Prisma Cloud

Basic Information

• Model: Prisma Cloud (Enterprise Edition, Compute Edition)
• Version: Continuously updated cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP)
• Release Date: No single release date; the platform has evolved through continuous development and strategic acquisitions (e.g., Twistlock, PureSec) to offer comprehensive cloud security.
• Minimum Requirements: Varies significantly by deployment size and edition. Refer to Technical Requirements for specifics.
• Supported Operating Systems:
  • Prisma Cloud Console (Self-Hosted Compute Edition): Supported Linux operating systems on x86_64 architecture (e.g., Amazon Linux 2, various kernel versions).
  • Prisma Cloud Defender: Broad support for Linux host operating systems on x86_64 and ARM64 architectures, including various Docker Engine versions.
• Latest Stable Version: As a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, Prisma Cloud operates on a continuous delivery model, meaning it is always on the latest stable version through automatic updates.
• End of Support Date: Not applicable in the traditional sense for a continuously updated SaaS platform. Support is ongoing as long as the service is subscribed.
• End of Life Date: Not applicable for the active SaaS platform.
• Auto-update Expiration Date: Not applicable; updates are continuous and automatic for the SaaS offering.
• License Type: Credit-based licensing model, where customers purchase credits for either Prisma Cloud Enterprise Edition or Prisma Cloud Compute Edition to consume various modules.
• Deployment Model:
  • SaaS: Prisma Cloud Enterprise Edition (hosted by Palo Alto Networks).
  • Self-Hosted: Prisma Cloud Compute Edition (deployed and managed by the customer in their environment).

Technical Requirements

• RAM:
  • Prisma Cloud Console (x86_64): Minimum 2GB (for less than 1,000 Defenders without registry scanning), scaling up to 50GB+ for environments with over 20,000 Defenders.
  • Prisma Cloud Defender: 256MB; 2GB for Defenders providing registry scanning.
• Processor:
  • Prisma Cloud Console (x86_64): Minimum 2 cores (for less than 1,000 Defenders), scaling up to 16+ vCPUs for environments with over 20,000 Defenders.
  • Prisma Cloud Defender: 2 CPU cores for Defenders providing registry scanning.
• Storage:
  • Prisma Cloud Console (x86_64): 500GB SSD persistent storage for large deployments (e.g., 20,000 Defenders).
  • Prisma Cloud Defender: 8GB of host storage; 20GB for Defenders providing registry scanning. For CI integrations, disk space is 1.5 times the size of the largest image to be scanned, per executor.
• Display: Web-based console, requiring standard display capabilities for web browser access.
• Ports: Standard network ports for web access (HTTPS) and API communication between components (Console, Defenders, cloud APIs). Specific NAT gateway addresses are used for inbound and egress access.
• Operating System:
  • Prisma Cloud Console: Supported Linux distributions (x86_64) for the containerized console.
  • Prisma Cloud Defender: Various Linux distributions (x86_64 and ARM64) for bare-metal hosts and virtual machines, and supported Docker Engine versions.

Analysis of Technical Requirements: Prisma Cloud's technical requirements are highly scalable and depend on the deployment model (SaaS vs. self-hosted) and the number of monitored assets (Defenders). The self-hosted Compute Edition requires significant resources for the Console in large environments, particularly concerning RAM and CPU, which directly correlate with the number of connected Defenders. Defender requirements are relatively modest but increase for specialized functions like registry scanning or CI integrations. The platform is designed for cloud-native environments, emphasizing Linux-based systems and containerization.

Support & Compatibility

• Latest Version: Continuous updates are applied automatically for the SaaS Enterprise Edition, ensuring users always operate on the latest version. Self-hosted Compute Edition updates are managed by the customer.
• OS Support: Extensive support for various Linux distributions (x86_64 and ARM64) for hosts and VMs, and compatibility with Docker Engine versions.
• Cloud Platform Support: Comprehensive compatibility with major cloud providers including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), and Alibaba Cloud.
• End of Support Date: Not applicable for the SaaS offering due to continuous updates. For self-hosted components, support aligns with Palo Alto Networks' product lifecycle policies, typically tied to specific software releases.
• Localization: Documentation and UI are primarily in English. While specific localization details are not extensively documented, Palo Alto Networks operates globally.
• Available Drivers: Not applicable as Prisma Cloud is a software platform. It utilizes agents (Defenders) for workload protection and API integrations for cloud posture management.

