As employees use hybrid work environments to access applications and information, organizations must secure remote workers. Secure service edges can help with this.

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 protects end users from unauthorized and malicious access, enables secure access to web, cloud, and private applications, and provides digital experience monitoring.

SSE (Cloud Security Engine) is a cloud-based solution that integrates networking, security and other functions. These include SD-WAN software, firewall as a Service, Secure Web Gateways, Cloud Access Security Brokers and Zero Trust network access. It offers consistent application and security enforcement across locations and users while delivering centralized visibility into traffic.

SSE includes an identity-based zero trust access control system that never puts users on the corporate network. This provides fast and reliable WAN connection without the requirement for a VPN. SSE includes a strong defense-in-depth approach for detecting malware and other threats.

Threat Protection

SSE offers threat protection for internet sessions, ensuring that users connect securely to critical business applications no matter where they are located. This enables hybrid-work for employees, secures data and cloud connectivity, accelerates migrations to the cloud, and simplifies M&A integration.

The cloud platform can deliver security services to users regardless of their location or device. This reduces risks by eliminating gaps between products and removing the need for manual updating of traditional legacy appliances.

Zero trust: SSE Systems should provide least-privileged access in accordance with a zero-trust policy. This includes user role and behavior as well as device, application, or content. This prevents lateral movement and protects applications from being discovered, reducing the attack surface.

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 helps reduce the risk that insiders, ransomwares and other types of threats can be posed by employees who connect to sensitive information or use cloud-based applications that aren't compliant with corporate security policies.

Data Security

Organizations need to safeguard information as remote and mobile users access applications and data via the internet. Secure service edge provides security by combining web gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), zero trust network access technologies (ZTNA).

SSE also provides centralized cloud Data Loss Protection (DLP) capabilities. This allows sensitive data, such as credit card numbers, to be classified, located and secured in one place. This can help to support compliance policy, such as Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard PCI DSS and GDPR.

SSE solutions must also have advanced threat prevention capabilities, such as cloud firewall as a service (FWaaS), CASB inspection of data in SaaS apps, and adaptive access control. Adaptive access control is a key element of SSE that identifies device posture and adjusts access as it changes.

Monitoring

Monitoring internet sessions is important when using a secure service. This allows you the ability to track how your network performs, and which apps have been used.

Monitoring helps you to identify potential problems and protect your business from threats. It can also improve user experience and lower costs.

SSE platforms which can monitor web and data traffic on a global level are essential. You should choose a vendor who has solid service-level agreements and is experienced in evaluating the traffic of major multinationals.

One of the most common uses for a Security Service Edge is to enforce control policies on mobile, cloud and internet access. This can include enforcing corporate internet and access control policies for compliance or mitigating risk through content blocking and malware isolation.