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Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Review, Pricing, Pros & Cons

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is a cloud-native email security platform with ETD Essentials for journaling-based Microsoft 365 protection and ETD Advantage for inline gateway protection across Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Exchange on-premises, and other mail servers.

Research by Global Tool Radar Research SystemEvidence checked: Aug 12, 2026AI-assisted · No Global Tool Radar hands-on testView research methodology
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Buying snapshot

Quick buying snapshot

A compact view of who this tool fits, what it costs, and what to confirm before choosing it.

Best for
  • You want to supplement Microsoft 365 without making ETD an inline gateway: ETD Essentials uses journaling for inbound, internal, and outbound visibility, can add Microsoft API visibility and remediation, and does not require an inline mail-flow change.
  • You need one cloud-native gateway for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Exchange on-premises, or another mail server: ETD Advantage performs inline pre-delivery inspection and supports broad mail-server environments while retaining extended Microsoft 365 API workflows.
More buying conditions
  • BEC, impersonation, account takeover, QR phishing, ransomware, and novel social engineering are priority risks: ETD combines sender authentication, Talos intelligence, local identity and relationship modeling, behavioral analytics, AI and ML, file analysis, and retrospective verdicts.
  • Your SOC uses Cisco XDR or needs programmable email investigation and remediation: ETD integrates with Cisco XDR Threat Response casebooks and publishes APIs for search, reclassification, remediation, status, reporting, events, and connection logs.
  • You need a regulated cloud service with enterprise support: Cisco documents FedRAMP Moderate certification, global cloud scale, role-based administration, High-Value Support Services, 24/7 TAC, and onboarding assistance.
Not for
  • You require a public numeric price or self-service checkout: Cisco publishes per-user pricing structure and subscription options but routes purchase decisions through sales without a public amount, currency, or minimum quantity.
  • You need Google Workspace or on-premises Exchange support but only want ETD Essentials: ETD Essentials is a Microsoft 365 supplemental edition; broad mail-server support is an ETD Advantage gateway capability.
More buying conditions
  • You require DLP in the base Microsoft 365 supplemental edition: DLP is not available with ETD Essentials, and ETD Advantage integrates with Cisco Secure Access DLP only with additional licensing.
  • Your purchase must include phishing simulation, awareness courses, or DMARC domain protection: Cisco Secure Awareness Training and Red Sift-provided Secure Email Domain Protection are separate products and are not established as ETD edition inclusions.
  • You expect post-delivery mailbox remediation on a non-Microsoft mail platform: Documented mailbox move, quarantine, and delete actions depend on Microsoft 365 API read-write integration; non-Microsoft deployments rely on gateway enforcement rather than the same mailbox API workflow.
Pricing
  • Sales-assisted per-user subscriptions for ETD Essentials and ETD Advantage. Cisco publishes 1-, 3-, and 5-year subscription options and monthly, quarterly, yearly, or full-payment billing schedules, but no numeric amount, currency, minimum quantity, cancellation rule, or deterministic commitment state.
  • ETD Essentials · Requires quote · per user · custom quote
Free or trial access
  • No permanent free plan is published. Cisco offers a sales-assisted free trial for ETD Essentials or ETD Advantage; the public form does not state a duration, eligibility threshold, included seat count, or conversion terms.

Product scope

Product functionality and purchase scope

This profile evaluates the current cloud-native Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense product and its two license-aligned editions: ETD Essentials for supplemental Microsoft 365 protection and ETD Advantage for inline gateway protection plus supported Microsoft 365 API workflows. Adjacent gateways, suites, add-ons, integrations, training, and services are separated from core edition entitlements.

