Check Point Named a Leader in Forrester’s Q4 2026 Firewall Evaluation

Recognition follows a changing threat landscape

Check Point framed the recognition against a shrinking gap between public vulnerability disclosures and exploitation. The company pointed to two critical PHP vulnerabilities that became public in October before a patch was ready. Because PHP often runs inside software that bundles it without clearly identifying it, updating applications built on top of PHP did not necessarily address the exposure, according to Check Point.

The company said hundreds of thousands of internet-facing systems were exposed, including systems that had not previously been monitored as risks. Check Point argues that this makes a reactive approach based on detecting, patching and responding less sufficient, because attackers may cause damage after gaining access.

Its position is that protection should be deployed before an initial attack attempt and should cover every reachable system. The company describes this as a shift from stopping attacks to removing the opportunity for them, which it says is the type of network security measured by Forrester’s evaluation.

What Check Point says its platform provides

Check Point says its network security platform uses live threat intelligence at runtime to block human- and AI-driven attacks before they land, rather than investigating them after the fact. It also says a single set of policies can protect data centers, cloud environments, branches and edge systems through one console.

The company says agents translate business intent into automation across workflows, usability and policy management. According to Check Point, Forrester cited its “solid innovation with its extensive use of AI for security.”

Check Point also highlighted its Firewall-as-a-Subscription offering, describing it as a scalable approach without a large upfront investment. The company says pricing is flexible and transparent, and can grow with customer needs.

Customer feedback and implications for buyers

Customer feedback was another part of the recognition. Check Point said customers told Forrester they valued the detail in its product logs and the support provided for routine requests and during security incidents. The company also said Forrester’s guidance points organizations with advanced AI use cases or complex firewall management needs toward considering Check Point.

For users, the announcement positions Check Point’s offering as a way to manage protection across several environments while applying common policies and using automation. For security teams dealing with AI-related risks and more systems exposed to the internet, the company’s message is that prevention and broader coverage should complement traditional detection and response.

Check Point also included Forrester’s disclaimer that the research firm does not endorse companies, products, brands or services included in its publications, and does not advise people to select them based on the ratings.