Do you want to access websites securely without having to log into them directly? Then is a secure web gateway a proxy to do it?
Is Secure Web Gateway a Proxy?
Secure Web Gateway is a proxy server, but not in the conventional sense. In the past, proxy servers were used to access the Internet. These servers were used to improve network security by filtering or blocking malicious websites or web content.
Today, Secure Web Gateway operates as a reverse proxy server to improve security and reduce risk. This is by removing the need for your authorized users to use public Wi-Fi connections or enter passwords. It includes other sensitive information when accessing your resources through the gateway.
So, even though Secure Web Gateway is a proxy server, it is a new generation of proxy servers that address today’s security issues. It provides a solution for organizations that are looking for a more secure way for their employees to access internal resources. This is without compromising their network security.
Application Proxy Features
With a Web Application Proxy, you can do the following:
1. You can use the Web Application Proxy to allow users to access on-premises web applications by using a single sign-on (SSO) experience.
2. You can use Web Application Proxy with cloud-based applications that are protected by Azure AD or AD FS. When using a cloud-based application, you can use a Web Application Proxy to provide SSO capabilities, access controls, and auditing.
3. You can use a Web Application Proxy to publish applications from your on-premises network to the Internet. This is done by using a reverse proxy configuration.
4. You can use a Web Application Proxy to allow clients to connect to on-premises web applications. This is done by using devices such as laptops and smartphones.
5. You can use Web Application Proxy with System Center 2012 R2 App Controller for simplified configuration of web application publishing and management tasks. This is such as configuring the application for single sign-on and configuring the client access settings for an application.
6. You can use the Microsoft Azure Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell cmdlets. This is to configure and manage most Web Application Proxy functionality remotely from another Windows Server 2012 R2. Also, it includes Windows Server 2016 server that has the Web Application Proxy role service installed.
Azure AD Connect/Application Proxy
Azure AD Connect is a free add-on for Azure AD that gives you the ability to synchronize user, group, and application objects. That is from your on-premises directory to Azure AD. You can use Azure AD Connect for password synchronization and User Principal Name (UPN) suffix synchronization.
You can also use it to configure other settings. Also, Application Proxy is a feature of Azure Active Directory that lets you publish on-premises web applications to users in your organization. Application Proxy is different from Web Application Proxy in that you don’t need to install any server software.
This is intended for more complex scenarios where you want to publish multiple applications. Also, this is when you want some control over the client configuration.