Demystify Secure Access Service Edge. SASE is a solution that allows organizations to connect securely to their cloud services. Even without exposing sensitive information to external threats.
This is through the use of virtualization technologies, such as hypervisors, and security appliances, such as firewalls, IPSs, and VPNs.
The security appliances are on the customer premises (on the edge of the customer network). And at the cloud service provider (on the edge of the service provider network).
What are firewalls?
Firewalls are a critical element in a secure access service edge. Firewalls are to protect against internal and external threats by enforcing security policies. These are IP address-based access control, port-based access control, and packet filtering.
Firewalls can be in the security appliances that are at the customer’s premises. Or in the security appliances that are at the cloud service provider.
What are Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPSs)?
Intrusion prevention systems (IPSs) can be in the security appliances. These are at the customer premises or in the security appliances that are at the cloud service provider.
Also, IPSs provide protection against external threats. By inspecting network traffic for malicious content and taking action to prevent an attack from succeeding.
Then IPSs can block attacks by dropping packets and resetting connections. Or putting up “stops” to restrict access to services on applications.
IPSs can also examine traffic and devices to detect suspicious behavior. Further, that can lead to malicious activity and then alert administrators of a potential problem.
What are VPNs?
Virtual private networks (VPNs) can be in the security appliances at the customer premises or in the security appliances that are at the cloud service provider. VPNs connect endpoints on a private network, such as a corporate network, to a remote network, such as the Internet, by using encryption and tunneling protocols.
What are Web Application Firewalls?
A Secure Access Service Edge solution may also include Web Application Firewalls (WAFs). WAFs protect web applications against external and internal threats. External threats include attacks from hackers and other malicious sources targeting application vulnerabilities. Internal threats include rogue employees of an organization attempting to gain access to restricted resources within an application.
What is the difference between a Secure Access Service Edge and a traditional network architecture?
What creates this difference is that traditional network architectures typically use security appliances, such as firewalls, at the edge of their networks, which is also where they connect to other networks through routers.
While these security appliances can be configured to protect against external threats, they do not offer protection against external threats originating from cloud services. This is because these security appliances are not able to inspect traffic that goes through them for malicious content.
What is needed is a solution that can provide protection against external threats originating from cloud services while maintaining security policies in place between their own internal networks and the cloud services they use.
This solution must also be able to provide protection against internal threats originating from rogue employees of an organization who might try to gain access to restricted resources within cloud services.