundle (CASB is one Defender feature, not an SSE platform)
Pricing tiers
public- Microsoft 365 E5 (bundled)Defender for Cloud Apps included; E5 list price ~$57/user/mo$0+$0 /mo +/emp
- Defender for Cloud Apps standalonePer user; standalone SKU$0+$3.5 /mo +/emp
- Microsoft 365 E5 Security (bundled)Per user; Defender suite add-on for E3 customers$0+$12 /mo +/emp
- · Standalone SKU pricing high vs Netskope for non-E5 buyers
- · Microsoft Purview DLP licensing separate for advanced DLP scenarios
- · API connectors for non-Microsoft SaaS have varying coverage
Key features
- +Cloud-app discovery (31,000+ apps catalogued)
- +API connectors to major SaaS (Microsoft 365, Salesforce, Google Workspace, Slack, AWS, Azure)
- +Inline CASB via Conditional Access App Control
- +Information protection integration (Microsoft Purview)
- +Threat detection with Defender XDR cross-signal
- +OAuth app governance
- +SSPM (SaaS security posture management) for Microsoft 365
- +File scanning and DLP
- +Anomaly detection policies
Netskope
Deepest CASB heritage with full SSE breadth and persistent IPO speculation.
Netskope is the deepest pure-play CASB on the market and arguably the only credible CASB-heritage vendor still operating standalone, founded 2012 by Sanjay Beri (still CEO). The platform spans the full Secure Service Edge stack: CASB, SWG, ZTNA (Netskope Private Access), DLP, RBI, and SD-WAN (acquired Infiot 2022 for the SASE pillar). Netskope reported a $7.5B+ valuation in a 2021 secondary share-sale round and is widely viewed as a likely 2026 or 2027 IPO candidate, with roughly $700M ARR and persistent IPO speculation across 2024-2025. Best fit for mid-market to large enterprise buyers (1,000-50,000+ employees) consolidating multiple security tools onto one SSE platform, particularly those leading with CASB or DLP requirements rather than ZTNA. Trade-offs: pricing is opaque with per-module SKU complexity across CASB, SWG, NPA, and DLP that consistently produces surprise costs at renewal; implementation services are heavy ($50K to $500K is the typical band); the pre-IPO status creates some enterprise-contract caution among buyers who prefer publicly-reported financial transparency; and the ZTNA pillar (NPA) is less mature than Zscaler ZPA.
Mid-market to enterprise buyers (1,000-50,000+ employees) leading with CASB or DLP needs and consolidating multiple cloud-security tools onto one SSE platform.
SMBs under 500 employees (overkill, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps via E5 or iboss cheaper), Microsoft-anchored shops with M365 E5 already paid for, or buyers wanting transparent published pricing.
Strengths
- Deepest CASB heritage in the SSE category (founded 2012 as CASB-first)
- Full SSE breadth (CASB + SWG + ZTNA + DLP + RBI + SD-WAN via Infiot)
- Cloud XD (extended detection) for cloud-app threats
- Strong DLP across cloud, web, email, and private apps
- $7.5B+ secondary valuation 2021; ~$700M ARR with 2026-2027 IPO speculation
- NewEdge global network with 70+ POPs for direct-to-cloud routing
- Strong Gartner Magic Quadrant SSE Leader positioning consistently 2022-2025
Weaknesses
- Pricing opaque; per-module SKU complexity creates surprise costs at renewal
- Implementation services heavy ($50K-$500K typical band)
- Pre-IPO status creates enterprise-contract caution for some buyers
- ZTNA pillar (NPA) less mature than Zscaler ZPA
- Customer support quality reported as variable by tier
- Enterprise-only sales motion painful for under-500-employee buyers
Pricing tiers
opaque- Netskope CASB StandalonePer user; CASB pillar only (rare deal shape in 2026)Quote
- Netskope CorePer user; CASB + SWGQuote
- Netskope AdvancedPer user; adds NPA (ZTNA) + DLPQuote
- Netskope Intelligent SSEFull SSE platformQuote
- Netskope One SASESSE + SD-WAN (Infiot)Quote
- · Per-module pricing across CASB / SWG / NPA / DLP creates surprise costs
- · Annual price increases of 8-15% reported at renewal
- · Implementation services ($50K-$500K typical)
- · Advanced threat protection add-on
- · NewEdge regional POP add-ons in some geographies
Key features
- +CASB inline and API-based (sanctioned and unsanctioned SaaS)
- +Cloud-app discovery (40,000+ apps catalogued)
- +DLP across cloud, web, email, and private apps
- +Cloud XD (extended detection)
- +SWG (secure web gateway)
- +Netskope Private Access (ZTNA)
- +Remote Browser Isolation (RBI)
- +NewEdge global network
- +SD-WAN via Infiot acquisition
- +SSPM (SaaS security posture management)
Cisco Cloudlock
API-based CASB folded into Cisco Secure Access; standalone procurement is rare.
