CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Secret Double Octopus vs WatchGuard Technologies

Secret Double Octopus uses patented ZeroPassword™ technology and is FIDO Alliance certified. WatchGuard Technologies sells a Unified Security Platform that combines network, endpoint, identity and cloud protection, purpose-built for MSPs servicing midsize companies and SMBs. CISO Tribune files both under Workforce IAM and SSO. This page sets the two records side by side: what each sells, where it is based, who owns and funds it, the customers it names and its recent news, each fact numbered to its source.

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  • Secret Double Octopus
  • WatchGuard Technologies
Secret Double Octopus vs WatchGuard Technologies: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
Secret Double OctopusSecret Double Octopus uses patented ZeroPassword™ technology and is FIDO Alliance certified.doubleoctopus.comWatchGuard TechnologiesWatchGuard Technologies sells a Unified Security Platform that combines network, endpoint, identity and cloud protection, purpose-built for MSPs servicing midsize companies and SMBs.watchguard.com
What it sells
  • Octopus Authentication Platform[4]Octopus Authentication Platform delivers phishing-resistant, passwordless MFA across legacy, on-prem, cloud, and air-gapped systems.
  • Octopus Starter[8]Octopus Starter is traditional MFA with passwords that is ready to go passwordless.
  • Octopus Pro[4][8][13]Octopus Pro adds desktop MFA, including phishing-resistant FIDO2 key authentication to Windows, MAC, and corporate applications.
  • Octopus Enterprise[8]Octopus Enterprise is full passwordless MFA for an entire workforce.
  • Octopus Cloud[8]Octopus Cloud is SOC2 certified and delivered as a service.
  • Octopus SSO Authentication Platform[10]The Octopus SSO Authentication Platform is built around a patented Invisible Secret Rotation technology.
  • Workforce passwordless MFA[4][9]Workforce passwordless MFA is multi-factor authentication that lets employees log in to every corporate resource without a password.
  • Unified Security Platform[1][5]WatchGuard unifies network, endpoint, identity and cloud protection under one agent, one console and one AI intelligence layer.
  • Firebox M Series[9]Firebox M Series rackmount appliances provide NGFW features.
  • Endpoint Security 360[11]WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360 is an autonomous zero trust endpoint detection and response solution.
  • AuthPoint[7][12][13]WatchGuard AuthPoint provides cloud-based authentication and access to applications.
  • Total Identity Security[13]Total Identity Security combines AuthPoint MFA with Dark Web Credential Monitoring.
  • WatchGuard Cloud[1][5][7][9][13]WatchGuard Cloud is built for MSPs and gives one place to deploy, standardize, monitor and report across all customers.
  • Compliance Reporting[15]WatchGuard Compliance Reporting offers configurable compliance controls and reports for regulatory needs.
Categories
Headquarters
Not stated on its pagesSeattle, United States[4]
Founded
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Ownership and funding
Privately held[6][8]Owned by Vector Capital since 2022[6]
Named customers
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Recent news
Not stated on its pages
  • July 7, 2026WatchGuard Technologies appointed Vincent Hwang as Chief Product Officer, reporting to CEO Joe Smolarski.[16]
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: listed, seen November 10, 2026[6]
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: listed, seen October 30, 2026[6]
Who it fits
Secret Double Octopus names international aerospace and defense manufacturers as users of passwordless MFA. Secret Double Octopus addresses organizations with M&A identity silos and legacy financial systems. Octopus Cloud, delivered as a service, offers companies of all sizes the full suite of Octopus Enterprise, Pro, and Starter.WatchGuard delivers its security to businesses exclusively through managed service provider and reseller partners. Businesses receive protection configured and managed for them by a local WatchGuard partner. WatchGuard describes its devices as suited to securing branch offices, distributed networks and large data centers. WatchGuard secure access points are described for small offices, retail locations, schools, warehouses and outdoor deployments. WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360 is described as suited to organizations and MSPs.
Last verified
November 9, 2026September 27, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Secret Double Octopus and WatchGuard Technologies are both filed under Workforce IAM and SSO.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Secret Double Octopus's primary category is Passwordless authentication and authenticators; WatchGuard Technologies's is Firewalls and NGFW.
  • WatchGuard Technologies is also filed under Identity threat detection and response and EDR and XDR.
  • Secret Double Octopus lists Octopus Authentication Platform, Octopus Starter, Octopus Pro, Octopus Enterprise, Octopus Cloud and 2 more. WatchGuard Technologies lists Unified Security Platform, Firebox M Series, Endpoint Security 360, AuthPoint, Total Identity Security and 2 more.
  • WatchGuard Technologies is headquartered in Seattle, United States.
  • Secret Double Octopus is privately held. WatchGuard Technologies is owned by Vector Capital, since 2022.