Analysis of Overall Support & Compatibility Status: Prisma Cloud offers robust support and compatibility, particularly with leading public cloud providers and a wide array of Linux operating systems. Its continuous update model for the SaaS Enterprise Edition ensures users benefit from the latest features and security patches without manual intervention. The platform's design, leveraging APIs and agents, provides deep integration into diverse cloud environments. This broad compatibility and continuous support are critical for organizations operating in multi-cloud and hybrid cloud landscapes.

Security Status

• Security Features:
  • Comprehensive Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) covering code-to-cloud security.
  • Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) for visibility, compliance, and configuration assessment.
  • Cloud Workload Protection (CWP) for hosts, containers, and serverless functions, including vulnerability management and runtime security.
  • Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) for managing cloud identities and access.
  • Cloud Network Security with threat detection, network anomaly detection, and attack path analysis.
  • Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) security, CI/CD security, and Software Composition Analysis (SCA) to shift security left.
  • Data Security including data classification, malware scanning, and data governance.
  • Web Application and API Security (WAAS) with OWASP Top 10 protection.
  • Automated remediation for misconfigurations and policy enforcement.
  • AI/ML-powered threat detection and user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA).
• Known Vulnerabilities: Palo Alto Networks actively identifies and patches vulnerabilities. Past examples include:
  • CVE-2021-3042: Local privilege escalation in Cortex XDR agent (CVSS 7.8/10).
  • CVE-2021-3043: Cross-site scripting (XSS) in Prisma web console (CVSS 7.5/10).
  • CVE-2021-3033: Improper verification of cryptographic signature in Prisma Cloud Compute console (CVSS 9.8/10).
  • Palo Alto Networks assigns PRISMA IDs to track vulnerabilities not yet assigned CVEs.
• Blacklist Status: Not applicable; Prisma Cloud is a security solution designed to prevent blacklisting of customer assets.
• Certifications: Palo Alto Networks offers the Prisma Certified Cloud Security Engineer (PCCSE) certification for professionals demonstrating expertise in Prisma Cloud. The platform itself aids organizations in achieving various compliance certifications.
• Encryption Support: Stores metadata from ingested logs in encrypted RDS and Redshift instances.
• Authentication Methods: Supports various authentication methods, including SAML integration for the Compute Edition.
• General Recommendations: Integrate security early in the development lifecycle (shift-left security), continuous monitoring, and leverage automated remediation capabilities.

Analysis on Overall Security Rating: Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud provides a robust and comprehensive security posture for cloud-native environments. Its CNAPP capabilities cover the entire application lifecycle from code to runtime, integrating various security disciplines like CSPM, CWP, CIEM, and network security. While past vulnerabilities have been identified and patched, the company demonstrates a proactive approach to security research and remediation, including assigning its own PRISMA IDs for tracking. The platform's use of AI/ML for threat detection, encryption for data, and support for strong authentication methods contribute to a high overall security rating.

Performance & Benchmarks

• Benchmark Scores: A Forrester Consulting Total Economic Impact (TEI) study reported significant benefits:
  • 264% Return on Investment (ROI).
  • $3.5 million SecOps efficiency lift.
  • $1.8 million DevOps shift-left and productivity lift.
  • $2.8 million material breach risk reduction savings.
• Real-world Performance Metrics: Users report high scalability across various cloud vendors and deployment sizes, with flexibility through automation. The platform offers continuous visibility, compliance monitoring, and security across multi-cloud deployments. It helps reduce time to resolve issues (e.g., 3.3 hours vs. days) and significantly reduces data volume for analysis.
• Power Consumption: Not directly applicable for a cloud-native software platform. Power consumption is managed by the underlying cloud infrastructure providers or customer's self-hosted environment.
• Carbon Footprint: Not directly applicable for a cloud-native software platform. Carbon footprint is influenced by the underlying cloud infrastructure or customer's self-hosted data centers.
• Comparison with Similar Assets: Prisma Cloud is a leader in the Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) space. Competitors and alternatives include Wiz, Orca Security, Sysdig, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Aqua Security, Lacework, Check Point CloudGuard, Trend Micro Cloud One, Cloudflare, Checkmarx One, Veracode, Qualys, CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security, SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security, and FortiCNAPP. Prisma Cloud often surpasses competitors in comprehensive cloud security, real-time threat detection, automated compliance checks, and seamless integration across multi-cloud environments.