Cisco Cloudlock is the API-based CASB product Cisco acquired in June 2016 for $293M. The product is now folded into Cisco Secure Access (the consolidated Cisco SSE/SASE platform that combines Duo, Umbrella, Secure Connect, and Cloudlock), and standalone Cloudlock procurement is rare in 2026; most buyers receive it as part of the broader Cisco Secure Access bundle. Best fit only for existing Cisco-anchored customers consolidating onto Cisco Secure Access, where the installed-base advantage and bundled pricing make the architecture defensible. Trade-offs: Cloudlock as a standalone CASB is materially less mature than Netskope or Microsoft on inline CASB depth (Cloudlock is primarily API-based, which limits real-time enforcement compared to forward-proxy or reverse-proxy modes); the Cisco Secure Access consolidation has been ongoing since 2023 and the roadmap-clarity questions Cisco buyers raised at that time persist; pricing is opaque and channel-driven; and the per-module SKU complexity inside Cisco Secure Access creates surprise costs.
Cisco-anchored customers consolidating onto Cisco Secure Access; existing Cloudlock customers maintaining investment.
Non-Cisco buyers (Netskope or Microsoft cleaner choices), buyers needing inline CASB depth, or organizations wanting transparent published pricing.
Strengths
- API-based CASB; clean deployment without inline proxy
- Tight integration with Cisco Secure Access platform (Duo + Umbrella + Cloudlock + Secure Connect)
- Cisco installed-base advantage for existing customers
- Public company financial transparency (NASDAQ:CSCO)
- Strong compliance posture (FedRAMP authorized via Cisco platform)
Weaknesses
- Standalone Cloudlock procurement is rare in 2026; folded into Cisco Secure Access
- API-only CASB; inline enforcement modes thinner than Netskope
- Roadmap-clarity questions during Cisco Secure Access consolidation persist
- Pricing opaque and channel-driven
- Per-module SKU complexity inside Cisco Secure Access creates surprise costs
- Net-new sales win rate against Netskope and Microsoft weak
Pricing tiers
opaque- Cisco Cloudlock (standalone)Per user; rare deal shape in 2026Quote
- Cisco Secure Access (bundled)Per user; CASB inside SSE platformQuote
- · Per-module SKU complexity inside Cisco Secure Access
- · Channel-driven pricing creates inconsistent quotes
- · Annual price escalators reported at renewal
- · Implementation services (channel-priced)
Key features
- +API-based CASB for sanctioned SaaS
- +OAuth app governance
- +DLP across cloud apps
- +Threat detection via Talos intelligence
- +Integration with Cisco Duo for identity
- +Integration with Cisco Umbrella for DNS / SWG
- +Cisco XDR integration
- +Compliance reporting
Forcepoint CASB
Legacy Forcepoint CASB now consolidating into Forcepoint ONE under Francisco Partners.
