Security Service Edge (SSE) empowers you to say YES and stay secure

Saying ‘no’ all the time isn’t fun for the security team, and it certainly isn’t enjoyable for end-users to hear. No matter how unpleasant, denying user and business group requests for access to new applications or scaling existing services has been a necessary evil for strong security. The harsh reality is that the inflexibility of on-premises security architectures has historically made balancing the user experience and security nearly impossible. Either end users were told no, or security was bypassed and visibility was lost as users went directly to applications. Even if security teams were able to accommodate requests, the process was always complex – requiring boxes for redundancy, more boxes for scale, load balancers, etc. – and would only solidify security if traffic passed through the approved channels.  

Cybersecurity innovations now provide a way for security teams to go from saying ‘no’ to requests to – YES. These days if you haven’t heard or read a security vendor talking about Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), we’d be surprised. Especially given all the fun ‘sassy’ play on words.   

The term you might not be as familiar with is a newer one from Gartner -- Security Service Edge (SSE). Simply put, it is the security stack of SASE comprised of Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). 

The SASE Adoption Path  

Gartner highlights that “by 2025, at least 60% of enterprises will have explicit strategies and timelines for SASE adoption encompassing user, branch and edge access, up from 10% in 2020.”  With a majority of enterprises either on the SASE adoption path or approaching it, there is no better time to focus on the security component to ensure efficiency of operation and economy of scale. This will vary by use case, but many organizations find that choosing a single vendor to provide SWG, CASB, and ZTNA is the ultimate way to reach their SASE goals.  

Will My Organization Benefit from SSE?  

While the popularity of SASE and SSE are undeniable, some mid-sized and small businesses might find themselves wondering – is it right for my organization? And, will we really be able to say ‘yes’ more often? Here are some questions to consider:   

1. Have you moved your data to the cloud? If you have moved some or all of your data to the cloud, your business will benefit from SSE. The technologies included are designed to protect productivity and enable mobile workforces. Much of the currently deployed security technologies are not equipped to secure the volume of internet traffic. Instead of the legacy limitations, SSE allows security to scale seamlessly.

2. Are you concerned that your end users aren’t using secure channels to connect to company data? SWG, CASB, and ZTNA all work in harmony to make sure end users and applications are secure. Not only that, but with a focus on operating without disrupting users, the best SSE offerings will be undetectable.

3. Are your employees now virtual or do you have a hybrid workplace? VPNs can get overwhelmed if too many users try and connect at the same time. While that may not be an issue for smaller workforces, it’s not the only sticking point. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies are now across almost all workplaces. On their managed and unmanaged devices, users often connect to both sanctioned and unsanctioned cloud-based applications creating a wild, wild west for where and how to secure. With SSE, whether you are saying ‘yes’ to users or not, you can control the security – even for shadow IT.

4. Do you want to move your digital transformation forward? The threat landscape is constantly evolving, and we must keep pace with technologies that are right-sized for the challenges. To use technology as a tool to propel the business forward, using SASE and SSE will be a major part of the puzzle.  

Making the Move to SSE with Cadre’s Help  

The introduction of SSE comes as no surprise. As security professionals, we get accustomed to a new acronym about once a month. While some come and go, SSE is something we’d bet on as a change maker for the modern workforce. For more information, read our eBook, The Ultimate Guide to Securing Hybrid Work.