What is a SASE Application?

Secure Access Service Edge, or SASE, is a modern IT networking and security approach that improves connectivity for distributed workforces and moves security functions from the data center to the cloud. 

SASE converges networking and security into a unified, cloud-native surface that makes it simpler for IT teams to manage and more accessible for organizations to protect their people, data, applications and environments. SASE applications bring security functions to users wherever they’re located to reduce latency, improve performance, heighten security and simplify network management through a unified, cloud-native management platform.

SASE applications are software solutions that typically comprise a SASE environment. These include Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) and security technologies such as a Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).

IT networks, workplaces and computing environments have changed quickly. Employees are working in new ways and more places. As businesses have embraced cloud computing, IT environments and assets are no longer limited to an on-premises data center but may be distributed worldwide.

These changes present new vectors for cybercriminals seeking to breach corporate defenses. They also raise new challenges for IT teams that protect organizations while delivering fast access to all the resources workers need on-premises and in the cloud. Legacy approaches to security – where traffic is backhauled through firewalls within the data center for inspection – introduce too much latency and can’t deliver the performance users need as they access cloud services and SaaS applications. 

SASE Applications invert the traditional approach to networking and security, moving security functions to the cloud and using SD-WAN solutions to optimize network performance, reduce latency and increase scalability for rapidly changing IT networks and workforces. 

Solutions from Secure Access Service Edge vendors typically include several core characteristics.

• Integrated network and security services. SASE solutions converge networking and security functions that were previously handled separately to provide better network performance, more robust security and easier management. 
• Centralized policy control. SASE applications provide administrators with a unified platform for creating and enforcing security policies for all users, devices and endpoints.
• Elastic, self-healing and self-maintaining networks. When WAN connections to headquarters are disrupted, SASE networks quickly adapt to ensure local connectivity and access to essential services. 
• Security at the edge. To reduce latency and enable users to connect from anywhere, SASE services move security functions to the network edge, closer to the people, devices and applications that need them.
• Identity-focused. SASE products enable more robust security in distributed networks by focusing on the identity of users and devices.

Organizations and IT teams deploying applications for a SASE framework can count on several significant benefits.

• Reduced complexity. When deploying and integrating SASE applications in a unified framework, IT teams will have fewer security products to manage. With SASE, VPN technology and hard-to-manage point solutions are no longer part of the security mix.
• Lower cost. By eliminating the need for multiple-point solutions, vendors and subscriptions, SASE applications help to reduce the cost of keeping the organization safe.
• Improved performance. Moving security closer to the network edge reduces latency and enables faster online experiences. Optimized routing ensures traffic travels along the quickest path to improve speed and performance.
• Stronger security. SASE applications effectively filter URLs, prevent malware-based attacks, stop data exfiltration, stop lateral movement, block account takeover attempts and provide defenses against various other advanced threats.
• Greater agility. With SASE applications, teams can quickly scale up and down as needed and deploy new resources. 
• Simpler management. The SASE framework enables administrators to manage policy for all environments, applications, users, and devices from a central location.
   

Recognized as a leader in cybersecurity by Gartner, Forrester and others, Forcepoint offers SASE applications as part of a complete, single-vendor offering. 

With the Forcepoint ONE Security Service Edge (SSE) platform and FlexEdge Secure SD-WAN, organizations can connect and protect their hybrid workforces with a wide range of centrally managed networking and security solutions sourced and supported by a single company.

As a leading SASE provider, Forcepoint offers the following:

• FlexEdge Secure SD-WAN. Safely connect offices, branches and remote sites to the cloud, managing policies from a single console. Connect hybrid workforces with networking that automatically balances loads and proactively uncovers performance issues before productivity is interrupted.
• Forcepoint ONE. As an all-in-one, cloud-native security platform, Forcepoint ONE enforces consistent threat protection and secures access across cloud and private apps to prevent malware, protect data and enforce security as close to the resource and user as possible based on the level of risk.
• Zero Trust Network Access. Provide controlled access to private apps from anywhere and enable advanced control over data in use across managed or unmanaged devices. Use identity-based access control and high-speed performance to provide remote access to on-premises tools.
• Cloud Access Security Broker. Deliver Zero Trust access to cloud applications with continuous control of business-critical data, no matter where users are or their devices. Report and block shadow IT, inspect APIs, enhance DLP and enforce policy with in-line inspection and control.
• Secure Web Gateway. Securely access any website or download any document while enjoying high-speed performance. Forcepoint SWG integrates with additional solutions such as Forcepoint Remote Browser Isolation, which renders risky sites in secure containers, and Zero Trust Content Disarm & Reconstruction, which sanitizes all downloadable documents.