Forcepoint CASB is the legacy Forcepoint cloud-application-security product line, sold separately from the newer Forcepoint ONE platform that absorbed Bitglass (also acquired by Forcepoint in 2021). The parent company has had a turbulent ownership history: Raytheon spun out Forcepoint to Francisco Partners in January 2021 for $1.1B, and Francisco Partners has since consolidated the portfolio under the Forcepoint ONE brand (announced 2022, mostly complete by 2023). The legacy Forcepoint CASB SKU still exists for existing customers but is effectively in maintenance mode; new sales motion is steered toward Forcepoint ONE. Best fit for existing Forcepoint customers maintaining their current investment or running multi-product Forcepoint stacks (NGFW, DLP, CASB, web). Trade-offs: post-PE-acquisition product investment has been cautious, with executive churn and account-team turnover during 2022-2023 cited consistently in buyer feedback; customer-support quality has been reported as inconsistent post-acquisition; pricing is opaque and channel-driven; and the dual-CASB-SKU situation (legacy Forcepoint CASB plus Forcepoint ONE / Bitglass) creates buyer confusion at evaluation.
Existing Forcepoint multi-product customers (NGFW + DLP + CASB + web) maintaining current investment, or federal / regulated buyers leveraging Forcepoint ONE FedRAMP authorization.
Net-new buyers without existing Forcepoint stack (Netskope or Microsoft cleaner choices), Microsoft 365 E5-anchored shops, or buyers wanting transparent published pricing.
Strengths
- Strong DLP heritage integrated with CASB pillar
- Existing Forcepoint customers benefit from bundled multi-product pricing
- Francisco Partners ownership brings PE operational discipline (mixed signal)
- Enterprise-grade compliance posture (FedRAMP-authorized via Forcepoint ONE)
- Strong channel presence in federal and regulated industries
Weaknesses
- Legacy CASB SKU effectively in maintenance mode; sales motion steered to Forcepoint ONE
- Post-Francisco Partners acquisition executive churn 2022-2023
- Customer-support quality reported as inconsistent post-acquisition
- Pricing opaque and channel-driven (no published rates)
- Dual-CASB-SKU situation (legacy + Forcepoint ONE / Bitglass) confuses buyers
- Net-new sales win rate against Netskope and Microsoft reported as weak
Pricing tiers
opaque- Forcepoint CASB (legacy)Per user; legacy SKU, maintenance modeQuote
- Forcepoint ONE CASBPer user; new platform consolidationQuote
- Forcepoint ONE bundleCASB + SWG + ZTNA on Forcepoint ONEQuote
- · Channel-driven pricing creates inconsistent quotes
- · Migration from legacy CASB to Forcepoint ONE requires professional services
- · Annual price escalators reported at renewal
- · Implementation services (channel-priced)
Key features
- +Cloud-app discovery (sanctioned and unsanctioned)
- +Inline CASB via reverse-proxy and forward-proxy modes
- +API-based CASB for sanctioned SaaS
- +DLP integrated with Forcepoint Data Security
- +Risk-adaptive protection
- +OAuth app governance
- +Compliance reporting (HIPAA, PCI, GDPR)
Lookout
Mobile + endpoint heritage with CASB inherited from CipherCloud merger.
Lookout is the mobile-threat-defense and endpoint-security company founded 2007 by John Hering (originally focused on mobile security). The CASB pillar entered the portfolio through the CipherCloud merger in March 2021, which folded a CASB and ZTNA product family into Lookout. Lookout raised a Series E led by Andreessen Horowitz in March 2021 (the same period as the CipherCloud merger) at a valuation reported in the $1B+ range. The company has historically positioned itself as the mobile-and-endpoint-first security vendor, with CASB and ZTNA inherited rather than originated. Best fit for organizations needing mobile-threat defense plus CASB in one vendor (a common use case for BYOD-heavy or regulated industries with mobile workforce). Trade-offs: CASB depth is the inherited rather than originating strength; the CipherCloud integration into Lookout SSE has been ongoing since 2021 with some product-cohesion questions; standalone CASB feature parity with Netskope is thin; customer-support quality reported as inconsistent; and pricing is opaque.
Organizations (500-25,000 employees) needing mobile-threat defense plus CASB in one vendor, especially BYOD-heavy or regulated industries with mobile workforce.
Pure CASB buyers without mobile-threat use case (Netskope better), Microsoft 365 E5-anchored shops, or buyers wanting transparent published pricing.