Product checked: Aug 12, 2026

Functionality reviewed
  • ETD Essentials journaling-based supplemental Microsoft 365 threat visibility and protection
  • ETD Advantage cloud-native inline gateway and pre-delivery protection
  • Microsoft 365 API visibility and supported mailbox remediation workflows when read-write access is configured
  • Google Workspace, Microsoft Exchange on-premises, and other mail-server support through ETD Advantage gateway deployment
  • Talos intelligence, sender authentication, identity and relationship modeling, behavioral analytics, file reputation and sandbox analysis, retrospective verdicts, search, reporting, and policy controls
  • Cisco XDR casebook integration, REST APIs, role-based administration, included High-Value Support Services, TAC support, and onboarding assistance
Non-target functionality excluded from scoring
  • Cisco Secure Email Gateway, Cisco Secure Email Cloud Gateway, and Cisco Secure Email and Web Manager as separately licensed adjacent products
  • Retired Cisco Secure Cloud Mailbox Defense SKUs, the predecessor naming and ordering path for ETD Essentials
  • Cisco XDR product entitlements beyond the native ETD integration; retired SecureX is not a current product
  • Cisco Secure Access DLP licensing required for ETD Advantage DLP integration
  • Cisco Secure Email Domain Protection provided by Red Sift
  • Cisco Secure Awareness Training phishing simulations and awareness courses
  • Cisco User Protection Suite and Cisco Breach Protection Suite bundle entitlements beyond their ETD access route
  • Retired Cisco Secure Email Premier bundle
  • Cisco Professional Services, Talos Incident Response, managed detection and response, and separately purchased training
  • Standalone Cisco Secure Endpoint and Cisco Secure Malware Analytics product scope beyond threat engines used by ETD
Purchase paths

Pricing checked: Aug 12, 2026

  • CSEMAIL-SEC-SUB for existing ESA or CES customers: Existing Cisco Secure Email Gateway or Cloud Gateway customers can order ETD Essentials as an add-on under CSEMAIL-SEC-SUB. This is an alternative ordering route for the same Essentials entitlement, not another ETD plan.
  • Cisco User Protection Suite: Cisco User Protection Suite is a broader security bundle through which ETD Essentials is available. The suite and its other security products are not additional ETD editions, and no suite price is carried into this profile.
  • Cisco Breach Protection Suite: Cisco Breach Protection Suite is a broader security bundle through which ETD Essentials is available. Its XDR and other security entitlements remain suite scope rather than ETD plan features.

Pricing plans

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense pricing table

Pricing checked: Aug 12, 2026

Official factConfidence 92%3 linked sources

ETD Essentials and ETD Advantage are the only retained core offers. Both use per-user pricing and require Cisco or partner-assisted purchasing. ETD Essentials can also be ordered for existing Cisco email-gateway customers, and it is available through the broader User Protection and Breach Protection Suites; those are acquisition routes rather than duplicate ETD plans. Subscription terms of 1, 3, and 5 years and several billing schedules are published, but no public amount is available and the wording does not establish a minimum commitment or cancellation policy.

Official pricing page
PlanPriceBest for
ETD EssentialsCisco Secure Email Threat Defense ETD EssentialsSupporting pricing evidence
  • Requires quote · per user · custom quote
Microsoft 365 organizations that want a journaling-based supplemental detection layer, internal-message visibility, and optional Microsoft API remediation without placing ETD inline in mail flow.
ETD AdvantageCisco Secure Email Threat Defense ETD AdvantageSupporting pricing evidence
  • Requires quote · per user · custom quote
Organizations that need cloud-native inline and pre-delivery gateway protection, non-Microsoft mail-server support, full outbound enforcement, or optional Cisco Secure Access DLP integration.

Plan upgrade triggers

Verified plan boundaries that can change the required edition.

ETD Essentials ETD Advantage

The organization needs inline pre-delivery gateway enforcement, Google Workspace or on-premises Exchange support, full outbound protection rather than visibility only, or the separately licensed Cisco Secure Access DLP integration.

Supporting pricing evidence
What is included, connected, or sold separately

Product scope

What is included, connected, or sold separately

Material capabilities are separated by their verified relationship to the target product.

AI, behavioral, identity, relationship, and Talos threat detectionIncluded capability

Advantage includes the Essentials feature set and adds gateway capabilities.

Plan: ETD Essentials: Included · ETD Advantage: IncludedCisco Talos
Official source
Microsoft 365 journaling for supplemental and internal-message visibilityIncluded capability

Essentials uses journaling as its primary deployment; Advantage can combine gateway inspection with journaling for Microsoft 365 internal visibility.

