SASE – It should come as no surprise that network security is one of the most important areas of technology for today’s businesses. COVID-19 has heightened the demand for network security as a result of remote work getting popular.

Secure Access Service Edge, or SASE, is one of the most current developments in network security. It is a cloud-based network security approach that integrates networking and digital security into one platform to enable users with quick, secure computing and private access to data from any device, at any time, and from anywhere. According to Gartner, at least 40% of businesses will have SASE plans in place by 2024, and it’s not hard to see why.

What issues does SASE address?

It’s critical to recognize that SASE isn’t a single product; rather, it’s a new approach in how networking and security technologies are applied. The following are some of the issues a SASE architecture addresses in today’s business networks.

Data loss

Data loss prevention (DLP) is the process of safeguarding a company’s data from loss, theft, or abuse, regardless of where it is stored. Nowadays, data is being stored in more places than ever before, including data centers, public and private clouds, software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications, mobile devices, and more. As a result, many businesses have lost track of where their data is stored, which apps their workers use, and from which devices their data is accessed.

Today’s enterprises are putting their data in danger as they shift to the cloud and employees work from numerous places, accessing corporate files from anywhere. Employees use the cloud to collaborate as well, and they might do so via unauthorized services and cloud storage programs. As a result, businesses need to safeguard sensitive data not only on their own networks and devices but also on the cloud.

DLP becomes a cloud-delivered solution based on the data itself when using a SASE method. Cloud DLP protects sensitive data or vital information against cyber attacks, insider threats, and unintentional disclosure. It reduces the need to deploy and manage additional tools since it is incorporated into the organization’s current control points.

High network security cost and complexity

With efforts like mobility and the cloud, businesses are embracing digital transformation, which promises increased productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness. Delivering digital transformation, on the other hand, has its drawbacks. These include increased complexity and greater costs. By combining, network and SaaS into a cloud-delivered service architecture, SASE helps businesses in the resolution of these issues.

SASE provides a more scalable, centralized approach to protecting a business. Since SASE security is a cloud-based solution, it enables businesses to move away from purchasing several point-products to protect various sections of their networks and instead adopt a more operational cost service model.

By using a SASE solution, and letting your system be readily aggregated to automate threat detection, management activities, and repair procedures, you relieve some of the load on your security analysts as well.

Insecure remote work

In just a couple of months, remote work became the norm for people all around the world. The workplace as we once knew it has, to put it bluntly, changed forever. Whether we like it or not, remote work is here to stay. According to a FlexJobs study, 65% of respondents said they wanted to be full-time remote employees after the pandemic.

One of the risks that come with the increasing remote work is the practice of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device). BYOD programs allow employees to work on their own devices rather than using company-owned ones. Employees’ own devices can access and keep potentially sensitive business data under BYOD regulations. If these devices are lost, stolen, or hacked, this can result in a data breach.

A BYOD policy won’t provide you enough visibility and control over your employees’ potentially harmful actions unless you have the correct SASE solution. This is because a SASE service provides a comprehensive network security stack that is natively integrated. All traffic is routed through the SASE network, which employs multi-factor authentication, continuous threat prevention, and flexible application access controls for both on-premises and cloud-based apps.

How do I choose a SASE solution for my company?

With so many vendors claiming to provide the correct SASE solution, it can be difficult for businesses to find the correct option for themselves. There are many factors you should consider before choosing one, but the easiest method for a business to locate a SASE solution that fits their networking and security requirements is to prioritize flexibility. A strong SASE solution that is flexible and integrated will provide a cloud-native architecture and should be able to deploy cloud instances to any location or application type.

SASE is the answer

Network and security technology has undergone significant changes as a result of changing business needs. What does the future hold? It makes no difference if you’re prepared. SASE helps businesses stay ahead of the game by providing flexible solutions.