The enterprise landscape is changing, and along with it cybersecurity needs. Employees are increasingly remote, applications are moving to the cloud, and IT infrastructure is becoming more complex, with IoT and mobile devices and branch offices among the many connection points outside of traditional firewalls. To keep up with all these changes, enterprises need a new approach to security.
That’s where secure access service edge (SASE) technology comes in. SASE can create a perimeter between an organization’s private network and public networks like the internet, which could otherwise be exposed to potential attackers.
Just as on-premises security has been consolidating under broad extended detection and response (XDR) solutions, security outside the firewall is increasingly getting combined into SASE solutions.
Secure access service edge is a term coined by Gartner that refers to the convergence of network and security services into a single platform delivered as a service. SASE – pronounced “sassy” – consolidates and offers security services from a large-scale cloud network, including cloud access security brokers (CASB), secure web gateways, and firewalls as a service (FWaaS).
This shift is being driven by the need for organizations to provide better security and performance for their remote users. At the same time, they are looking for ways to reduce costs and increase flexibility in managing access to cloud-based applications. SASE provides end-to-end access control across wired, wireless, and mobile networks.
Also read: Deploying SASE: What You Should Know to Secure Your Network
SASE is a cloud-based security solution that offers a comprehensive set of security tools and services. SASE consolidates these tools and services into a single, easy-to-use platform, making it an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes. It provides the industry’s most advanced authentication, encryption, identity management, and access control features in one unified interface.
With robust reporting capabilities as well as multiple levels of granularity when configuring settings, organizations can make informed decisions on how they want their network secured while also meeting regulatory compliance requirements.
Organizations can quickly define who has access to what data without compromising performance. In addition, SASE helps mitigate insider threats by enabling federated identification to help ensure employees can only see data they have been granted access to.
SASE includes a suite of enterprise-grade applications and software components that offer an integrated solution for securing remote access. The key components of SASE include:
SD-WAN provides secure, high-performance IP connectivity to branch offices, data centers, and other networks across public or private cloud infrastructure. SD-WAN simplifies the design and operation of wide area networks (WAN) by automatically routing traffic based on application type, performance needs, security requirements, cost constraints, quality of service (QoS), and network topology changes — without any manual configuration or changes to applications or the underlying transport network.
SD-WAN enables enterprises to securely extend their existing network to the cloud, public internet, or third-party networks without needing expensive VPN hardware. It is often more cost-effective than MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) over time.
A firewall as a service enables enterprises to centrally manage their organization’s firewall policies and protections regardless of where those endpoints are located in the organization — centralized, distributed or mobile. FWaaS provides a complete firewall service with robust data security and user privacy protection capabilities by leveraging next-generation firewall (NGFW) technology.
ZTNA is a robust access control framework that eliminates traditional barriers between internal resources and users who wish to connect outside the network. With ZTNA, IT administrators maintain complete visibility into all connections made through the network with granular detail about who is accessing what resources at what time while eliminating complexity and costly upfront investments. ZTNA ensures only approved devices can connect to corporate resources across all applications to protect against rogue devices and other threats.
See the Top Zero Trust Security Solutions & Software
CASB can help organizations meet compliance obligations related to information protection through authentication, authorization, monitoring, and reporting. CASBs also provide identity and access management capabilities, single sign-on (SSO) services, regulatory oversight, GDPR, fraud detection tools, SaaS app control, and more.
DLP helps protect critical business assets such as intellectual property and sensitive customer data from unauthorized use by detecting when they leave your company’s network perimeter — intentionally or unintentionally. DLP protects against insider threats, too, by identifying inappropriate behaviors such as downloading confidential documents to removable media devices. DLP functionality includes encryption, classification, policy creation, and key management.
See the Top DLP Tools
SWG features multilayered protections to provide customers maximum flexibility in balancing web security concerns with the organizational need for web accessibility. SWG offers multiple web filter profiles for enabling organizations to configure their ideal balance of content restrictions and website accessibility.
SASE delivers unified, cross-platform device management that extends the capabilities of SASE for a seamless user experience that scales up or down according to the number of employees, devices, or locations. It allows IT admins to monitor the health and performance of SASE from anywhere on any device.
XDR (extended detection and response) is a security platform that takes data from multiple sources and uses it to detect, investigate, and respond to network threats. SASE, on the other hand, is a cloud-based security platform that provides users with secure access to applications and data from any location.
You’ll want an XDR solution if you’re trying to detect, investigate, and respond to cybersecurity threats, and you’ll want a SASE solution if you need secure access services or want user mobile or remote access capability. Both platforms offer robust protection against hacking and malware attacks.
XDR covers all aspects of on-premises security, from endpoint protection to network security, while SASE focuses on the edge, cloud security, and mobile device security. If you have most of your company’s resources stored in the office and rely heavily on IT infrastructure in the building, then XDR is probably better for you.
SASE would be better suited for your needs if you want to be more flexible with where work happens and is ideal for companies that wish to have remote access without giving up corporate data. You also get increased visibility into your devices by utilizing geolocation services.
