Check Point vs Mimecast: What are the differences?

Introduction

Check Point and Mimecast are two widely used cybersecurity solutions that provide various services and features. While Check Point focuses on network security and threat prevention, Mimecast specializes in email security and management. Here are the key differences between Check Point and Mimecast:

1. Scope of Services: Check Point offers a comprehensive suite of security solutions and services that cover network security, endpoint security, cloud security, and mobile security. Mimecast, on the other hand, primarily focuses on email security, archiving, and continuity services. While both provide threat prevention, their main areas of expertise differ.

2. Primary Focus: Check Point's primary focus is on preventing security breaches and mitigating threats across multiple levels of the network infrastructure. Their solutions include firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), anti-malware, and advanced threat prevention. Mimecast, on the other hand, places a significant emphasis on protecting organizations from email-based threats such as phishing attacks, spam, and email-borne malware.

3. Deployment and Integration: Check Point solutions are designed for on-premises deployment and can be integrated with existing network infrastructure seamlessly. They provide a wide range of hardware and software appliances that can be tailored to meet specific security requirements. Mimecast, on the other hand, is a cloud-based solution that offers easy integration with popular email platforms. It requires minimal hardware installation and can be quickly deployed across the organization.

4. Archiving and Continuity: Mimecast offers advanced email archiving and continuity services, helping organizations store and retrieve emails securely for compliance and legal purposes. These services ensure that businesses can access their emails even during email server outages or other disruptions. Check Point does not offer specific archiving and continuity solutions focused solely on emails.

5. Data Loss Prevention: Check Point provides robust data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities as part of their network security solutions. DLP helps organizations protect sensitive data from being leaked or misused, both inside and outside the network perimeter. Although Mimecast offers basic DLP features to prevent accidental data leakage via emails, it does not provide the same level of comprehensive DLP functionality as Check Point.

6. Threat Intelligence and Research: Check Point has a dedicated research team that continuously analyzes emerging threats and develops proactive security measures. They regularly release threat intelligence reports and provide recommendations to customers to enhance their security posture. Mimecast, although focused on email security, does not offer the same level of threat intelligence research and analysis as Check Point.

In summary, Check Point offers a comprehensive range of security solutions with a primary focus on network security, threat prevention, and data loss prevention. Mimecast specializes in email security, archiving, and continuity services, with an easy-to-deploy cloud-based solution that integrates well with popular email platforms.