This post will talk about secure web gateway vs cloud access security broker. In short, SWG vs CASB. So, don’t stop reading.
SWG vs CASB
A secure web gateway refers to a solution that is deployed on-premises, whereas CASB refers to a cloud-based solution. In reality, it’s not quite as simple as this. Many of the vendors in this space offer both on-premises and cloud-based solutions. So the distinction isn’t exclusive. So what are SWGs and CASBs?
SWG is a technology that sits in front of your web servers and inspects all the traffic coming from the Internet to your servers. The idea behind an SWG is that it allows you to protect your servers from threats. All without having to deploy any other security technology on these systems.
CASB, on the other hand, is a technology that sits between your web applications and your users. It is a security layer that sits between the user and the web application/webserver. The idea behind CASB is to protect the web application itself. So, this way you can use the same technology for both on-premises and cloud-based web applications.
Moreover, you can also use CASB to inspect traffic going into your servers from the Internet. And also from within your network (i.e. from your users). The question is, should you use an SWG or CASB? The short answer is that it depends on a few factors.
What’s the Difference Between the Two
There are some differences between SWGs and CASBs, but they’re not major differences. Some of these are listed below:
- Control. SWGs are controlled by your organization’s IT department. They are managed by them and they own everything that runs in them (apart from encryption keys). CASBs, on the other hand, are owned by SaaS providers. You don’t control them in any way, shape, or form.
- Cancellation. If you don’t like a service provided by an SWG or CASB, you can cancel it at any time. All that you have to do is remove it from your environment. Or remove its integration with your cloud platform. This isn’t possible with a CASB because you don’t own it, nor do you control it in any way.
- User Experience. Because they’re not managed by you, there will be some difference in how users experience them. An SWG might have more features than a CASB. Because they usually have more access to the traffic flowing through them. CASBs offer some level of integration with cloud platforms.
SWG vs CASB: Should You Pick One?
If your company is considering going cloud, you should first think about whether you need a security solution for your web applications. If you do, and you want to protect them at the application level (as opposed to just protecting the servers that run your web applications), then you should use a CASB.
However, if you just want to protect your servers, then an SWG could be a better fit. This is. Because SWGs are more integrated with your infrastructure and are much more likely to be seamlessly deployed in an enterprise environment than CASBs are.
But why pick one when you could choose both? Doing so will help you enjoy all of SWG’s and CASB’s perks.