Analysis of Overall Performance Status: Prisma Cloud's performance is primarily measured by its ability to deliver significant operational efficiencies, reduce security risks, and provide comprehensive protection across complex cloud environments. The Forrester TEI study highlights substantial ROI and cost savings through improved SecOps and DevOps efficiency, as well as reduced breach risks. Users consistently praise its scalability and ability to provide unified visibility and automated security across diverse cloud footprints. While direct hardware-level benchmarks like power consumption are not relevant, the platform's focus on optimizing cloud security operations translates into tangible performance benefits for enterprises.

User Reviews & Feedback

User reviews and feedback for Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud generally highlight its comprehensive capabilities and effectiveness in securing complex cloud environments, alongside some areas for improvement.

• Strengths:
  • Comprehensive Security: Praised for offering a wide range of security services, including threat detection, cloud compliance, vulnerability management, and extensive cloud security coverage across multi-cloud and hybrid environments.
  • Unified Visibility & Management: Users appreciate having a single dashboard for centralized visibility and control of cloud assets, simplifying the management of diverse cloud resources and providing thorough information on cloud activities.
  • Scalability & Integration: Highly scalable across various cloud vendors and deployment sizes, integrating well with major cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) and third-party security technologies.
  • Automated Remediation & Compliance: Effective in automating compliance checks, identifying misconfigurations, and providing automated remediation, which reduces manual effort.
  • Query Language (RQL/KQL): The RQL/KQL language is considered powerful for searching and customizing controls, aiding in investigating cybersecurity alerts and incidents.
  • Threat Detection: Strong capabilities in real-time vulnerability and threat protection, leveraging AI security posture management.
• Weaknesses:
  • Ease of Use/Learning Curve: Some users note that while the UI is generally good, the initial ease of use can be a downside, implying a learning curve, especially for new users.
  • Feature Maturity: A common sentiment is that "many features are half-baked," suggesting that while the platform is broad, some functionalities might lack depth or full refinement.
  • Licensing Complexity: The licensing model can be a limitation or complex for some users.
  • Customer Support: Mixed feedback on customer support, with some reporting it as "very low level" or experiencing "resolution delays and unhelpful support."
• Recommended Use Cases:
  • Organizations with multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments requiring unified security and compliance.
  • Companies aiming to implement "shift-left" security by integrating security into the development lifecycle (Code & Build, CI/CD).
  • Teams needing comprehensive Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Cloud Workload Protection (CWP), and Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM).
  • Environments requiring real-time threat detection, vulnerability management, and automated remediation for cloud-native applications.

Summary

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud is a comprehensive Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) designed to secure applications, data, and the entire cloud-native technology stack across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. It operates on a continuous delivery model, ensuring users always have access to the latest features and security updates.

Strengths: The platform excels in providing unified visibility and control across diverse cloud footprints, integrating critical security functions such as Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Cloud Workload Protection (CWP), Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM), and Cloud Network Security. Its "code-to-cloud" approach enables organizations to embed security early in the development lifecycle, leveraging IaC security, CI/CD integration, and Software Composition Analysis. Users frequently praise its scalability, automated remediation capabilities, and the effectiveness of its query language (RQL/KQL) for security investigations. A Forrester study highlighted significant ROI and operational efficiencies, including reduced SecOps and DevOps efforts and decreased breach risks.

Weaknesses: Despite its broad feature set, some users report a steep learning curve and perceive certain features as not fully mature. Licensing can be complex, and customer support experiences are inconsistent.

Recommendations: Prisma Cloud is ideal for enterprises managing complex multi-cloud and hybrid cloud infrastructures that require a unified, proactive security solution. It is particularly beneficial for organizations adopting DevSecOps practices and those needing robust compliance monitoring, real-time threat detection, and automated security remediation. While the initial learning investment and potential for support variability should be considered, the platform's comprehensive capabilities and continuous evolution make it a strong contender for securing modern cloud environments.

Note: The information provided is based on publicly available data and may vary depending on specific device configurations. For up-to-date information, please consult official manufacturer resources.