Also see the Best Cloud Security Solutions
Here are some of the best SASE solutions on the market, based on our assessment of product features, user feedback and more. These products range from low-cost ones appropriate for small businesses to higher-cost options aimed at protecting the most complex enterprises.
Perimeter 81 is a cloud and network security provider with a SASE offering that provides businesses a secure way to connect employees, devices, and applications. It uses a software-defined perimeter (SDP) to create a microsegmented network that limits access to only the resources users need. Plus, it’s cloud-based, so it’s easy to set up and manage.
Perimeter 81’s SASE offering includes a secure SD-WAN, next-generation firewall, CASB, and more. It’s easy to set up and manage and provides a high level of security for your network.
Perimeter 81 offers flexible licensing options that can be tailored to meet your business needs. The company has four pricing plans, including:
Cloudflare One is a SASE platform that provides enterprise security, performance, and networking services. It includes a web application firewall, DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) protection, and content delivery network capabilities.
Organizations with their own data centers can use it as an extension of their existing network infrastructure. It offers a secure communication channel between remote users, branch offices, and data centers.
Prospective customers should contact Cloudflare for pricing quotes.
Cisco’s SASE platform combines networking and security functions in the cloud to deliver seamless, secure access to applications anywhere users work. Cisco defines its offering using 3Cs:
Cisco’s new approach converges these functions into a unified platform in the cloud that delivers end-to-end visibility and control over every application traffic flow between people, devices and networks.
Pricing quotes are available on request.
Cato Networks is a next-generation security platform that enables enterprises to securely connect users to applications, whether in the cloud, on-premises, or hybrid. Cato Networks provides a single point of control and visibility into all traffic flowing into and out of the network, making it easy to manage and secure access for all users.
Cato Networks also offers a variety of features to protect against threats, including an integrated intrusion prevention system (IPS), application-layer inspection engine, and NGFW. With this suite of protection features, organizations can quickly detect and stop an attack before it gets too far into their environment.
Pricing quotes are available on request.
NordLayer is a cloud-based security platform that helps businesses secure their data and prevent unauthorized access. NordLayer provides various features to help companies to stay secure, including two-factor authentication (2FA), encrypted data storage, and real-time monitoring. NordLayer is an affordable, easy-to-use solution that can help businesses keep their data safe.
NordLayer’s scalable plans also make it a cost-effective option for companies with different levels of need for securing data. NordLayer offers three plans, including:
Zscaler SASE is a cloud-native SASE platform consolidating multiple security functions into a single, integrated solution. It offers advanced user and entity behavior analytics, a next-generation firewall, and web filtering. Its secure architecture is uniquely designed to leverage the public cloud’s scale, speed, and agility while maintaining an uncompromised security posture.
Pricing quotes are available on request.
Palo Alto’s Prisma SASE is a secure access service edge solution that combines network security, cloud security, and SD-WAN in a single platform. Prisma SASE provides the ability to establish an encrypted connection between corporate assets and the cloud.
It provides granular control over user access, allowing users to protect their data and applications from unauthorized access and attacks. With Prisma SASE, enterprises can meet compliance obligations by encrypting all traffic to and from public cloud services and within their internal networks.
Contact the Palo Alto Networks team for detailed quotes.
Netskope SASE is a cloud-native security platform that enables organizations to securely connect users to applications, data, and devices from anywhere. It provides a single pane of glass for visibility and control over all internet traffic, both inbound and outbound.
With this solution, enterprises can focus on securing the apps and data they use most by prioritizing access based on risk profile and selecting security controls selectively without interrupting business operations.
Quote-based pricing is available on request.
McAfee Enterprise’s Cloud business rebranded to form Skyhigh Security. Skyhigh’s SASE secures data across the web, cloud, and private apps. The platform enables enterprises to securely connect users to apps and data from any device, anywhere. The platform uses machine learning to generate insight into user behavior and analyze real-time threat intelligence data with predictive modeling.
Skyhigh Security provides pricing quotes on request.
Versa is a SASE solution that integrates a comprehensive set of services through the Versa operating system (VOS), including security, networking SD-WAN, and analytics. The solution delivers holistic enterprise-wide IT strategy and management to meet the needs of both security professionals and network managers. The services are orchestrated and delivered integrated to provide enhanced visibility, agility, and protection.
Pricing is quote-based. Potential buyers can contact Versa for personalized quotes.
The right SASE provider will have a global presence and can offer exceptional performance and security. They are also known for being flexible and customizable to the needs of their customers.
Plus, they must always be backed by the latest technologies to provide excellent service. When looking for a SASE provider, ensure you find one with all of these qualities, so you don’t run into any issues later on. There is no such thing as too much research regarding choosing your SASE provider.
Before settling for a provider, read user reviews, assess the provider’s product features, understand your enterprise needs, and evaluate their SLA (service-level agreement) commitments. Once you’ve found the perfect provider, ask about pricing plans and contracts. Make sure you get what you’re paying for because your IT infrastructure is very important at the end of the day.
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