Plan: ETD Essentials: Included · ETD Advantage: IncludedMicrosoft 365
Official source
Microsoft 365 mailbox search and remediation with API read-write accessIncluded capability

Read-write configurations support visibility and remediation; read-only configurations provide visibility only. Non-Microsoft gateway deployments do not gain the same mailbox API workflow.

Plan: ETD Essentials: Included · ETD Advantage: IncludedMicrosoft 365
Official source
REST APIs for search, remediation, reporting, status, and event workflowsIncluded capability

The data sheet lists authentication, message search, reclassification and remediation, status, reporting, event-log, and connection-log APIs.

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense APIs
Official source
Cisco XDR Threat Response casebook integrationNative integration

Cisco XDR is the current integration. SecureX was phased out and is not treated as a current dependency or entitlement.

Cisco XDR
Official source
Threat-visibility connector from existing Cisco email gateways to ETD EssentialsNative integration

The connector lets Essentials receive threat visibility from existing Cisco gateways. ETD Advantage is itself the gateway deployment option.

Plan: ETD Essentials: Included · ETD Advantage: Not applicableCisco Secure Email Gateway and Cisco Secure Email Cloud Gateway
Official source
Cisco Secure Access DLP integration for ETD AdvantagePlan-dependent capability

The current matrix says DLP is unavailable in Essentials and requires additional Secure Access licensing with Advantage.

Plan: ETD Essentials: Unavailable · ETD Advantage: Optional add-onCisco Secure Access DLP
Official source
Full outbound gateway enforcement in ETD AdvantagePlan-dependent capability

Cisco's matrix describes Essentials outbound traffic as visibility-only and Advantage as full inbound, internal, and outbound protection.

Plan: ETD Essentials: Unavailable · ETD Advantage: Included
Official source
Google Workspace, Exchange on-premises, and other mail-server support in ETD AdvantagePlan-dependent capability

Essentials is scoped to supplemental Microsoft 365 protection.

Plan: ETD Essentials: Unavailable · ETD Advantage: IncludedGoogle Workspace and Microsoft Exchange
Official source
Inline gateway and pre-delivery enforcement in ETD AdvantagePlan-dependent capability

Essentials does not require an inline gateway change; Advantage is the exact-product standalone cloud-native gateway tier.

Plan: ETD Essentials: Unavailable · ETD Advantage: Included
Official source
DMARC domain protection provided by Red SiftSeparate product

Cisco lists domain protection as an add-on to gateway bundles and as a standalone offer; no ETD Essentials or Advantage inclusion is established.

Cisco Secure Email Domain Protection
Official source
Phishing simulations and security awareness coursesSeparate product

Awareness training is separate. The former Premier bundle that combined gateway, ETD, and training is end-of-sale.

Cisco Secure Awareness Training
Official source
Professional, incident-response, and managed security servicesSeparate product

High-Value Support Services, TAC, and onboarding assistance are included; Professional Services, Talos Incident Response, MDR, and training are separate.

Cisco Security Services
Official source
How the score is calculated

Scoring method

How the score is calculated

The score uses the category-specific buying dimensions below and their displayed weights.

This page is based on public product information, official sources, structured feature data, and multi-model AI evaluation. It is not a hands-on lab test unless explicitly stated. Confidence percentages describe our research indicators, not the probability that a claim is true or a measured accuracy rate.

Evidence confidence
80%
AI claim confidence
97%
Required-field evidence status
100%
Evidence freshness
54%
Field traceability
100%
Model agreement
91%
Why this confidence level
  • Evidence confidence uses source level and claim-to-source support; AI claim confidence is shown separately.
  • Required-field evidence status measures whether weighted required claims have evidence links; it does not mean every product behavior was independently verified.
  • 8 of 8 weighted claims have evidence links.
  • 1 A1 documentary official sources and 11 A2 official product sources are linked.
  • 3 independent review sources are retained, including 0 professional sources with an explicit hands-on method.
  • 4 weighted claims are past the review window.
  • No blocking evidence conflict was identified.
Threat protection efficacy20%
86

Integrates continuous Talos intelligence feeds with machine learning behavioral analysis to address newly emerging social-engineering techniques.