What it sells: Secret Double Octopus

What Octopus Authentication Platform does[4]
Octopus works with modern FIDO2 and SAML apps, and with applications, services, and infrastructure that requires a password. Octopus is available as a self-managed virtual appliance for on-premises and private cloud environments.
What Octopus Starter does[8]
Octopus Starter covers cloud/web applications, VPN, and VDI. Octopus Cloud carries the full suite of Octopus Enterprise, Pro, and Starter.
What Octopus Pro does[4][8][13]
Octopus Pro enables MFA with passwords while preparing a business to go passwordless MFA. Octopus Cloud carries the full suite of Octopus Enterprise, Pro, and Starter.
What Octopus Enterprise does[8]
Octopus Cloud carries the full suite of Octopus Enterprise, Pro, and Starter. Octopus Cloud is SOC2 certified and delivered as a service.
What Octopus Cloud does[8]
Octopus Cloud carries the full suite of Octopus Enterprise, Pro, and Starter for companies of all sizes. Octopus is available as a self-managed virtual appliance for on-premises and private cloud environments.
What Octopus SSO Authentication Platform does[10]
An Octopus administrator adds SaaS and password-based apps to the Octopus SSO-managed applications console. Users authenticate to Octopus on their desktop using strong passwordless methods like FIDO, smartcard, or Octopus mobile push with proximity sensing.

What it sells: WatchGuard Technologies

What Firebox M Series does[9]
Firebox M Series rackmount appliances provide NGFW features. Firebox rackmount appliances integrate with WatchGuard Cloud and ThreatSync and offer centralized management and AI-powered XDR correlation.
What Endpoint Security 360 does[11]
WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360 is an autonomous zero trust endpoint detection and response solution that blocks unknown applications automatically and continuously monitors trusted applications for signs of compromise. WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360 provides visibility into blocked executions, compromised trusted applications and the progression of attacks across endpoints.
What AuthPoint does[7][12][13]
WatchGuard AuthPoint provides cloud-based authentication and access to applications. AuthPoint MFA supports push, passkeys, TOTP, QR codes, hardware tokens and zero trust policies. AuthPoint is managed in WatchGuard Cloud, which configures policies, synchronizes users and enforces controls from one interface.
What Total Identity Security does[13]
Total Identity Security combines AuthPoint MFA with Dark Web Credential Monitoring. WatchGuard continuously monitors workforce user credentials across dark web, deep web and breach databases using AI-driven intelligence, and can alert affected end users directly. WatchGuard Cloud lets MSPs manage MFA and credential monitoring across customer accounts.
What WatchGuard Cloud does[1][5][7][9][13]
WatchGuard Cloud is built for MSPs and gives one place to deploy, standardize, monitor and report across all customers. ThreatSync XDR is part of WatchGuard Cloud and correlates activity across WatchGuard security layers. WatchGuard Cloud provides visibility, configuration control and real-time threat monitoring so MSPs can manage network security from anywhere with an Internet connection.
What Compliance Reporting does[15]
WatchGuard Compliance Reporting offers configurable compliance controls and reports for regulatory needs. WatchGuard Compliance Reporting is integrated with WatchGuard NDR and WatchGuard SaaS, delivering over 100 AI-refined network cybersecurity controls. WatchGuard Compliance Reporting includes configurable compliance report templates for ISO-27001, NIST 800-53, NIST 171/CMMC, UK Cyber Essentials, FFIEC, CISA Ransomware Defense, Cyber Insurance Compliance and Supply Chain Compliance.

