What is SASE Security?
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a cloud-native platform that merges SD-WAN (Software-driven Wide Area Network) and network security together to deliver digital business transformation, edge computing, and workforce mobility.
SASE Security’s Identity-based network access
Secure Access & software-only zero trust of users, applications or devices verifies based on user identity & contextual factors.
Further, SASE enables high-performance network connectivity and that is why there has been a massive paradigm Shift from On-Premises to Cloud Centric
SASE Use Case #1- Software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN)
Integration of SD-WAN functionality with SASE is a reality in a cloud-based architecture. SASE Security architecture allows SD-WAN to get connected with the edge cloud network, traffic routing in a client-to-cloud network architecture and keeping the labyrinth of Physical SD-WAN hubs at bay. Additional benefit to SASE Security wrt Software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) is that simplifies multiple overlays for enterprise network management.
SASE security brings networking and embedded security capabilities and leaves no stone unturned to transform it being traffic-flow-centric to identity-centric
SD WAN paves way for cloud transformation at enterprises. The SASE element has Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) technology that hallmarks cloud-delivered model as future of security.
SASE Use Case #2- Replacing VPNs for remote work
Because of the pandemic, there’s been a lot of speculation regarding the future of remote working. It means work-from-home services need constant access to cloud web applications for smooth work.
Traditionally, Virtual private networks (VPNs) have been used for secure remote network connectivity as it creates a secure tunnel straight into a Data Centre to access applications and services. VPN provides access to employees via a private network which can be accessed outside of the workplace.
But problem with VPNs when it comes to humongous shift to work from home culture proves to be challenging as:
- A VPN is not scalable
- VPN Has latency issues
- A VPN sas network segmentation, i.e. no access control
- VPN does not have granular data protection.
Enter SASE “zero trust” principles
Zero trust network access is an integral part of SASE security architecture as it converges connectivity, privacy and security.
In other words, Zero trust Network Access means that a user needs to be authenticated, within a software-defined perimeter on the basis of identity-based access rules, required for secure access to specific on-premises applications, devices and distributed workloads.
Implementation of a Zero Trust security architecture revolves around micro-segmentation.
Using micro-segmentation, IT managers split up IT infrastructure network, apps and corresponding services into segments that can be controlled separately from one another, then you decide what is needed to be secured in each part of the network and the best system to use to protect it based on:
- Granular access policies
- corresponding security policies
- application flows
- types of traffic (at the DNS and IP layers) and controls needed
to secure each of those micro segments.
How is SASE replacing VPNs?
The key driver of using SASE vs VPN is the ability of SASE solutions to deliver application access without network access.
VPN’s Networking Weaknesses is the key reason which is making the global remote workforce shifting to SASE.
So, the right level of protection of a workload at the right time is what makes ZTN a popular choice to keep external cyber attacks at bay. Reason being a user is only entitled to use specific on-premises resources which he is authorized for.
This is what data segmentation is which makes VPN losing its shine.
Most of the SASE vendors have ZTN as their fundamental feature when it comes to unified cloud security management.
NB: Zero trust is a process and it does not mean any particular product.
SASE Use Case #3- Domain Name System (DNS) layer security
SASE Use Case #4- Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
SASE Use Case #5- Secure web gateway (SWG)
SASE Use Case #6- Cloud access security broker (CASB)
SASE Use Case #7- Software-as-a-service (SaaS) security
SASE Use Case #8- Endpoint security
SASE Use Case #9- Endpoint compliance
SASE Use Case #10- Cloud Sandboxing
SASE Security’s Identity-based network access
The security protection ecosystem is directly proportional with the growing universe of remote workers, devices, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications etc.
Secure Access & software-only zero trust of users, applications or devices verifies based on user identity & contextual factors.
Further, SASE enables high-performance network connectivity and that is why there has been a massive paradigm Shift from On-Premises to Cloud Centric
