As employees use hybrid work environments to access applications and information, organizations must secure remote workers. A secure service edge can help achieve this.

SSE provides security and network services in a single cloud-native platform. It provides continuous security across SaaS, cloud and private applications using a unified 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 protects end users from unauthorized and malicious access, enables secure access to web, cloud, and private applications, and provides digital experience monitoring.

SSE is an integrated cloud-based platform for networking and security. This includes SD-WAN (software-defined wide area networks), firewalls-as-a-service, secure Web Gateways (SWG), the Cloud Access Security Broker, and Zero Trust Network access (ZTNA). It allows for consistent application and network security across users and locations, while also providing central visibility.

SSE also includes a zero trust approach to access control that is based on identity and never places users on the corporate network. This ensures fast, reliable WAN connections without the need for a 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 facilitates hybrid work, protects private and cloud data connectivity, speeds cloud migrations, simplifies integrations during M&As, and enables hybrid working by employees.

Security services are delivered through a cloud platform which can track user-to application connections, irrespective of location or devices. This reduces risk by eliminating gaps between point products and eliminates the need for manual updates to traditional legacy appliances.

Zero trust access. SSE systems are designed to allow the least-privileged user access. This is based on an zero trust policy that includes device, application, and content. This minimizes the attack surface and prevents lateral moves.

SSE enforces policies: SSE combines unified threats prevention capabilities with CASB/ZTNA technologies in order to enforce corporate policy on all end-users, no matter where they are located within the network or which devices they use. This can reduce the risk of malware, ransomware, and other threats if employees are using cloud applications or sensitive data that is not compliant with company policies.

Data Security

Protecting information is essential for organizations that allow remote and mobile workers to access data and applications via the internet. Secure service edge delivers protection by integrating web gateway, cloud access security broker and zero trust access (ZTNA).

SSE provides centralized cloud data protection (DLP), allowing sensitive data be quickly found, classified, then secured in an unified manner. This can assist in supporting compliance policies such as Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or GDPR.

SSE products must also offer advanced threat prevention, such as cloud-based firewalls (FWaaS), CASB analysis of data stored in SaaS software, and adaptive security access control. SSE solutions must include adaptive access control, which identifies and adjusts access based on changes in device posture.

Monitoring

It is crucial to monitor Internet sessions when you are working with a Secure Service Edge. This will allow you to monitor how your network is working and which applications are being used.

Monitors can alert you to potential problems, allowing you to prevent them before they even occur. This can help improve your user's experience and reduce cost.

SSE platforms capable of inspecting web and data trafic on a large scale are critical. Choose a vendor with strong service agreements (SLAs) that has evaluated inline traffic on behalf of large multinationals.

A security service edge can be used to enforce policy control on internet, cloud and mobile access. For example, this can include enforcing policies on corporate internet access and compliance through content blockage and malware isolation.