Detection accuracy17%
81

Maintains high classification accuracy using retrospective verdicts and sender relationship analysis, though precise internal accuracy metrics are not publicly published.

BEC and identity protection15%
88

Dedicated BEC, impersonation, and account-takeover analysis is reinforced by identity and relationship modeling, which helps teams target business-email and spoofing campaigns that pure signature controls often miss.

Response operations14%
84

Simplifies SOC workflows through out-of-the-box Cisco XDR casebook integrations and versatile REST APIs for automation.

Platform coverage and deployment13%
81

ETD Essentials deploys as Microsoft 365 journaling supplemental protection, and ETD Advantage extends cloud-native inline coverage to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Exchange on-premises, and other mail servers, so platform fit is edition-specific rather than universal.

Governance and integrations11%
75

Cisco XDR casebook integration, REST APIs, and four administration roles support governance hand-offs, while DLP needs extra Cisco Secure Access licensing on Advantage only, and domain protection plus awareness training remain outside core ETD.

Support and total cost10%
57

Cisco support is included for the product and sales-assisted free trials are offered, yet the absence of any public numeric per-user amount, currency, minimum quantity, or cancellation rule forces full TCO discovery through custom quote.

Public review signals

Strong ratings, with review history spanning Cisco's changing email architecture

Exact-name aggregates are favorable. Reviewers commonly value threat filtering, Talos intelligence, Microsoft 365 visibility, remediation, and flexible policy control. Recurring cautions include false positives, reporting customization, documentation, policy complexity, console performance, and support variability. Older reviews may describe Cisco gateway, encryption, or DLP scope that is not included in every current ETD edition.

Public review signals updated: Aug 12, 2026

Commonly reported strengths

  • Effective phishing, malware, spam, and business email compromise protection
  • Talos intelligence, behavioral detection, and Microsoft 365 visibility
  • Flexible policy controls and mailbox remediation

Commonly reported concerns

  • False positives and legitimate-message handling can require tuning
  • Reporting, documentation, and policy workflows receive mixed feedback
  • Administration and troubleshooting can be complex in broader gateway deployments
G24.3/5
Review count
28 reviews
Source context
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense Reviews on G2Exact product
View sourceHistory baseline established: Aug 12, 2026
Gartner Peer Insights4.6/5
Rating count
240 ratings
Source context
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense on Gartner Peer InsightsExact product
View sourceHistory baseline established: Aug 12, 2026
TrustRadius9.1/10
Reviews and ratings
62 reviews and ratings
Source context
Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense on TrustRadiusExact product
View sourceHistory baseline established: Aug 12, 2026
Score80
Pricing modelSales-assisted per-user subscriptions for ETD Essentials and ETD Advantage. Cisco publishes 1-, 3-, and 5-year subscription options and monthly, quarterly, yearly, or full-payment billing schedules, but no numeric amount, currency, minimum quantity, cancellation rule, or deterministic commitment state.
Use casedetect, block, investigate, and remediate advanced email threats through supplemental Microsoft 365 protection or a cloud-native inline gateway
Company sizeEnterprise, Mid-market
Structured tags

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense tag profile

Company size
  • Enterprise
  • Mid-market
Key features

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense core capabilities

  • ETD Essentials supplemental Microsoft 365 protection using journaling
  • ETD Advantage cloud-native inline gateway and pre-delivery inspection
  • Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Exchange on-premises, and other mail-server coverage through the appropriate edition
  • AI and ML detection using sender authentication, identity and relationship modeling, behavioral analytics, and Talos intelligence
  • BEC, phishing, scam, impersonation, account-takeover, ransomware, QR-code, spam, graymail, file, and URL threat analysis
  • Microsoft 365 API visibility and mailbox remediation when read-write access is configured
Detailed strengths and purchase cautions
Pros

