Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) Reviews & Product Details

Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly FTDv/NGFWv) is a comprehensive security solution designed to protect virtualized environments across private and public clouds. It integrates Cisco's proven network firewall capabilities with advanced threat defense features, including Snort Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), URL filtering, and malware defense. This virtualized firewall ensures consistent security policies and deep visibility into network traffic, enabling organizations to detect and mitigate threats before they impact operations. Key Features and Functionality: - Advanced Threat Defense: Combines network firewall with Snort IPS, URL filtering, and malware defense to protect against known and emerging threats. - Consistent Security Policies: Maintains uniform security policies across physical, private, and public cloud environments, ensuring seamless protection as workloads move. - Deep Network Visibility: Provides comprehensive insights into network traffic, allowing for quick detection of threat origins and activities. - Automated Risk Ranking: Prioritizes threats with automated risk rankings and impact flags, enabling efficient resource allocation to critical events. - License Portability: Offers flexibility to move from on-premises private clouds to public clouds while maintaining consistent policies and unified management. - Centralized Management: Utilizes Cisco Smart Software Licensing for easy deployment, management, and tracking of virtual firewall instances. Primary Value and User Solutions: Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual addresses the need for robust security in dynamic, virtualized environments. By providing consistent security policies and deep visibility across various cloud platforms, it simplifies threat protection and management. Organizations benefit from automated threat prioritization, flexible deployment options, and centralized control, ensuring efficient and effective defense against a wide range of cyber threats. This solution is particularly valuable for businesses undergoing data center consolidation, office relocations, mergers, acquisitions, or experiencing fluctuating application demands, as it offers the agility and scalability required to adapt to changing security needs.

Seller

Cisco

Discussions

Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) Community

Solution Type

All-in-One

Overview by

Sofia Fanelli

Value at a Glance

Averages based on real user reviews.

Time to Implement

3 months

Return on Investment

20 months

View More Pricing Information

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User Insights

Average based on 93 real user reviews.

Implementation Time

3 months

Perceived Cost

$$$$$

Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) Reviews FAQs

Generated using AI

Last updated: Nov 01, 2026

What is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv), and what problem is it built to solve?

Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual is used as a virtual firewall to protect cloud, data-center, and other network environments. It helps teams control network access and traffic while defending against threats.

What company sizes and industries is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) the best fit for?

It appears best suited to mid-market and enterprise environments, with positive use also represented in several security-sensitive and network-focused industries.

Company size: Mid-market and enterprise organizations are the most represented segments.
Industries: Information technology and networking, higher education, financial services, healthcare, and telecommunications are recurring areas of use.

How long does it take to implement Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) across a team?

Reported implementation times most often fall under one month, though deployments can take longer depending on the environment and rollout. The other reported ranges include:

Time to go live	Relative frequency
Under one month	Most common
One to three months	Also reported
Three to six months	Also reported
Six months or longer	Less common

What customer support options does Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) provide, and how do users find the overall support experience?

The support experience is often described as knowledgeable and helpful, particularly when technical assistance is needed. Users also value access to Cisco support, though resolving a complex issue can take time.

Is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) considered safe and secure for handling data?

Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual is used to protect network traffic and sensitive information, with users describing it as effective at blocking malicious activity and controlling access. Some deployments also encounter false positives or gaps in traffic visibility, so teams should assess how well its monitoring and threat controls match their security needs.

G2 reviews are authentic and verified.

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Mohammad S.

Senior Network Engineer

Hospital & Health Care

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

12/9/2017

"Good but behind the times"

3.5/5

What do you like best about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

Very consistent look and feel across all versions Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

Behind the times as a next generation firewall. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv):

I would highly recommend looking at other vendors like Palo Alto Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) solving and how is that benefiting you?

Not as good as Palo alto firewalls. Lacking in deep packet inspection and analytics. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Telecommunications

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

1/29/2018

"Cisco is filling the gap on NGFW"

5/5

What do you like best about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

Olistic view of security is helping my customers in reducing operational expenses using automation on managing new risks Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

required an unified management that seem will arrive soon Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv):

don't look just at the throughput. have a look on the new management and threat intel features. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) solving and how is that benefiting you?

reducing time to detection and time to mitigation Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Richard B.

Professional Services Engineer

Computer & Network Security

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

4/26/2017

"A workhorse firewall with a long legacy"

3/5

What do you like best about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

I went to school for networking, and my curriculum was very heavy on cisco routers and switches. The fact that they use the same (or similar) syntax in the firewalls allows for a those with cisco router and switch experience to transition easily. However, what I like most about the product is the simple command line configuration that I can script ahead of time. Other firewalls such as fortinet or palo alto are a pain to configure from the command line. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

I dislike the lack of troubleshooting capabilities for routing. On a cisco router you can do "sh ip route " and see the exact route that the address is taking. On the cisco pix and ASA you have to do sh route | include and hack off octets until you find one that MIGHT match. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv):

If you have a strong background in cisco devices, Cisco Firewalls are the way to go. However, if you are looking for something that performs excellent layer 7 firewalling, I'd suggest a Palo Alto over any of the cisco layer 7 firewalls. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) solving and how is that benefiting you?

As an MSSP, our customers prefer Cisco firewalls because of their long legacy as a stable and capable firewall platform. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Alfred T.

Sr. Network Engineer

Information Technology and Services

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

1/17/2017

"Cisco ASA"

4/5

What do you like best about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

The Cisco ASA series FW is quite versatile and supports a plethora of features that's suitable for small to very large deployments. I particularly like the ability to deploy SSLVPN termination on the same FW device.

The GUI wizards are definitely quite useful for the beginner as jumping into the CLI to implement IPSEC VPN tunnels could be challenging for few.

