Cyber Security

The power of SASE: creating secure access for today's dynamic world

Digitization and connectivity are at the core of every business activity today. Ensuring secure access to data and systems is therefore invaluable. SASE stands for: Secure Access Service Edge and offers a completely different approach to network security and connectivity. Traditional boundaries blur as it sets a new standard for efficiency and security.

In this blog, we delve deeper into the essence of SASE, reflect on the functionalities it offers and explore the benefits your business can experience through its implementation.

A key link to integrated security and unlimited access

For years, network & security was centered around the corporate network, seen as the secure perimeter. However, this model is no longer tenable today. More people are working remotely and more companies are embracing the cloud. This trend significantly impacts the scale of your corporate network and its data security. The traditional, centralized hub-and-spoke network architecture has become an expensive affair and consequently creates various security risks.

Moreover, your business needs to easily adapt to rapidly changing and new demands. This requires flexibility, particularly concerning security. Relying on perimeter security would significantly hinder productivity. It would be necessary to route all traffic to the data center, which is not only cumbersome but also challenging to achieve.

Therefore, the need for a network and security architecture that could provide smooth and secure access to cloud applications (regardless of the location of the data/applications/users) was high.

SASE: the smart fusion of security and connectivity

As mentioned earlier SASE stands for: Secure Access Service Edge. But what is it exactly? SASE is a cloud-based network and security approach that ensures secure access to all your systems, data and (cloud) applications connecting all applications, users, data and resources (regardless of their location and regardless of the device used for access).

Various business locations are interconnected via a virtual network. Security has expanded beyond the previous perimeter of your corporate site. Control now operates at the edge of the cloud, rather than your organization’s data center. Signifying SASE’s transition of security from on-premises to the cloud.

On top of that, SASE is not a clearly defined security model. It is a way to structure your security landscape, allowing you to tailor your security solution perfectly to your business needs. It consolidates SD-WAN, Firewall-as-a-service, ZTNA, CASB and SWG functionalities into one unified cloud-native service.

How does SASE work?

SASE merges cloud security, zero-trust access and complete WAN provisioning. SASE services are applied based on the user’s identity and real-time context, offered by a SASE provider. Key characteristics of SASE include:

Identity-driven:
The identity of the user determines access levels based on location, role in the company, connection times (e.g., within or outside office hours) and other security rules.

Cloud native:
SASE’s cloud native nature allows easy adaption to your business needs. It is flexible, self-healing and self-maintaining.

Support for all edges
Since this security method operates in the cloud, independent of your data center’s physical location, it allows the connection of any device over a unified network. This encompasses all resources, spanning from your data center to branch offices, cloud resources, and both mobile and remote users.

The building blocks of SASE:

Software defined WAN
These solutions provide resilient, low-latency connections between various organizational locations, both on-premises and in the cloud without the complexity of traditional networking solutions with routers.

Firewall-as-a-Service
Firewalls control all incoming and outgoing traffic to the corporate network, only allowing access to secure traffic. Modern firewalls offer additional functionalities (beyond intrusion detection and prevention), such as sandboxing, geolocation, and signature-less threat detection.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
ZTNA is a modern approach for securing user access to applications. It operates under the ‘zero trust’ principle, assuming no action or user is inherently trustworthy. Access is permitted only when actions, users and devices comply with predefined security rules. Safeguarding both users and applications, minimizing the risk of an attack.

Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB):
This software is positioned between the end user and the cloud. It is an additional layer of security. CASB allows your IT team to monitor device, data and service usage minimizing unauthorized use. CASB ensures threat protection, regulatory compliance, data security and visibility.

Secure Web Gateway
This filters unwanted software and malware from your Web traffic, based on defined security rules. The solution sits between your users and the internet to filter internet traffic.

SASE: benefits for today's businesses

Simplicity
SASE significantly reduces the number of solutions needed to secure all applications and services compared to the old perimeter security model, making your entire infrastructure easier to maintain.

Reduced IT costs
Using a single platform rather than a proliferation of point solutions, decreases both CAPEX and OPEX costs.

Comprehensive security
SASE employs a uniform and consistent security policy for all your users, infrastructures and applications minimizing breaches and data loss. It eliminates shadow IT, reducing the risk of data leaks. Its zero-trust approach focusing on user identity, device integrity and user rights, enhances security significantly.

Identity-driven and ZTNA reduces the attack surface. This makes it harder for malware to spread.

Flexibility
SASE facilitates secure work from any location, ensuring a consistent user experience. Even if an employee isn’t physically at your corporate site, they experience the same security level without additional measures. The network and security framework are entirely scalable, seamlessly adjusting as your business expands.

Conclusion

SASE represents a shift in network security paradigms. It offers a comprehensive, adaptable, and highly secure solution for the evolving demands of modern businesses. The integration of various security functionalities into a unified cloud-native service marks a significant step forward in ensuring safe and efficient connectivity in today’s dynamic digital landscape.

Are you interested in SASE? Or do you still have any questions regarding the topic? Please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are more than happy to help you.