Cyberattacks can be detrimental to the success of any organization and can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair a damaged network.
To prevent cyberattacks from happening, it is important to integrate reliable network security solutions into your network.
Cyberattacks not only have the potential to cost your business significant amounts of money but can also lead to sensitive data breaches and can even cause permanent damage to your network.
Coeo knows how important reliable network security is to an organization and has delivered thousands of network security solutions to organizations to help prevent cyberattacks.
We want you to understand what SSE is and the different SSE capabilities so you can determine which of these are most beneficial to your organization.
By the end of this article, you will know what SSE is, the different capabilities of SSE, and whether it is right for your organization.
What is SSE?
Security Service Edge (SSE) is an integrated group of technologies that provide users with secure access to the web, cloud services, and devices.
SSE focuses on implementing security services at the edge of the network closer to user devices.
Delivering these services at the edge of the network addresses some of the shortcomings of traditional security solutions and services.
Traditional perimeter-based network security models protect the edge of the network and act as a fence surrounding the network to differentiate between trusted and untrusted users.
However, this traditional model has weaknesses in remote and hybrid work environments where users are accessing the network from many locations.
In this environment, it becomes more difficult for the network to remain secure and easier for malicious actors to penetrate the network.
SSE attaches security to user devices providing better network security for employees working in a remote environment.
The different SSE services and elements
While SSE is a solution that can help secure the network of any organization, there are different capabilities and security services that SSE solutions provide.
It is important to understand the different SSE capabilities so you can determine which services and methods are best able to meet your organization’s needs. The different SSE services and elements include:
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is a security method that requires verification from any user attempting to access resources on a network.
Firewalls protect the perimeter of the network by identifying and differentiating between trusted and untrusted users. However, once a network is compromised, it is no longer trusted.
With ZTNA, there is no trusted network because once someone compromises a device that is on a trusted network, that trusted network now becomes untrusted.
ZTNA takes the approach that every user or device is untrusted even if they are in the corporate network and constantly verifies these devices and users as they attempt to access the network.
Secure Web Gateways (SWGs)
Secure Web Gateways (SWGs) provide security for users on the network who are accessing the internet.
SWGs accomplish this by filtering content, enforcing policies, and inspecting web traffic for malicious software and other threats.
URL and content filtering, Data Loss Prevention (DLP), and malware detection are all security services that an SWG provides.
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) is a security service that provides enhanced visibility and control over the data transferred between your network and cloud services and applications.
Because cloud applications and services utilize the internet, it is easy for malicious actors to penetrate your network when there is no reliable security technology implemented.
CASB helps secure data that is in the cloud by enforcing security policies.
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) enables firewalls to be delivered as a cloud-based service to protect cloud data, services, and applications. FWaaS delivers next-gen firewall capabilities using the cloud.
FWaaS capabilities enable organizations to aggregate and secure traffic from multiple sources such as data centers, branch offices, mobile users, or cloud infrastructure.
This makes it much easier to secure an organization’s users when they’re working remotely.
Which SSE service is right for your organization?
While most SSE services work well for any organization looking to improve network security and integrate with other network solutions to provide maximum security, it is important to understand which service or services are right for your organization.
If your organization has a traditional firewall that is causing vulnerabilities in your network, ZTNA or FWaaS may be good solutions to improve network security and patch any vulnerabilities.
In addition, ZTNA and FWaaS are often good solutions for organizations looking to secure users working in a hybrid or remote work environment.
On the other hand, if your network security is already reliable and you are simply looking to filter URLs and other content being downloaded by your employees, SWG may best meet the needs of your organization.
SWG can prevent problems with employees unknowingly clicking on malicious links and downloading malicious software to their devices.
In addition, SWG can also help keep employees focused better by blocking websites such as Netflix so employees can’t access them during the workday.
If you are simply looking to provide greater security to your cloud data and applications, CASB may be the best solution for you.
However, if your organization needs the features that all of these services offer, it may be a good idea to invest in a SASE solution that integrates all of the SSE services.
SASE not only provides better network security but also delivers better network connectivity by implementing a WAN as part of the solution.
With network security, it is always better to err on the side of having too much than not enough especially when the consequences of not having enough can be detrimental to your business.
Determining if SSE is the right solution for your organization
Now you understand what SSE is, the different SSE elements and services, and which service is the best solution for your organization.
This will help you determine if SSE provides the technology your organization needs and which service will benefit your organization the most.
Network security is critically important to survive in the current business environment especially when the consequences of having poor, unreliable security can be detrimental to your organization.
No organization can afford to be the victim of a cyberattack that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair your network. Implementing SSE services into your network can help you improve your network and avoid these consequences.
Coeo understands how important reliable network security is to an organization and has delivered thousands of network security solutions to organizations to improve their security and help them avoid cyberattacks.
We want you to understand what SSE is and the different services it provides so you can determine whether it is the best solution for your organization to improve network security.
If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about SSE or network security or ask any questions you may have you can schedule an appointment.
Now that you understand what SSE is and the different SSE services, check out this article about the differences between SSE and SASE:
