Question 1

Do my clients' firewall configs leave my environment?

Accepted Answer

No. Configs are processed entirely in memory during the audit and immediately discarded after. We store findings and risk scores — not the raw configuration content. Your clients' network topology, IP ranges, and rule logic never leave your machine or get written to any database.

Question 2

Do I need to install an agent or give ShieldIQ access to my firewalls?

Accepted Answer

No agents, no network credentials required for an upload-based audit. You export a config file from your firewall's management console (a process that takes about 30 seconds) and upload it. We detect the vendor automatically and return results in under 60 seconds. API-connected scheduled audits are available for advanced users who want continuous monitoring.

Question 3

How is this different from a vulnerability scanner like Nessus or Qualys?

Accepted Answer

Vulnerability scanners probe live systems for unpatched CVEs and open ports. ShieldIQ analyzes the firewall's own policy logic — finding rule errors like shadowed rules, allow-all policies, missing default deny, and stale rules that active scanners cannot detect. It's policy auditing, not vulnerability scanning. Most MSPs use both: scanners find exploitable weaknesses, ShieldIQ finds the policy misconfigurations that let those weaknesses through.

Question 4

My firewall vendor has a built-in policy checker. Why do I need ShieldIQ?

Accepted Answer

Built-in tools only analyze their own vendor's format and produce output designed for network engineers — not client delivery. ShieldIQ audits 12 vendors using the same 15 checks, maps findings to PCI-DSS v4.0, NIST 800-53, CIS Controls, and HIPAA, and generates AI explanations in plain English. You also get rule cleanup reports listing every rule safe to delete, score projections showing exactly how much your score improves after fixing issues, shareable audit links for clients, and white-labeled PDF reports. It's the difference between a system log and a board-ready deliverable.

Question 5

Will ShieldIQ reports hold up with a PCI-DSS auditor?

Accepted Answer

ShieldIQ maps every finding to specific PCI-DSS v4.0 controls — for example, an allow-all rule flags controls 1.3.1 and 1.3.2. The technical report is formatted as audit evidence and shows exactly which controls pass or fail. Most customers use ShieldIQ to find and remediate gaps before their QSA arrives, then provide the report as supporting evidence. ShieldIQ does not replace a QSA assessment, but it significantly reduces what the assessor finds.

Question 6

Can I white-label the reports for my clients?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Business ($349/mo) and MSP ($499/mo) plans include full white-labeling. Upload your logo, set your brand colors, and add a custom footer. Both the executive summary and the full technical report render under your company name. Clients receive professional, branded PDF and Word reports. ShieldIQ is never mentioned anywhere in the output.

Question 7

When does the MSP plan make more sense than Pro or Business?

Accepted Answer

If you're managing more than a handful of clients, the MSP plan ($499/month + $29/client) scales better than separate subscriptions. A Pro plan covers 5 devices for $149/month — great for a single company. But an MSP with 15 clients on Pro would pay $2,235/month. On the MSP plan, that same MSP pays $644/month and gets client management (create and switch between client orgs), batch upload (audit multiple configs at once), ConnectWise PSA integration (auto-create tickets for critical findings), API access, and priority support. Most MSPs move to the MSP plan after their third or fourth client.

Question 8

Is ShieldIQ SOC2 certified?

Accepted Answer

Not yet — SOC2 Type I is on our 2026 roadmap with Type II to follow. In the meantime, we're transparent about how data is handled: raw configs are processed in memory and never stored, access is role-based with JWT authentication, all stored data is encrypted at rest with AES-256, refresh tokens rotate on every use, and we maintain an immutable audit log. Read our full Security Practices page for details on encryption, AI data handling, and our security roadmap.

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Why MSPs Choose ShieldIQ

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HIPAA Security Rule, mapped to firewall policy.

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