Does a zero trust secure web gateway exist? If so, what are its functions and benefits? Let us get to know this tool below.
What Is Zero Trust Secure Web Gateway?
A zero trust secure web gateway (SWG) refers to a network security solution that employs a cloud-based approach to access security. There are several benefits of using this solution, the first being that it creates a centralized and unified access point control model.
The solution is also beneficial in that it uses a system of micro-segmentation. So, this is an added layer of protection to a company’s internal network. Overall, this is an automated system that helps companies achieve their security goals more efficiently than they could do using conventional web access controls.
How does it work? A zero trust SWG is an integrated network security solution that uses a single centralized access point or gateway to control all types of connections whether they are secure or not. It also controls all external connections and applications to the network such as SSL VPN, remote access, web app, and email connections.
The zero trust solution works through the following process:
1) Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB). The cloud-based CASB provides automatic identification of threats and attacks. As well as the detection of unauthorized and malicious behavior from those who are trying to access the network.
2) Web Application Firewall (WAF). The WAF protects against malicious web application attacks such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and buffer overflows, among others. It also detects and blocks traffic that appears to be potentially harmful even if it has not yet been categorized as malicious by the CASB. In some cases, the WAF might block traffic before it even reaches the CASB for monitoring purposes.
The Benefits of Zero Trust Secure Web Gateway
The benefits of a zero trust SWG are that it provides a higher level of security and better control to the companies compared to what they could get with a traditional web access control. A zero trust SWG is beneficial in that it has the following features and functions:
1. Logging Traffic This feature lets you log all inbound, outbound, and internal network traffic so that you can monitor and record activities in real-time.
2. User Identity and Access Management (IAM). The IAM function enables you to secure user access to applications and systems using multi-factor authentication mechanisms. Also, this reduces the risk of intruders gaining unauthorized access to your network. The IAM also allows you to enforce role-based access controls for all users’ applications based on their job responsibilities.
3) Threat Detection. This checks every incoming connection against a constantly updated list of known threats, attacks, and suspicious behavior patterns. As well as against your company’s security policies. This way, it can detect any malicious activities that might be going on within your network.
Conclusion
As you can see, a zero trust secure web gateway provides several benefits to a business. This is why it is highly recommended for every company to invest in this solution to protect its network and data.