# Zscaler: how AI models rank it, September 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition. Named in 39 judge labels across 5 categories by 12 of 12 models. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/zscaler/

## Standing by category

| Category | Share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zero trust network access | 2% | 9 | 62% | 16 |
| Data loss prevention | 0% | 12 | 6% | 18 |
| Next-generation firewalls | 0% | 26 | 0% | 3 |
| SD-WAN | 0% | 36 | 0% | 1 |
| Vulnerability management platforms | 0% | 60 | 0% | 1 |

## What the models said for it

- "### Best Overall: Zscaler" (Claude Haiku 4.5, ZTNA)
- "Prefer modern alternatives: Look at contextual/ML-driven options (e.g., Netskope, Zscaler, Varonis) rated higher" (Grok 4.1 Fast, DLP)
- "Look for ZTNA solutions with a highly distributed global edge network (such as Cloudflare or Zscaler)" (Gemini 3.5 Flash, ZTNA)
- "Better if you want ZTNA as part of a larger security stack rather than a standalone VPN replacement." (Perplexity Sonar, ZTNA)

## And against it

- "CVE-2025-54982 - SAML authentication bypass; failed to validate SAML assertion signatures | Complete authentication bypass" (Kimi K2, ZTNA)
- "Enterprise-heavy like Zscaler/Palo Alto? Avoid—custom pricing often $15+/user, no free tiers." (Grok 4.1 Fast, ZTNA)
- "Caution Regarding Cost & Complexity: Zscaler ... faces consistent pushback regarding total cost of ownership (TCO) and operational friction." (Qwen 3.7 Flash, ZTNA)
- "Zscaler (CVE-2025-54982): Had a SAML authentication bypass ... (Note: All three of the above vendors quickly remediated these specific bugs)" (Gemini 3.5 Flash, ZTNA)

## Record

- Method: https://it-ai-index.com/methodology/
- Raw judge labels and full responses: https://it-ai-index.com/data/
- License: CC BY 4.0. Cite as IT AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition, it-ai-index.com.