Why it is worth considering

  • AI and ML detection combines sender authentication, identity and relationship modeling, behavioral analytics, and Talos intelligence to analyze BEC, phishing, impersonation, account takeover, ransomware, QR-code, file, and URL threats.
  • ETD Essentials adds journaling-based Microsoft 365 visibility and optional API remediation without placing the product inline, while ETD Advantage supplies cloud-native inline and pre-delivery gateway protection across Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Exchange on-premises, and other mail servers.
  • When Microsoft 365 read-write API access is configured, operators can move messages to Trash, Junk, Inbox, or Quarantine or delete them, and gateway deployments can drop or deliver before delivery.
  • Investigation tooling includes search, conversation view, message trajectory, reporting, CSV and EML downloads, retrospective verdicts, Cisco XDR casebooks, and REST APIs for search, remediation, reporting, status, event, and connection workflows.
Cons

What to confirm before buying

  • Both editions use sales-assisted per-user subscriptions with no published numeric amount, currency, minimum quantity, cancellation rule, or deterministic commitment state, so total cost must be obtained through Cisco or partner quote.
  • ETD Essentials is limited to Microsoft 365 supplemental journaling protection and provides outbound visibility rather than full outbound gateway enforcement, and it does not cover Google Workspace or on-premises Exchange.
  • Mailbox remediation on Microsoft 365 requires read-write API permissions
  • read-only integration yields visibility without remediation actions.
Cross-model buying perspectives

Multi-AI review

Cross-model buying perspectives

Multiple AI models assess this tool against the same buying criteria, so you can compare scores, confidence, fit, cautions, and final views.

AI assessment updated: Sep 22, 2026

Score comparisonGPTGeminixAIRange
Threat protection efficacy8985845
Detection accuracy87807710
BEC and identity protection9385878
Response operations8882826
Platform coverage and deployment90757915
Governance and integrations82707312
Support and total cost5460586
email phishing bec detection9285867
email malware url protection8685815
email policy quarantine control8175747
email incident response workflow8480834
email delivery user experience7675688
Where models differ
  • Platform coverage and deployment: 75–90 (15-point range)
  • Governance and integrations: 70–82 (12-point range)
  • Detection accuracy: 77–87 (10-point range)
GPTAI-assisted buyer perspective84

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense fits buyers that want either journaling-based Microsoft 365 supplemental protection or a cloud-native inline gateway edition, with the edition choice driven by mail environment and how much pre-delivery control they need. It is less suitable for teams that need public pricing, a permanent free edition, or core DLP and domain-protection features in the base license.

Review confidence
84/100
Model details
Strengths
  • ETD Essentials supports journaling-based supplemental Microsoft 365 protection, internal-message visibility, and optional Microsoft API remediation when read-write access is configured.
  • ETD Advantage supports cloud-native inline and pre-delivery gateway protection across Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Exchange on-premises, and other mail servers.
  • The product’s detection scope includes BEC, phishing, scam, impersonation, account-takeover, ransomware, QR-code, spam, graymail, file, and URL threat analysis.
  • Cisco XDR casebook integration, REST APIs, and role-based administration support SOC investigation and response workflows.
Cautions
  • The public record does not provide numeric pricing, currency, minimum quantity, renewal rule, cancellation rule, or a deterministic commitment state.
  • ETD Essentials is limited to Microsoft 365 supplemental protection and does not establish Google Workspace or on-premises Exchange coverage.
  • ETD Essentials does not include DLP, and ETD Advantage requires additional Cisco Secure Access DLP licensing for DLP integration.
  • Microsoft 365 mailbox remediation depends on read-write API permissions, while read-only integration provides visibility without remediation.
GeminiAI-assisted buyer perspective78

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense offers solid, intelligence-driven protection with flexible architecture options across its Essentials and Advantage editions, though buyers must navigate custom quoting and separate licensing for DLP and domain protection.

Review confidence
78/100
Model details
Strengths
  • Offers distinct deployment models, allowing non-disruptive journaling-based protection for Microsoft 365 in ETD Essentials or cloud-native inline gateway enforcement across multiple mail servers in ETD Advantage.
  • Employs advanced identity modeling, behavioral analytics, and Talos threat intelligence to target complex attack vectors including BEC, QR-code phishing, and zero-day ransomware.
  • Provides rich integration options for security operations, featuring Cisco XDR casebook connectivity and comprehensive REST APIs for automated search and remediation.
Cautions
  • Restricts the ETD Essentials edition strictly to Microsoft 365 environments with journaling-based visibility, which lacks outbound gateway enforcement.
  • Omits key adjacent security functions from the core editions, requiring separate licenses for Cisco Secure Access DLP, domain protection, and security awareness training.
  • Lacks any public commercial transparency, providing no standard numeric pricing, minimum seat requirements, or concrete commitment terms.
xAIAI-assisted buyer perspective78

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense fits Microsoft 365 teams that need journaling-based supplemental detection or multi-platform buyers that need cloud-native inline gateway controls, provided the buyer selects the matching edition, accepts sales-assisted quoting, and validates journaling, API, or mail-flow setup for the chosen deployment.

Review confidence
78/100
Model details
Strengths
  • AI and ML detection combines sender authentication, identity and relationship modeling, behavioral analytics, and Talos intelligence to analyze BEC, phishing, impersonation, account takeover, ransomware, QR-code, file, and URL threats.
  • ETD Essentials adds journaling-based Microsoft 365 visibility and optional API remediation without placing the product inline, while ETD Advantage supplies cloud-native inline and pre-delivery gateway protection across Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Exchange on-premises, and other mail servers.
  • When Microsoft 365 read-write API access is configured, operators can move messages to Trash, Junk, Inbox, or Quarantine or delete them, and gateway deployments can drop or deliver before delivery.
  • Investigation tooling includes search, conversation view, message trajectory, reporting, CSV and EML downloads, retrospective verdicts, Cisco XDR casebooks, and REST APIs for search, remediation, reporting, status, event, and connection workflows.
Cautions
  • Both editions use sales-assisted per-user subscriptions with no published numeric amount, currency, minimum quantity, cancellation rule, or deterministic commitment state, so total cost must be obtained through Cisco or partner quote.
  • ETD Essentials is limited to Microsoft 365 supplemental journaling protection and provides outbound visibility rather than full outbound gateway enforcement, and it does not cover Google Workspace or on-premises Exchange.
  • Mailbox remediation on Microsoft 365 requires read-write API permissions
  • read-only integration yields visibility without remediation actions.

Research transparency

How this page was researched

A compact record of the evidence used, what was not tested, and which conclusions still need verification.

Official sources
12
Broad product review sources
3
Marketplace and app-store sources
0
Editorial sources
0
Latest evidence check
Aug 12, 2026
Research basis

Global Tool Radar generated this assessment from structured facts linked to public sources. No Global Tool Radar hands-on test is recorded in this page's research data. Any external hands-on assessment is identified separately and does not affect the Global Tool Radar score.

Conflict handling

No unresolved evidence conflict is currently recorded.

View research methodology
Verified findingsNo permanent free plan is published. Cisco offers a sales-assisted free trial for ETD Essentials or ETD Advantage; the public form does not state a duration, eligibility threshold, included seat count, or conversion terms.
  • Sales-assisted per-user subscriptions for ETD Essentials and ETD Advantage. Cisco publishes 1-, 3-, and 5-year subscription options and monthly, quarterly, yearly, or full-payment billing schedules, but no numeric amount, currency, minimum quantity, cancellation rule, or deterministic commitment state.
  • ETD Essentials supplemental Microsoft 365 protection using journaling ETD Advantage cloud-native inline gateway and pre-delivery inspection Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Exchange on-premises, and other mail-server coverage through the appropriate edition AI and ML detection using sender authentication, identity and relationship modeling, behavioral analytics, and Talos intelligence BEC, phishing, scam, impersonation, account-takeover, ransomware, QR-code, spam, graymail, file, and URL threat analysis Microsoft 365 API visibility and mailbox remediation when read-write access is configured Search, conversation view, message trajectory, reporting, CSV and EML downloads, and retrospective verdicts Cisco XDR casebook integration and REST APIs for search, remediation, reporting, status, event, and connection workflows Role-based administration with super-admin, admin, analyst, and read-only roles
  • Requires quote
  • ETD Essentials and ETD Advantage are the only retained core offers. Both use per-user pricing and require Cisco or partner-assisted purchasing. ETD Essentials can also be ordered for existing Cisco email-gateway customers, and it is available through the broader User Protection and Breach Protection Suites; those are acquisition routes rather than duplicate ETD plans. Subscription terms of 1, 3, and 5 years and several billing schedules are published, but no public amount is available and the wording does not establish a minimum commitment or cancellation policy.
Verification notes and unresolved itemsCisco's current May 2026 data sheet supersedes older Microsoft-365-only positioning by establishing ETD Essentials and ETD Advantage as two exact-product license options.
  • The product page publishes per-user pricing, 1-, 3-, and 5-year subscription options, and selectable billing schedules but no numeric amount, currency, minimum quantity, renewal rule, cancellation rule, or explicit minimum commitment
  • these were not inferred.
  • A 2024 data-sheet PDF mentioned seats as low as one, but that minimum was omitted because the current May 2026 page no longer states it.
  • The free-trial form supports both current tiers but does not publish duration or conversion terms.
Sources checked