Strengths
- Mobile-threat-defense + CASB combination unique in market
- Strong endpoint posture for BYOD-heavy workforces
- Series E backing from Andreessen Horowitz and others ($1B+ valuation 2021)
- Lookout SSE platform covers mobile + CASB + ZTNA + DLP
- Strong compliance posture (FedRAMP authorized)
Weaknesses
- CASB depth inherited from CipherCloud rather than originated
- CipherCloud integration into Lookout SSE has product-cohesion questions
- Standalone CASB feature parity with Netskope thin
- Customer-support quality reported as inconsistent
- Pricing opaque (no published rates)
- Brand recognition stronger in mobile than CASB
Pricing tiers
opaque- Lookout Mobile Endpoint SecurityPer user; mobile threat defenseQuote
- Lookout SSECASB + SWG + ZTNA + DLPQuote
- Lookout SSE + MTD bundleMobile + SSE combinedQuote
- · Per-module SKU complexity
- · Annual price escalators reported at renewal
- · Implementation services
Key features
- +Mobile-threat defense (MTD)
- +CASB inline and API-based
- +Cloud-app discovery
- +DLP across cloud and mobile
- +ZTNA module
- +Phishing protection (Lookout heritage)
- +Compliance reporting
- +Threat intelligence from Lookout Security Cloud
Forcepoint ONE (Bitglass)
Bitglass CASB folded into Forcepoint ONE under Francisco Partners; the modern Forcepoint CASB SKU.
Bitglass was an independent CASB founded 2013 by Anurag Kahol that built a strong reputation for reverse-proxy-based agentless CASB deployments before being acquired by Forcepoint in October 2021. Forcepoint folded the Bitglass technology into the Forcepoint ONE SSE platform in 2022-2023, and today the modern Forcepoint CASB is effectively the Bitglass technology under the Forcepoint ONE brand. This creates a dual-SKU situation alongside legacy Forcepoint CASB. Forcepoint ONE delivers CASB, SWG, and ZTNA on a unified cloud platform with a single management plane. Best fit for net-new Forcepoint buyers preferring agentless reverse-proxy CASB or for existing Bitglass customers who migrated to Forcepoint ONE. Trade-offs: the Forcepoint ONE consolidation has been steady but not without friction; reverse-proxy CASB deployments have known compatibility issues with some SaaS vendors (Microsoft 365 modern auth and Google Workspace OAuth flows have historically required workarounds); post-Francisco Partners ownership has continued the cautious investment pattern; customer-support quality reported as inconsistent; and the dual-SKU situation with legacy Forcepoint CASB creates buyer confusion.
Forcepoint buyers preferring agentless reverse-proxy CASB for BYOD or unmanaged-device fleets, or existing Bitglass customers who migrated to Forcepoint ONE.
Microsoft 365-anchored shops with modern auth requirements (compatibility friction), buyers wanting transparent published pricing, or organizations sensitive to PE-ownership turbulence.
Strengths
- Agentless reverse-proxy CASB (Bitglass heritage); strong for BYOD and unmanaged devices
- Forcepoint ONE unified SSE platform (CASB + SWG + ZTNA)
- FedRAMP authorization (federal procurement gate cleared)
- Cleaner SaaS UX than legacy Forcepoint CASB SKU
- Existing Bitglass customers retain technology investment
Weaknesses
- Reverse-proxy compatibility issues with some SaaS (Microsoft 365 modern auth, Google OAuth)
- Dual-SKU situation with legacy Forcepoint CASB confuses buyers
- Post-Francisco Partners cautious investment continues
- Customer-support quality reported as inconsistent
- Pricing opaque and channel-driven
- Net-new sales win rate against Netskope and Microsoft mixed
Pricing tiers
opaque- Forcepoint ONE CASBPer user; CASB module on Forcepoint ONEQuote
- Forcepoint ONE bundleCASB + SWG + ZTNA on Forcepoint ONEQuote
- · Channel-driven pricing creates inconsistent quotes
- · Reverse-proxy compatibility workarounds may require professional services
- · Annual price escalators reported at renewal
- · Implementation services (channel-priced)
Key features
- +Agentless reverse-proxy CASB (Bitglass heritage)
- +API-based CASB for sanctioned SaaS
- +Cloud-app discovery
- +DLP across cloud and web
- +Forcepoint ONE unified SSE management
- +ZTNA module on same platform
- +SWG module on same platform
- +Compliance reporting (HIPAA, PCI, GDPR)
Trellix CASB
McAfee Enterprise + FireEye merger product line under STG with persistent roadmap-clarity questions.
