CUJO Smart Internet Security Firewall Review: Does This Work as Promised?

You are aware that you have to protect your computers from hacking attacks.  The ironic things is that while doing so, you usually leave your other connected devices open to hacking.

You buy anti-malware and anti-virus software to protect your PCs and laptops, but these tools are usually of no help when it comes to your other devices.

CUJO Smart Internet Security Firewall helps secure everything that is connected to your network, including your smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart home devices.

How CUJO Smart Internet Security Firewall Works

The CUJO device itself looks like a robot head with a flat top.  Its eyes literally lights up when it is in use.  Its name may remind you of Stephen King’s rabid dog, but the CUJO Smart Internet Security Firewall looks very friendly.

That friendly look is a reflection of how easy it is to use.  While most people may not understand Internet security, much less how to implement it, CUJO makes it very easy for anyone to get a handle on securing devices.

It analyzes all traffic that runs through your network and then uses CUJO Cloud service to analyze the statistics it gets from these data.  It does not send traffic data anywhere, just the statistics.

It can detect bad behavior and suspicious activity using its own algorithm that employs IP/DNS Threat Intelligence, unauthorized remote access detection, command and control detection, and behavioral analysis, as well as other security methods.

It also learns on its own so that it could protect you more over time. Lastly, CUJO shares the intelligence with other CUJO units.  This means more proactive protection for all CUJO users.

In summary, CUJO protects you from:

	CUJO	Firewall	Antivirus	Standard Wireless Routers
Hacks	√	x	x	x
Malware	√	Limited	x	x
Rule Based Protection	√	√	√	x
Behavior Learning	√	x	x	x
Secures a variety of devices	√	√	x	x
Automatic Updates	√	x	x	x

If you are currently relying on an anti-virus software to help you protect your router and other devices, you should know that it is not enough.  Only CUJO protects you from hacking, malware, and viruses.

Plus, it uses machine and behavioral learning and rule-based protection.  And you do not have to worry about new threats because it updates automatically, giving you top-notch protection even against new viruses and malware.

CUJO Eyes

The eyes you see on the device are not there just to make it look like a cute robot, but they serve as an indicator.  When all four eyelids light up, that means that the device has detected a new threat.

When only the two upper eyelids light up, it means that your CUJO is connected and is working properly.  When the device is disconnected or offline, only the lower eyelids are lit.

Finally, when the eyes are blinking, it means that it is getting a firmware update or is processing something internally.  When the eyes are blinking, you should not turn the device off.

The Mobile App

You would need to download the CUJO mobile app to activate your device.  Plus points go to CUJO for making their app visually stunning and easy to use.  Every screen looks like an Instagram post and everything is very intuitive.

The mobile app automatically identifies all the devices connected to your network and gives each a name that you could easily identify, such as router, Samsung Galaxy S6, iPhone 7, MacBook Air, and others.

You have the option to change these to something more meaningful to you such as “My Son’s Phone,” or “Wifey’s Laptop.”

One of the most useful features of the mobile app is the notification.  If CUJO detects something wrong, you will be notified about it via the mobile app.

On top of the alerts, it also allows you to see all threats that were detected and blocked.  Looking at the Events tab, you can see what threats were detected for a particular device on your network and the date and time it was detected.

After you get an alert, you can use the mobile app to stop the device from accessing your Internet connection until such time that you can physically access the device to correct the situation.

For instance, if you get an alert that your laptop at home has malware, you can remotely disconnect it from the Internet to give you time to get home and run an anti-malware software on it.

Subscription

It is not clearly stated on their website so you might easily miss it, but CUJO does need a monthly subscription or (For the latest prices and discounts, check here) opt for the yearly subscription.  This would pay for all the updates that CUJO needs to fight off the latest threats.

They do give you a six-month trial to go when you buy the device.

The Alternatives: Dojo and Keezel

The CUJO Smart Internet Security Firewall might be a new product, but it already has some competition in Dojo and Keezel.

Dojo works similarly as CUJO and Keezel, on the other hand, tries to replace your WiFi router.  With Keezel, you connect the device to your router and then you connect to the Keezel device instead of your current router.

All your traffic would go through a VPN network, which “hides” it from hackers and scammers.  And because the traffic is not visible, you are protected
from threats.

	CUJO	Dojo	Keezel
Advantage	Very simple, even beginners and non-techies would be able to use it.  Provides adequate protection for your connected devices.	Protects your devices very well.	Good for people who are on-the-go because of its small size.  You can use it when you use public WiFi hotspots.
Subscription	Per month / Per year (For the latest prices and discounts, check here).	Per year (For the latest prices and discounts, check here)	Free for the basic plan and $5 per month for the premium plan.

Overall, CUJO is the simplest to use among the three and it protects all your devices.  It also learns the behavior of different devices to make sure that it can detect when something is out of the ordinary.

For instance, when protecting your security camera, it learns that you send the footage to a specific cloud service.

In the event that your security footage is being requested by something other than the cloud service, it will alert you of this fact and you can decide whether or not to allow the transfer or block it.  Dojo does the same thing, so features-wise, it is at par with CUJO.

It also helps that the Dojo looks very zen, looking more like an aesthetic home decor than a security device.  However, Dojo is not yet available in the market and it is currently open for pre-orders.

Keezel is also available for pre-orders and it works differently compared to both Dojo and CUJO.  It is perfect for people who like working away from home because it is portable and you can take it with you.

It also doubles as a device charger, allowing you to charge your smartphone and laptop while on the go.  Price-wise, Keezel also wins by offering a lower monthly subscription fee than both Dojo and CUJO.

What could be better?

The CUJO Smart Internet Security Firewall relies on the mobile app to control your home network and devices but it does not have a Web interface that you can use for the same purpose.

The good news is that this feature is not really out of the question; if a good number of customers ask for it, they just might make a Web interface available to users.

The Final Verdict

Securing all your devices is a must in today’s connected world.  Hackers are a real threat and the amount of damage they could do when they get into your network, your laptop and smartphone can range from damaging your reputation, to you getting blackmailed, to even losing your savings.

The CUJO Smart Internet Security Firewallshows us that it is not enough to just install an antivirus or antimalware software.  And it makes your network security very simple.  You just plug it, setup and wait for it to alert you when something’s afoot.

It is like having your own IT guy doing nothing but checking on your network’s security and then asking you what you want to do every time it detects something.  And for its monthly subscription (For the latest prices and discounts, check here), that is a real bargain.

You might, however, want to check into Keezel if you want a secure connection even when accessing public Wi-Fi.  However, if you bring your Keezel with you, you’d be leaving your home open to threats.

Why not get the CUJO for your home and then augment it with Keezel for those times when you’re away from home?

How does Cujo compare to other internet security programs? Read here Cujo Firewall vs Norton Core!

Or take a look at my Dojo Security review here!