Questions about Secret Double Octopus and WatchGuard Technologies

What do Secret Double Octopus and WatchGuard Technologies sell?
Secret Double Octopus sells Octopus Authentication Platform, Octopus Starter, Octopus Pro, Octopus Enterprise, Octopus Cloud and 2 more. WatchGuard Technologies sells Unified Security Platform, Firebox M Series, Endpoint Security 360, AuthPoint, Total Identity Security and 2 more.
Are Secret Double Octopus and WatchGuard Technologies in the same category?
They share Workforce IAM and SSO. Secret Double Octopus's primary category is Passwordless authentication and authenticators and WatchGuard Technologies's is Firewalls and NGFW.
Where are Secret Double Octopus and WatchGuard Technologies headquartered?
WatchGuard Technologies is headquartered in Seattle, United States.
Who owns Secret Double Octopus and WatchGuard Technologies?
Secret Double Octopus is privately held. WatchGuard Technologies is owned by Vector Capital, since 2022.
Who are Secret Double Octopus and WatchGuard Technologies sold to?
Secret Double Octopus names international aerospace and defense manufacturers as users of passwordless MFA. WatchGuard delivers its security to businesses exclusively through managed service provider and reseller partners.
What have Secret Double Octopus and WatchGuard Technologies announced recently?
July 7, 2026: WatchGuard Technologies appointed Vincent Hwang as Chief Product Officer, reporting to CEO Joe Smolarski.

About Secret Double Octopus

Secret Double Octopus uses patented ZeroPassword™ technology and is FIDO Alliance certified. For non-SAML apps, Octopus replaces passwords on the backend with ephemeral tokens, and directories and legacy apps stay intact. Secret Double Octopus describes eliminating user-managed passwords across Windows & macOS, legacy and on-prem applications, remote access, shared accounts, and hybrid identity environments.[3][4]

Secret Double Octopus provides passwordless MFA for web single sign-on apps, such as SAML and OIDC. Secret Double Octopus provides desktop MFA at Windows login, online or offline. Secret Double Octopus provides phishing-resistant MFA for RADIUS and SSL VPN remote access. Secret Double Octopus provides passwordless SSH access to Linux and Unix servers. Secret Double Octopus covers apps with local or database user stores outside Active Directory. Secret Double Octopus provides named accountability on shared workstations and admin accounts. SDO supports admins in their full lifecycle and protects shared accounts, server accounts, advanced endpoint use cases, and passwordless MFA desktop login.[4][7]

Octopus Starter is traditional MFA with passwords that is ready to go passwordless, with covered use cases that include cloud/web applications, VPN, and VDI. Octopus Pro adds desktop MFA, including phishing-resistant FIDO2 key authentication to Windows, MAC, and corporate applications. Octopus Enterprise is full passwordless MFA for an entire workforce. Octopus Cloud is SOC2 certified and delivered as a service. Octopus Cloud carries the full suite of Octopus Enterprise, Pro, and Starter for companies of all sizes. Octopus is available as a self-managed virtual appliance for on-premises and private cloud environments. Octopus works with modern FIDO2 and SAML apps, and with applications, services, and infrastructure that requires a password. Octopus protects corporate apps, including VPN, privileged accesses, and custom business services.[1][4]

The Octopus SSO Authentication Platform is built around a patented Invisible Secret Rotation technology. An Octopus administrator adds SaaS and password-based apps to the Octopus SSO-managed applications console. Users authenticate to Octopus on their desktop using strong passwordless methods like FIDO, smartcard, or Octopus mobile push with proximity sensing. Octopus monitors the user session for policy violations to force re-authentication, steps up MFA, or for lockdown when the user starts an Octopus-managed app. Workforce passwordless MFA is multi-factor authentication that lets employees log in to every corporate resource without a password.[4][9][10]

