Work from anywhere is the new status quo so organizations must ensure that all workers can effectively and securely access their resources. Unfortunately, options like VPNs and firewalls fail to meet the demands of modern hybrid work in terms of performance, scalability, and most importantly, security.
Many organizations have turned to SASE, or Secure Access Service Edge, for their network security and access controls. SASE’s secure remote access efficacy and use cases make it critical for the future of network security. Let’s explore several ways you can use it to improve connectivity, secure access to remote resources, and uplevel your network security posture.
By combining multiple network security functionalities into a single platform, SASE makes network security scalable and performant for current hybrid work models. As such, it solves many needs by enabling secure remote access to resources while creating a consistent experience for users—both in and out of office.
Unlike VPNs, which require end users to log in every time, SASE uses always-on software to connect users. With this software-defined perimeter (SDP), they instantly connect to resources within SASE, emulating an internal network at a global scale.
This always-on alternative to VPNs provides near-pipe speed connections, minimizing latency effects on the end users’ experience. The result is streamlined access to resources with the utmost security. Read more about how it works here.
Combining a secure web gateway (SWG) with the SDP, SASE enables users to access the internet securely anywhere. SASE routes traffic to globally dispersed Points of Presence (PoPs) based on proximity or pre-defined routing policies, ensuring uptime and reducing latency.
Not only does this approach enable secure access for remote workers, but also provides flexibility in troubleshooting for admins. For example, one MSP using SASE was able to avert outages due to a DDoS attack by rerouting traffic while maintaining secure connections. Read the full story here.
Because of its interconnected nature, SASE allows organizations to gain insights into traffic flows and user activity regardless of location. Next-generation firewalls (NGFW) hosted in the cloud go beyond traditional perimeter-bound network models, providing unprecedented network detection capabilities.
This level of visibility is crucial not only for troubleshooting network issues, but also identifying potential threats within the network. Doing so allows organizations to uncover and address vulnerabilities while also gaining insight into user behaviors.
Through SASE’s Secure DNS, Content Filtering, and more, organizations can tailor what end users can access over the internet. Blocking malicious domains by default, these functionalities also allow admins to remove users’ ability to visit sites that are unrelated to work (gambling, adult sites, social media, etc.).
From a security perspective, this approach helps reduce the potential effects of phony links and improve productivity in the process. Read here for more information on the benefits of Secure DNS through SASE.
Culminating everything above with an Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP), SASE is the premier solution for implementing ZTNA policies across the organization. Identity-based access controls enable least privilege limitations to reduce attack surfaces and control the effects of compromised credentials.
Then, with user experience management, organizations can fine-tune how users operate within the network. Monitoring provides crucial visibility into network activities and user behaviors that help to verify identities and establish trust. Learn more about the overlap of SASE and ZTNA here.
To see what each aspect of SASE entails and how they work together, check out our eBook. Download it for free today to get started.
