What Are SASE Solutions?

Secure Access Service Edge, or SASE, is a framework for architecting and securing IT networks. 

SASE Solutions are cloud services that combine Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) with security technologies such as a Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). 

These cloud-based technologies enable users, endpoints, and systems worldwide to securely connect to applications and services. By optimizing connectivity for modern networks and moving security functions from the data center to the cloud, the SASE security model improves network performance, enhances security, increases visibility, and simplifies security management.

Secure Access Service Edge vendors may offer SASE Solutions as individual technologies or as part of a comprehensive platform for securing and managing a network.

Fundamental changes in IT networks are creating unprecedented security challenges. Hybrid cloud environments, cloud-based applications, personal devices, and work-from-anywhere employees have made the traditional network perimeter obsolete. Legacy security solutions designed to protect the network perimeter differ from the complexities of highly distributed networks and the cyberattacks that threaten them.

In this new age of perimeter-less networks, it’s no longer practical to backhaul network traffic through a central data center to inspect it for potential threats and enforce a security policy. As organizations push more computing assets and functions to the cloud and network edge, IT teams are searching for security solutions that can operate closer to the users, devices, and cloud assets that need them while making it possible to manage security policies for all cloud and on-premises infrastructure from one place.

SASE Solutions solve this challenge by converging networking and security functions in one solution based on authenticating identities rather than defending a perimeter. SASE technology also shifts security away from the physical hardware, making it difficult to scale to flexible, cloud-based solutions that meet the needs for greater agility in today’s highly distributed enterprises.
 

While technology may differ somewhat from one SASE vendor to the next, the most common SASE Solutions include several core components.

• Software-defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) uses software-defined networking to manage and route traffic across a vast area network more intelligently and cost-efficiently. SD-WAN creates an overlay that virtualizes the management of network connections, enabling organizations to use multiple, low-cost commodity connections like fiber and DSL alongside standard MPLS connections to achieve greater flexibility, reduce costs and improve performance. 
• Secure Web Gateway (SWG) solutions inspect and filter web traffic to prevent cyberattacks, stop data breaches, block unauthorized access, and enforce security policies. SWGs check web requests and block access to malicious applications and websites based on company policy. SWGs may include URL filtering, data loss prevention, application control, antivirus, and HTTPS inspection.
• Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) is a software solution or appliance that serves as an intermediary between users and cloud service providers. CASBs provide visibility into software-as-a-service (SaaS), platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) environments, enabling organizations to apply security policies to these environments. CASBs can manage authentication, credential mapping, encryption, device profiling, logging, alerting and malware detection.
• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solutions enable the Zero Trust framework when providing remote access to the network and its resources. ZTNA solutions require every user and device inside and outside the network to authenticate on every access request. ZTNA technology dynamically adjusts permissions based on user identity, device type, location and other criteria. 
   

Organizations adopting SASE Solutions can realize several significant benefits.

• Better user experiences. SASE pushes security functions closer to users and devices at the edge, minimizing latency and improving performance across the board.
• Streamlined security. SASE Solutions enable security teams to unify policies throughout the environment and gain complete visibility into WAN and internet traffic.
• Lower cost. By combining networking and security solutions on a single platform, security teams can eliminate the cost of buying and managing multiple-point products.
• Stronger performance. SASE software enables users and devices to quickly and securely connect to the internet, networks, cloud applications and corporate resources, regardless of location.
• Easier management. By integrating solutions and providing a streamlined network and security technology stack, SASE Solutions simplify the management of security technologies and eliminate the need for additional personnel.

Forcepoint ONE provides an all-in-one, cloud-native security platform that simplifies cybersecurity management while delivering all the protections of SASE Solutions. With Forcepoint ONE, organizations get a Zero Trust and SASE platform with unified services for SWG, CASB, and ZTNA. Forcepoint ONE dramatically simplifies security management with one platform, one console, and one agent.

Capabilities of Forcepoint’s SASE solution include:

• Unified gateways for web, cloud, and private app access. Security teams can manage identity-based access control to business apps for SWG, CASB, and ZTNA from one console.
• Agentless DLP security. With Forcepoint ONE, users can safely access private web apps from personal devices while securing sensitive data.
• Integrated advanced threat protection and data security. Forcepoint ONE secures data across all gateways to prevent data loss or exfiltration while stopping hackers from getting in.
• Dynamic scalability with global access. Forcepoint offers 300 PoPs built on AWS to provide fast, low-latency connectivity and 99.99% uptime.
• Secure SD-WAN connectivity. Forcepoint FlexEdge Secure SD-WAN provides the networking component of a SASE solution, delivering seamless and secure access to resources everywhere.

Learn more about the benefits of Forcepoint’s solutions for ZTNA and SASE over VPN technology.