Trellix CASB is the cloud-access-security-broker line inherited from the McAfee MVISION Cloud product (originally Skyhigh Networks, acquired by McAfee in January 2018 for ~$400M). Trellix as a company was formed in January 2022 when private-equity firm Symphony Technology Group (STG) merged the McAfee Enterprise business and FireEye into a single entity. STG had acquired McAfee Enterprise for ~$4B in March 2021 and FireEye Products in October 2021 for ~$1.2B. Critically, STG later spun the cloud-security business (including the former Skyhigh CASB) out as a separate entity called Skyhigh Security in March 2022, which created two CASB SKUs in market under STG ownership: Trellix CASB (the XDR-anchored CASB) and Skyhigh Security CASB (the standalone). For buyers this creates significant confusion. Best fit only for existing Trellix XDR customers running multi-product Trellix stacks. Trade-offs: post-merger product investment under STG has been cautious with persistent roadmap-clarity questions; the Trellix / Skyhigh split confused the buying motion; executive churn since 2022 has been heavy; customer-support quality reported as variable; and net-new CASB sales win rate against Netskope is weak.
Existing Trellix XDR multi-product customers maintaining their stack, or buyers wanting CASB tightly coupled with XDR cross-signal.
Net-new CASB buyers without existing Trellix investment (Netskope or Microsoft cleaner), buyers seeking clear product-line roadmap, or organizations sensitive to PE-ownership turbulence.
Strengths
- Strong XDR cross-signal integration (Trellix XDR)
- Heritage from Skyhigh / MVISION Cloud (legitimately deep CASB roots)
- Existing McAfee MVISION customers retain investment value
- Enterprise-grade compliance posture
- STG operational discipline (mixed signal at best)
Weaknesses
- Trellix / Skyhigh CASB split since March 2022 confuses buyers
- Post-STG-merger product investment cautious; roadmap clarity questions persist
- Heavy executive churn 2022-2024 post-merger
- Net-new CASB sales win rate against Netskope reported as weak
- Customer-support quality variable by region
- Pricing opaque and channel-driven
Pricing tiers
opaque- Trellix CASB (XDR-bundled)Per user; bundled with Trellix XDRQuote
- Trellix Cloud SuiteCASB + DLP + cloud workload protectionQuote
- · Channel-driven pricing creates inconsistent quotes
- · Confusion with Skyhigh Security CASB (separate STG portfolio entity)
- · Annual price escalators reported at renewal
- · Implementation services
Key features
- +Cloud-app discovery
- +API-based CASB for sanctioned SaaS
- +Inline CASB via forward-proxy
- +DLP across cloud and endpoint
- +Trellix XDR cross-signal correlation
- +OAuth app governance
- +Compliance reporting
- +Threat intelligence from Trellix Advanced Research
CyberArk Cloud Access Security
PAM-anchored cloud access via Conjur and SecureWeb; narrower CASB feature set.
CyberArk Cloud Access Security is the cloud-application-access pillar in CyberArk's broader identity security platform, anchored on the privileged-access management (PAM) heritage that defined the company since 1999. The approach is different from traditional CASB: rather than discovery-and-control-first, CyberArk approaches cloud access from the identity-secrets and PAM angle, leveraging Conjur (secrets management) and CyberArk SecureWeb (the browser-based privileged access component). CyberArk is public on NASDAQ:CYBR and reported ~$960M revenue FY24 with strong growth. Best fit for organizations where privileged access is the anchor security control and CASB is a complementary pillar, not the primary procurement. Trade-offs: the CASB feature set is materially narrower than Netskope or Microsoft on traditional CASB use cases (sanctioned SaaS discovery, inline DLP, cloud-app threat protection); the product is most valuable when paired with the broader CyberArk identity platform (PAM + Conjur + Workforce Identity); standalone CASB procurement is rare; and the per-module SKU complexity inside the CyberArk Identity Security Platform creates surprise costs.
Organizations where privileged access is the anchor security control and CASB is a complementary pillar; existing CyberArk PAM customers extending into cloud-app access.
Pure CASB buyers without PAM use case (Netskope or Microsoft better), buyers wanting traditional CASB feature depth, or organizations on a tight CASB-only budget.
Strengths
- PAM heritage strongest in market (CyberArk is the PAM leader)
- Identity-secrets approach (Conjur) integrates with cloud workloads
- CyberArk SecureWeb provides browser-isolation for privileged access
- Public company financial transparency (NASDAQ:CYBR; ~$960M revenue FY24)
- Strong compliance posture (FedRAMP authorized)
Weaknesses
- CASB feature set narrower than Netskope and Microsoft on traditional use cases
- Most valuable when paired with broader CyberArk identity platform
- Standalone CASB procurement is rare
- Per-module SKU complexity inside Identity Security Platform creates surprise costs
- Brand recognition stronger in PAM than CASB
- Implementation services heavy for full identity-security stack
Pricing tiers
opaque- CyberArk Cloud Access SecurityPer user; cloud-access moduleQuote
- CyberArk SecureWebPer user; browser-isolationQuote
- CyberArk Identity Security PlatformFull stack: PAM + Conjur + Cloud AccessQuote
- · Per-module SKU complexity
- · Annual price escalators reported at renewal
- · Implementation services heavy ($50K-$500K typical)
Key features
- +Cloud-app access control via PAM heritage
- +Conjur secrets management for cloud workloads
- +CyberArk SecureWeb browser-isolation
- +Identity-secrets integration
- +Compliance reporting
- +Integration with CyberArk PAM
- +Just-in-time access for cloud apps
- +Audit logging across cloud-app sessions
iboss
Zero-trust cloud platform with CASB module; one-vendor SSE for buyers below Zscaler scale.
iboss is the zero-trust cloud security platform founded 2003 by Paul Martini (still CEO) that ships CASB as one module alongside SWG, ZTNA, and DLP on a single containerized cloud platform. The company has positioned itself as a one-vendor SSE for mid-market and enterprise buyers who want the architecture without the price and complexity of Zscaler or Netskope. iboss claims a "Zero Trust SSE" architecture with patented containerized cloud-gateway technology. Best fit for organizations (1,000-25,000 employees) wanting one-vendor SSE consolidation below the Zscaler scale tier, particularly in education, federal, and regulated industries where iboss has historic strength. Trade-offs: brand recognition is materially lower than Zscaler, Netskope, or Microsoft; the CASB feature depth is narrower than category leaders; customer-support quality reported as inconsistent post-scale-up; pricing is opaque (no published rates); and the company is private with limited financial transparency.
Mid-market to enterprise (1,000-25,000 employees) wanting one-vendor SSE consolidation below Zscaler scale; education, federal, and regulated industries.
Global enterprises requiring proven hyperscale (Zscaler better), buyers needing deepest CASB depth (Netskope better), or Microsoft 365 E5-anchored shops.
Strengths
- One-vendor SSE consolidation (CASB + SWG + ZTNA + DLP)
- Patented containerized cloud-gateway architecture
- Strong in education, federal, and regulated industries
- Reasonable pricing relative to Zscaler / Netskope for mid-market
- FedRAMP authorized (federal procurement gate cleared)
Weaknesses
- Brand recognition lower than Zscaler, Netskope, Microsoft
- CASB feature depth narrower than category leaders
- Customer-support quality reported as inconsistent post-scale-up
- Pricing opaque (no published rates)
- Private company with limited financial transparency
- Net-new sales win rate against Zscaler / Netskope mixed
Pricing tiers
opaque- iboss Zero Trust SSE CorePer user; SWG + CASBQuote
- iboss Zero Trust SSE AdvancedPer user; adds ZTNA + DLPQuote
- iboss Zero Trust SSE EnterpriseFull SSE platformQuote
- · Per-module SKU complexity
- · Annual price escalators reported at renewal
- · Implementation services ($25K-$200K typical)
Key features
- +CASB inline and API-based
- +Cloud-app discovery
- +SWG (secure web gateway)
- +ZTNA module
- +DLP across cloud and web
- +Patented containerized cloud-gateway
- +Compliance reporting (FedRAMP, HIPAA, PCI)
- +Threat intelligence from iboss Security Cloud
Trend Micro Cloud App Security
CASB bundled inside Trend Vision One; sensible for existing Trend customers.
