Secure Service Edge Hybrid Work Environments

Organizations need to protect remote workers, as employees are accessing data and applications through hybrid environments. This can be done using a secure service edge.

SSE, a cloud-native platform that integrates security and networking into one platform, is a cloud architecture. This allows continuous security coverage for cloud, SaaS or private applications through a single policy framework.

Access Control

As more employees and trusted partners access content, data, applications, and other resources through the internet or mobile devices, it is essential to have a comprehensive secure service edge (SSE) solution. SSE provides protection against malicious or unauthorized access. SSE also allows secure access to cloud, web and private applications.

SSE is a cloud-based platform that integrates networking and security functions, such as software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), firewall as a service, secure web gateways (SWG), cloud access security broker (CASB), and zero trust network access (ZTNA). It ensures consistent application and data security across locations and users, and provides centralized visibility.

SSE is also equipped with a zero-trust access control system based on identity. This means that users are never put on the network. This allows for fast and reliable WAN connectivity without the need of a virtual private network (VPN). SSE also includes a defense-in depth strategy that is effective in detecting and preventing threats such as malware.

Threat Protection

SSE protects internet sessions from threats, so users are able to connect securely with critical business apps no matter their location. This enables hybrid work for employees, secures cloud and private data connectivity, accelerates cloud migrations and simplifies integration during M&As.

A single cloud platform delivers security services that follow app-to-app connectivity, regardless of device or location. This eliminates gaps between point-products and the need to manually update traditional legacy appliances.

Zero-trust access: SSE systems must allow the least privilege access, based upon a policy of zero trust, encompassing user role, behavior, device, content, and application. This protects against lateral movement while preventing applications from being found, reducing attack surfaces.

SSE enforces policy control by combining unified threat prevention capabilities, CASB, and ZTNA to enforce corporate standards on all users. This is true regardless of the location or type of device. This can help mitigate the risks of insider attacks, ransomware or other threats that may occur when employees use cloud applications not in compliance with corporate policy.

Data Security

As remote and mobile users connect to applications and data over the internet, organizations need to protect that information. Secure service edges delivers security through the unification of web gateways (SWG), cloud-access security brokers (CASB), as well as zero-trust network access (ZTNA).

SSE also offers centralized cloud data loss protection (DLP) capabilities, enabling sensitive data to be easily found, classified, and secured in a unified way. This can help to support compliance policy, such as Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard PCI DSS and GDPR.

SSE solutions should also include advanced threat prevention features, including cloud firewalls as a service, CASB inspections of data within SaaS apps and adaptive access controls. SSE's adaptive access control identifies the device posture, and adapts access to it as needed.

Watching

Monitor internet sessions if you're working with secure service edges. This allows you the ability to track how your network performs, and which apps have been used.

Monitoring can help to protect your business by spotting potential problems in advance and preventing them from happening. This can help improve your user's experience and reduce cost.

SSE platforms which can monitor web and data traffic on a global level are essential. Be sure that the vendor has a strong service level agreement (SLA) and an extensive track record in evaluating traffic for large multinational companies.

One of the most common uses for a Security Service Edge is to enforce control policies on mobile, cloud and internet access. For example, this can include enforcing policies on corporate internet access and compliance through content blockage and malware isolation.