Octopus supports all remote access protocols, including LDAP, Radius, SAML, and Kerberos. Octopus is built on cryptographic protocols that resist impersonation, push bombing, and man-in-the-middle attacks against web and corporate apps. Desktop-to-Apps Pinning stops advanced MITM phishing attacks without adding hardware smartcards or FIDO2 keys or changing the identity infrastructure. SDO includes CTAP2 and certified Server to protect Mac, Windows, and Linux desktops, web apps, and corporate apps. Octopus adaptive MFA capabilities include verified push, geolocation, and anomalous retry lockout. SDO replaces passwords on the backend of legacy and directory-based systems with machine-generated ephemeral tokens, so there is no static credential to phish.[5][11]

Octopus synchronizes with directory groups for automated MFA lifecycle management for dynamic student populations. Octopus gives remote and on-campus users a single passwordless MFA workflow for university-issued laptops and shared lab terminals. Octopus reaches beyond Windows PCs with Azure directories to protect Macs and Linux machines joined to on-prem AD or cloud directories. Octopus provides audit trails that document local and remote access to workstations, web, and core on-prem legacy apps. Secret Double Octopus describes secure access to every resource, including M&A identity silos and legacy financial systems, without changing apps or directory infrastructures. Octopus adds passwordless MFA access to shared accounts with an audit trail of which worker did what and when. Octopus passwordless MFA works across industrial infrastructures from corporate offices through production plants. International aerospace and defense manufacturers use passwordless MFA to protect sensitive data.[1][2][4][5][9][10][12][13][14][15][16]

Secret Double Octopus on the record

Sources

Secret Double Octopus full record

  1. [1]Standard chartered bank invests in secret double octopusSecret Double Octopus · doubleoctopus.com · undated page, accessed October 7, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Press releasesSecret Double Octopus · doubleoctopus.com · undated page, accessed October 7, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]doubleoctopus.comSecret Double Octopus · doubleoctopus.com · undated page, accessed October 7, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Leaders in Workforce Passwordless MFA - Secret Double OctopusSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]VPN MFA for the Remote Workforce | Secret Double OctopusSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Secret Double Octopus Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 31, 2026 · Tier C
  7. [7]Desktop MFA Solutions | Secret Double OctopusSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Passwordless Authentication Platform | Secret Double OctopusSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Passwordless MFA Solution For WorkforcesSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Single Sign-onSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Phishing Resistant MFA - Secret Double OctopusSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Secure Access for Higher Education - Secret Double OctopusSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Highest Assurance MFA for Financial Services SecuritySecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]Law Firms Require Better Authentication - Secret Double OctopusSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]Defense & Aerospace - Secret Double OctopusSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]Remote Access for Critical InfrastructureSecret Double Octopus · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

WatchGuard Technologies full record

  1. [1]watchguard.comWatchGuard Technologies · watchguard.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Watchguard launches new high performance firebox appliances secure modernWatchGuard Technologies · watchguard.com · published June 2, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]vectorcapital.comVector Capital · vectorcapital.com · published July 5, 2022 · Tier A
  4. [4]Dex991WatchGuard Technologies via SEC EDGAR · sec.gov · published July 25, 2006 · Tier A
  5. [5]WatchGuard | Comprehensive Cybersecurity SolutionsWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed October 30, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]WatchGuard Reviews, Ratings & Features 2026 | Gartner Peer InsightsGartner Peer Insights · undated page, accessed October 30, 2026 · Tier C
  7. [7]Centralized Management & Visibility | WatchGuard CloudWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Managed Security Services for MSPs | WatchGuardWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Rackmount Firewall Appliances | WatchGuardWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]WatchGuard Endpoint Security | AI-Powered ProtectionWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]WatchGuard Endpoint Security 360 - Zero Trust EDRWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]AuthPoint 30-Day Free Trial | WatchGuard Free AuthPointWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]AuthPoint Total Identity Security | WatchGuardWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]Secure Wireless APs for Your Business | WatchGuardWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]Compliance Reporting | WatchGuardWatchGuard Technologies · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]WatchGuard Appoints Vincent Hwang as Chief Product OfficerWatchGuard Technologies · published July 7, 2026 · Tier A

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