Trend Micro Cloud App Security is the CASB pillar bundled inside Trend Vision One (the consolidated Trend Micro XDR and platform offering). Trend Micro is a public company (TSE: 4704) founded 1988 with global presence and longstanding XDR / endpoint heritage. The CASB module covers API-based protection for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Box, Dropbox, and Salesforce, with focus on threat detection (phishing, ransomware, business email compromise) rather than deep DLP or compliance-CASB use cases. Best fit for existing Trend Vision One customers consolidating XDR + CASB in one vendor, particularly Microsoft 365-anchored shops where API-based protection is the primary use case. Trade-offs: standalone CASB feature depth lags Netskope and Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps; the CASB is primarily API-based with limited inline enforcement capabilities; the Trend Vision One platform consolidation has been ongoing with periodic UX cohesion questions; and the product is most compelling as a bundled module rather than a standalone CASB purchase.
Existing Trend Vision One customers consolidating XDR + CASB in one vendor, particularly Microsoft 365-anchored shops with API-based protection as primary use case.
Pure CASB buyers without Trend XDR investment (Netskope or Microsoft better), buyers needing deep DLP or inline CASB enforcement.
Strengths
- Bundled inside Trend Vision One platform; consolidation value for Trend customers
- Strong threat-detection heritage (phishing, ransomware, BEC)
- Public company financial transparency (TSE: 4704)
- Global presence with strong APAC (Japan, Australia) and EU footprint
- Reasonable pricing relative to Netskope for bundled customers
Weaknesses
- Standalone CASB feature depth lags Netskope and Microsoft
- Primarily API-based; inline enforcement thin
- Trend Vision One UX cohesion questions persist
- Most compelling as bundled module, not standalone CASB
- Brand recognition stronger in endpoint / XDR than CASB
- Net-new CASB sales win rate against Netskope and Microsoft weak
Pricing tiers
partial- Trend Micro Cloud App Security (standalone)Per user/mo approximate; standalone SKU$0+$3 /mo +/emp
- Trend Vision One Cloud SecurityCASB bundled with cloud workload protectionQuote
- Trend Vision One platformCASB + XDR + EDR + cloudQuote
- · Trend Vision One per-module SKU complexity
- · Annual price escalators reported at renewal
- · Implementation services for complex deployments
Key features
- +API-based CASB for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Box, Dropbox, Salesforce
- +Threat detection (phishing, ransomware, BEC)
- +DLP basic
- +OAuth app governance
- +Compliance reporting
- +Integration with Trend Vision One XDR
- +Sandboxing via Trend Smart Protection Network
- +Cloud-storage scanning
Frequently asked questions
The questions buyers actually ask before they sign.
Does Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps hold IRAP PROTECTED status in Australia?
Which CASB do APRA-regulated entities most commonly choose in Australia?
How does SOCI Act 2018 affect CASB selection for critical-infrastructure operators?
Do Australian buyers need data residency in Australia for CASB metadata?
What is the difference between CASB, SASE, and SSE?
How did the Forcepoint and Bitglass consolidation play out?
What is the trajectory for Trellix CASB under Symphony Technology Group?
When does Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps make sense vs Netskope?
What pricing models are common in CASB?
How much should I budget for CASB?
What is shadow IT and how does CASB address it?
Do I need both inline CASB and API-based CASB?
Is FedRAMP authorization required for federal procurement?
How do CASB platforms integrate with identity providers (Okta, Entra)?
Final word
Looking at a different market? See the global Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) Software ranking, or pick another country at the top of this page.
Last updated 2026-05-24. Local pricing reverified quarterly. Found something inaccurate? Tell us.