The sponsor of this review,
CUJO, started out as an
Indiegogo project which reached its funding goal back on November 14, 2015. In the end they actually raised $329,686, which translates to about 763% of the goal they set in order to proceed with the project. Indiegogo funded units started shipping in late 2016, and a bit later they started marketing their device through various retailers.
So what is CUJO? Well it isn’t a rabid St. Bernard. It is a smart home security device designed right here in the US and supported by a relatively small team. CUJO is designed to protect you from malware, viruses, and various hacking techniques. It employs machine-learning to monitor all of your connected devices to watch for new threats and block them. Some of these security measures run locally, while others are cloud based. But what CUJO learns on your network is shared with the cloud to ensure other CUJO users are protected from the same threats automatically.
Before taking a look at the unit provided for review, let's cover some of the published data on the device as taken from the retail packaging and from the
CUJO website...
Features and Specifications:
CUJO is a smart firewall device that has a 1GHz dual core processor, 1GB RAM, 4GB of flash memory as well as (2) 1GB Ethernet ports. It is designed to keep all of you network devices safe from hackers. In their own words:
We analyze packets for malicious intent right there on the CUJO whether it’s coming in from the Internet, going out to the Internet, or making moves across your network. CUJO applies IP/DNS Threat Intelligence, Behavioral Analysis using machine learning, Unauthorized Remote Access detection, Command & Control detection, and other security methods. When we catch something we send packet statistics (but not full packets) to the Cujo Cloud to analyze device behavior and make sure every other CUJO is aware of this kind of attack. We guard every single connected device on your network, not just your PC.
» Certifications: FCC, ETL (similar to UL), WEEE, CE (pending RoHS/REACH), Safety Cert
» Dimensions (W x H x D): 4.875” x 4.875” x 5.75” (124mm x 124mm x 146mm)
» Weight:0.831 lbs (without packaging) (377g)
» Features:
» Internet security for all devices
» Parental Controls
» VPN (coming soon…)
» Bridge or DHCP server mode
» Customizable DHCP settings (Subnet, IP range, Lease time, Static IP, DNS)
» Live Video Customer Service support
» Security Features
» Safe Browsing (IP/DNS)
» Command & Control blocking
» Unauthorized access blocking
» Antivirus and Antimalware
» Behavior Analysis
» Local+Cloud security layers
» DoS attack protection
» Protection of all devices on the network (like PC,, Phone, TV, Camera and etc.)
» Management Features: CUJO App: iOS/Android for Phones
» Minimal requirements:
» iOS 8.4.1, screen 640×960
» Android 4.1.1, screen 540×960
» Ambient Temperature:
» 32°F " 104°F
» (0°C " 40°C)
» Processor: Dual Core 1GHz
» Flash Memory: 4GB Flash
» SDRAM Memory: 1GB DDR SRAM
» Acceleration: Cryptographic Hardware Acceleration
» Ports: 2 x 1Gbps Ethernet Ports
» External Power Supply
» Input: 100-240V ~ 0.3A 50-60Hz
» Output: 5V DC 2.0A Max
» Plugs: US/CA, EU, AU/NZ, UK, Other countries