I also quite enjoy the debugging capabilities any Cisco device has as you should be able to troubleshoot majority of the problems from the debug logs.

The ASA platform has recently incorporated Snort capabilities and Firepower. I look forward to using that a good threat defense. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

The JAVA ASDM GUI is one of its major weaknesses. Nobody runs java apps anymore, yet their main GUI management is still stuck on that platform. The main interface also has not improved much since the beginning. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv):

You can start off using the ASA by configuring it in ASDM. However, I would recommend learning to use the CLI interface in order to know the ins and outs of the device. Use the ASDM only as a supplementary to make quick changes. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) solving and how is that benefiting you?

The Cisco ASA serves as a main access filter from the internet as well as IPSec and SSLVPN termination. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Dale C.

Network Administrator

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

11/29/2016

"Cisco ASA5525 firewall and IPS"

4.5/5

What do you like best about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

More functions than I can use but fairly simple to maintain, manage and monitor external traffic. We also use the Intrusion Prevention module. Both provide very granular configuration. We did get a 3rd party partner to do the initial install which I recommend. We have blocked many threats and were able to verify our internal data assets were safe. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

Not really a dislike but it is a complicated system which makes sense for the amount of control provided over internet traffic monitoring and filtering. Unless you know the system well, I strongly recommend help with the initial install as incorrect settings can either shut you down or leave you open to threats. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv):

Cisco is not the cheapest solution but is a solid vendor with a long history in this area. They have a broad range of network products and can work with you for a solution to issues 24/7. Definitely a case of getting what you pay for with this product. It is rock solid and secure. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) solving and how is that benefiting you?

Foremost securing our internal systems from outside threats is the primary reason for the firewall. Cisco is well established so we have a resource for support and know they will be around for the long run. Having Cisco network equipment internally helps with one platform/vendor for support. We are able to protect our data and know of attacks. Monitoring also gives us the ability to look for other issues with traffic. We use Cisco Anyconnect VPN which integrates easily with the ASA5525. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Donald S.

Director of Technology Services

Farming

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

11/22/2016

"A Solid Solution"

3.5/5

What do you like best about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

Cisco has been in the security arena for a long time, and continue to improve and perfect their firewalls since their early PIX days. Their VPNs are rock solid and easy to manage. They have 24/7/365 support that can be extremely helpful if you escalate properly. The introduction of the FirePower platform only makes the solution better with much improved IDS/IPS capabilities. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

The add-on software features tended to be much less stellar that the firewall platform itself. I've had varied results in running any of their add-on modules and tend to use the firewall as a firewall, and not a multi-purpose device. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv):

Though the platform is changing, I still view the ASA as an extremely solid and reliable firewall and not a multi-purpose device. In my opinion, I believe that it's one of the best pure firewalls on the market, though if you're looking for an all-in-one security device for a small or medium business, you may want to compare it to other options. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) solving and how is that benefiting you?

The goal of our most recent implementation of our ASA with FirePower services was to upgrade an aging ASA unit that provided network security and VPN access. The transition to the new firewall wasn't a huge learning curve in regard to support. There wasn't a huge boost in features with this implementation, though we're reaping some of the benefits in increased threat protection. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Richard M.

Network Services Engineer

Information Technology and Services

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

1/31/2017

"Cisco is Cisco"

2.5/5

What do you like best about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

Pretty much the industry standard. Always adding features prices have come down. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

Very difficult to get them setup if you don't know what you are doing. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv):

If you don't need a Cisco only feature, look around at other options. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) solving and how is that benefiting you?

You can get a product that does just as good and easier to get setup for a lot less. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Research

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

2/14/2017

"Easy to use!"

3.5/5

What do you like best about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

I recently started using this. What I like best is that it works decently even at low internet speeds. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

I use it regularly and it's been very smooth so far. No reason to dislike anything so far. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Information Technology and Services

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

7/25/2016

"Solid product, cumbersome interface"

4/5

What do you like best about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

Robust hardware. Best in business warranty and support (with smartnet). Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

Not coming from a Cisco background and having to learn the ASDM interface. I've found it a little challenging and cumbersome at times. Had an issue a few months back where the primary/secondary units were not syncing correctly and it took Cisco support a few weeks to get the issue resolved (it ended up being a bug in the version we were running). I feel like the IDS interface could use a makeover. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv):

The newer Cisco firewalls with Sourcefire are the best in the industry. The firewalls we are using (ASA-5510) are great hardware with some reservations on the GUI. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) solving and how is that benefiting you?

We keep firewalls extremely locked down to keep us safe from the outside as much as possible (which poses some other issues). For our needs, the firewalls are rock solid and require very little maintenance other than software upgrades. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Nikki R.

Tutor

Health, Wellness and Fitness

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4/19/2016

"Our Company's Experience with Cisco ASA"

4/5

What do you like best about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

I work at a hospital and our patient information obviously needs to be very secure. Cisco ASA has given our company the ability to use a multitude of devices to access patient information without fear of our information being accessed by others. The support team is absolutely amazing as well which is great, as we are not a tech company. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv)?

As with many types of software, the disadvantage is the price. Fortunately, we are a large hospital and it is very important for our system to be secure, so Cisco ASA is worth it for us. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv):

This software is great if you need a secure firewall that operates on a multitude of devices. One thing to keep in mind is the price, as it is probably better suited to large companies. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is Cisco Secure Firewall Threat Defense Virtual (formerly NGFWv) solving and how is that benefiting you?

We are solving the constantly-evolving problem of keeping patient information secure while still allowing individuals within the hospital to access this information as it is required for patient care. Currently, healthcare workers access patient files from desktops, laptops, and iPads, and Cisco ASA has worked perfectly on all of them. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.