For years, Cisco Umbrella has been the industry gold standard for DNS-layer security. By blocking threats before a connection is even established, it provides IT teams with a critical first line of defense and the visibility needed to keep networks safe.
However, the threat landscape has changed. With the rise of hybrid work, the proliferation of cloud-based applications, and the emergence of AI-driven attacks, the “office perimeter” has effectively disappeared.
To meet these challenges, Cisco Umbrella has evolved into Cisco Secure Access.
What is Cisco Secure Access?
Cisco Secure Access is a cloud-delivered Security Service Edge (SSE) solution. Rather than simply updating Umbrella, Cisco built this new platform from the ground-up to address the needs of a hybrid world.
While it retains the core strengths of Umbrella, it expands protection to include:
- Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Provides granular, application-specific access to private resources in data centers and cloud environments, denying access by default.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Provides visibility and control over sensitive data leaving your organization. Includes real time data analysis of internet, SaaS, and private apps; SaaS API functionality for analysis of data at rest in the cloud; and protection of all exfiltration channels including endpoint and e-mail (requires Email Threat Defense).
- Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM): Powered by ThousandEyes, DEM delivers end-to-end digital experience monitoring to boost user productivity and simplify troubleshooting. Provides deep visibility into your network, endpoints, applications, and user performance, making it easy to resolve issues quickly.
- Firewall as a Service (FWaaS): Provides comprehensive security and full visibility across all ports and protocols. Whether your team is remote, at a branch, or on campus, you get consistent protection for traffic accessing the internet or private applications, backed by L3/4 access controls to secure your users, devices, and networks.
- AI Security: Provides visibility and controls for generative AI applications and extends zero-trust security to autonomous AI agents.
Comparing the evolution
To understand how these products have evolved, it is helpful to look at the specific upgrade paths for the Umbrella DNS and SIG offerings.
Cisco Umbrella DNS evolves into Cisco Secure Access – DNS Defense
DNS Defense retains all the industry-leading DNS-layer features of Umbrella DNS but adds critical new capabilities: Cloud Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to safeguard sensitive data and built-in malware protection to scan and remove threats from cloud file storage apps. Learn more about the evolution to Secure Access DNS Defense.
Cisco Umbrella SIG evolves into Cisco Secure Access SIA (Secure Internet Access)
While Umbrella SIG provided secure internet gateway capabilities, Cisco Secure Access is an entirely new platform. SIA includes four times faster secure access, genAI tool protection, and faster troubleshooting with ThousandEyes capabilities built right in. Learn more in the Upgrade to Secure Access – SIA infographic.
If you are still considering Cisco Umbrella, here’s what you need to know
Cisco has begun a planned end-of-sale and end-of-life transition for the Umbrella product line. Cisco Secure Access is now the strategic platform for advanced, cloud-delivered security.
While you may still be able to purchase certain Umbrella subscriptions for a limited time (End-of-Sale dates begin in January 2027), we recommend evaluating Cisco Secure Access, or Cisco Secure Access – DNS Defense if your use case is focused on DNS-layer security.
Choosing the evolved Secure Access platform ensures you have a path to modern SSE capabilities, AI-driven protection, and long-term support.
Transition and support for existing customers
If you are already using Umbrella, your services will not stop immediately. You will continue to receive support according to your subscription terms.
Cisco is providing tools to help you upgrade, allowing you to automate the transition of your Umbrella configurations and policies to Secure Access at your own pace. We recommend working with your Cisco account team to develop a migration plan and explore our budget-friendly upgrade path.
To learn more, explore Secure Access or contact one of our security experts.
