Learn how Security Service Edge (SSE) is transforming network security and protecting your organization from cyber threats. Discover the benefits of SSE and learn more about how SSE is revolutionizing network security
Security Service Edge is a novel concept in network safety that improves security by putting it closer to the network’s edge. Its implementation offers better performance and scalability than conventional security designs.
Why Is SSE Important?
SSE is a growing industry trend that solves fundamental challenges organizations encounter regarding remote work, the cloud, secure edge computing, and digital transformation. With organizations increasingly adopting software and infrastructure as a service offerings and other cloud apps that shift their data outside on-premises data centers, organizations’ data is increasingly distributed. As of 2023, the SaaS space is more than $190 billion in value. Over the past 5 years, the SaaS industry has quadrupled in size. Moreover, more and more user populations access mobile and remote applications from anywhere and over any network to their cloud apps and data. In addition, 90% of organizations which utilize the cloud use multi-cloud solutions; data from the poll of 700 companies in 2022 indicated that customers store and handle data in more than one cloud.
Key Components of Security Service Edge
Secure Web Gateway (SWG): It provides secure access to the internet and protects against web-based threats. A SWG allows an organization to enforce security policies that filter the web traffic that passes between the employees on the network and the internet. It stops users from accessing insecure and malicious sites or content. The SWG acts as a defense line between the internet and users, monitoring the traffic in real-time and identifying anything suspicious. SWG adopts the latest security tools, such as URL filtering, malware detection, and data loss prevention. Thus an organization uses SWG to protect its users from malicious sites and have a comfortable browsing environment.
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): It enables secure access to applications and resources irrespective of the network location. It is premised on the zero trust model, under which no user or device is to be taken as trusted by default, even if they are within the network perimeter. Therefore, ZTNA verifies the identity and trustworthiness of the user and the device prior to allowing access to the resources.
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB): CASB provides visibility and control into cloud applications and data. CASB stands in between the user and the cloud service provider to allow companies to track and evaluate cloud usage, apply security policies, and safeguard company data.
Firewall as a Service (FWaaS): FWaaS provides network security and control access to network resources. In 2019, 32% of businesses had more than 100 firewalls set up throughout their network. It serves as a blockade between internal and external networks, overseeing and screening network traffic as it enters or leaves according to established policies and security rules. This helps to avoid hacking, privacy infringement, spyware, viruses, and other risks.
Market Size and Growth
The Security Service Edge (SSE) market is moving at a fast pace as enterprises focus on protecting their networks and data. The SSE Market size will be more than USD 15 Billion by the end of 2036 with CAGR of around 26% in the forecast period, 2024-2036. The industry size of the security service edge was nearly USD 2 Billion in 2023. The development can be mainly attributed to higher demand for cloud-based security solution s that deliver security services in a more elastic and flexible manner. Furthermore, organizations will be increasingly interested in managed security services as they outsource security to expert providers.
However, the Security Service Edge (SSE) market faces challenges in terms of adoption due to concerns around data privacy, security, and compliance. Organizations may be hesitant to migrate their security services to the cloud due to these concerns. Additionally, SSE offers the opportunity to enhance security by providing a centralized and scalable security infrastructure. It enables organizations to protect their networks and data from emerging threats and vulnerabilities.
Further, SSE market is rapidly growing, with several key players leading the way in providing innovative solutions. These companies offer a range of services and technologies that help organizations secure their networks and data. For instance,
- Cisco Secure SD-WAN integrates security features such as firewall, URL filtering, and intrusion prevention into the SD-WAN infrastructure.
- Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access provides secure access to the cloud and internet for remote users, with advanced threat prevention capabilities.
- Zscaler Cloud Security Platform offers secure access to applications and services, with advanced threat protection and data loss prevention.
Emerging Applications of SSE
Secure Access to Cloud Services
The security service edge’s primary use case is SSE policy control over user access to the internet, web, and cloud applications. SSE policy control is also essential for risk mitigation; as end-users increasingly access content both on and off the network. The same is the case for enforcing corporate internet and access control policy for compliance among the SAAS, PaaS, and IaaS sub-segments.
Threats Detection
Finding threats and prohibiting failed attacks over the open internet, website, and cloud service are among the most important reasons to secure the transition to SSE and, to a lesser extent, SASE. Due to users’ ability to link to content from any source or terminal, organizations must establish solid defense -in-depth barriers to malware, fraud, and other threats.
Connect and Protect Remote Personnel
The distributed workforce of today requires cloud service and private program access without the VPN’s inherent risks. Providing users with access to applications, data, and content without allowing them access to the network is a vital component of zero trust access because it obviates security throughout the act in the former of IP use.
Discovering and Securing Sensitive Data
It can be accomplished by SSE since SSE allows you to locate and manage sensitive data no matter where it is located. Key data protection tools are combined in an SSE platform to provide more visibility and simplicity across all data channels. Cloud DLP makes it easier to locate secure, classify, and secure sensitive data to assist Payment Card Industry and other compliance-related data policies. In addition, even after data is in the cloud, the DLP task can be much easier to handle since you only need to create a DLP policy once and promote it in-line traffic and data at rest in the cloud using CASBs.
Implementation Considerations
Network Architecture
- Implementing Security Service Edge requires a rethinking of network architecture to ensure seamless integration and optimal performance.
- Consider adopting a cloud-native approach to leverage the benefits of scalability, flexibility, and agility.
- Implementing a software-defined network (SDN) can help simplify network management and improve security.
Integration with Existing Systems
- Carefully assess the compatibility of Security Service Edge solutions with existing systems and infrastructure.
- Ensure that the implementation process does not disrupt critical business operations.
- Consider conducting a thorough analysis of existing systems and identifying potential integration challenges.
Security Policy Management
- Establish clear security policies and guidelines for the implementation of Security Service Edge.
- Define access control policies, threat detection and response mechanisms, and data protection protocols.
- Regularly review and update security policies to adapt to evolving threats and technologies.
Conclusion
Security Service Edge is changing network security, providing a holistic and adaptable method to secure networks and their data. SSE allows organizations to use cloud-native security services that are physically delivered at the network edge, which eliminates the use of conventional security appliances and reduces complexity. Because security capabilities are built in the network infrastructure, threat discovery and response become faster and more efficient for the organizations. Cloud connectivity that can scale with companies’ requirements and changes in security risk is SSE.
Source – https://www.researchnester.com/reports/security-service-edge-market/5829