Sources checked

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense source links

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense User Guide - Manage UsersCiscoLevel A2Linked to 1 scored claimChecked Aug 12, 2026
Security ServicesCiscoLevel A2Linked to 1 scored claimChecked Aug 12, 2026
Cisco Secure Awareness TrainingCiscoLevel A1Linked to 1 scored claimChecked Aug 12, 2026
About SecureX OrchestrationCiscoLevel A2Linked to 1 scored claimChecked Aug 12, 2026
End-of-Sale and End-of-Life Announcement for Cisco Secure Email PremierCiscoLevel A2Linked to 1 scored claimChecked Aug 12, 2026
End-of-Sale and End-of-Life Announcement for Cisco Secure Cloud Mailbox Defense SKUsCiscoLevel A2Linked to 0 scored claimsChecked Aug 12, 2026
Secure Email LicensingCiscoLevel A2Linked to 1 scored claimChecked Aug 12, 2026
Contact SalesCiscoLevel A2Linked to 3 scored claimsChecked Aug 12, 2026

FAQ

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense FAQ

What is the current Cisco product name?

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense is the current public product name. Email Threat Defense is also used as shorthand. Cisco Secure Cloud Mailbox Defense was the predecessor name, and its old SKUs were replaced by ETD-SEC-SUB.

What current ETD editions are available?

ETD Essentials and ETD Advantage. Essentials is a journaling-based Microsoft 365 supplemental edition. Advantage adds cloud-native inline gateway and pre-delivery protection for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Exchange on-premises, and other mail servers.

Is ETD Advantage the same as Cisco Secure Email Gateway or Cloud Gateway?

No. ETD Advantage is now an exact-product cloud-native gateway edition. Cisco Secure Email Gateway and Cisco Secure Email Cloud Gateway remain adjacent products that can connect to ETD Essentials or be purchased separately.

Does ETD remediate messages from user mailboxes?

Yes for supported Microsoft 365 workflows when read-write API access is configured. Actions include moving messages to Trash, Junk, Inbox, or Quarantine and deleting them. Gateway deployments also support drop or deliver actions before delivery.

Does ETD integrate with SecureX or Cisco XDR?

Cisco XDR is the current integration, including Threat Response casebooks. SecureX was phased out and became unavailable in 2024, so older SecureX references are historical rather than a current buying dependency.

Are domain protection and awareness training included?

No core inclusion is established. Secure Email Domain Protection is a separate Red Sift-provided offer, and Cisco Secure Awareness Training is a separate phishing simulation and training product.

Does ETD include DLP?

ETD Essentials does not. ETD Advantage can integrate with Cisco Secure Access DLP, but Cisco states that additional licensing is required.

How much does Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense cost?

Cisco uses per-user pricing but does not publish a numeric amount. ETD Essentials and ETD Advantage require sales-assisted pricing. Cisco publishes 1-, 3-, and 5-year subscription options and several billing schedules without stating cancellation or minimum-commitment rules.

Popular comparisons

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