A SWG filters traffic to ensure only safe web content enters your organization’s network. It can also apply various security features to prevent downloading unwanted software and protect against cyber threats. Look for an SWG solution that includes advanced threat protection and cloud app intelligence for advanced protection. It should also support work-from-anywhere and enable the operationalization of zero-trust architectures.
Security Policy Enforcement
A secure web gateway is vital to security architectures across the cloud, on-premises, and at the edge. Traditionally deployed as an on-premises appliance between end users and the internet, they enforce web-related security policies and filter traffic to and from the internet. When a remote worker accesses a website or online application, the SWG first checks it for compliance with established policy and threat detection rules. The SWG then blocks the site or application if it poses a security risk or could diminish productivity. This is done by analyzing the website or application using a rating system, reputation scores, and other factors. SWGs also protect the organization from cyberattacks by inspecting all outbound data for potential threats and sensitive information. This can include file uploads to personal file-sharing accounts and SaaS applications. By checking all outgoing data against the policies of your SWG, you can reduce risks from advanced attacks such as phishing kits, meddler-in-the-middle attacks, and other tactics designed to steal credentials and access critical business infrastructure. To maximize the value of your SWG, consider choosing a solution that integrates with an antimalware agent and CASB to create a comprehensive security strategy. Additionally, look for a vendor with an established record of leveraging multiple collection points to curate and update global threat intelligence. This approach provides more accurate protection and less false positives for security teams to manage.
Real-Time Traffic Inspection
With a secure gateway solution, you can monitor every small activity over the public internet. This visibility gives you a better picture of web-based traffic and helps you establish security rules to increase productivity. SWGs also offer a range of filtering capabilities to help you block malicious websites, phishing sites, and other harmful content. In addition, SWGs often come with features such as sandboxing, cloud access security brokers (CASB), data loss prevention (DLP), and browser isolation services to safeguard users from malware or other threats. They also allow you to set and enforce policies on a user-by-user basis, helping ensure compliance standards are met. SWGs are vital to an enterprise’s network architecture, especially when combined with zero-trust solutions. These tools work to secure all devices, regardless of how they connect to the internet, allowing enterprises to eliminate their attack surface and prevent lateral movement and data theft. SWGs offer an excellent option for protecting remote workers, who can sometimes be disconnected from the company VPN when accessing web applications or SaaS platforms over the public internet. They also provide visibility of internet traffic, helping organizations establish security rules to protect sensitive information and limit the potential of data leaks. Combining an SWG with a zero-trust platform ensures a strong security foundation to protect all users and endpoints, regardless of location or connection status.
Malware Detection
A SWG acts as a gatekeeper between your company’s internal network and the outside world, screening web traffic like a Customs and Border Protection patrol at an international crossing. By detecting and blocking malware, unsafe downloads, and other threats, SWG security ensures that employees are not digitally entering forbidden zones of risk that could impact productivity or lead to an IT breach. Residing at the network edge, SWGs inspect and filter in and outbound web traffic based on corporate policy and regulatory compliance requirements. They can also perform decryption of SSL and TLS encrypted traffic to detect malware threats hidden behind the encrypted channel. SWGs can also send suspicious content to other security systems, such as DLP and CASB, for additional threat detection and prevention. As cyberattacks become more sophisticated, traditional SWG solutions that rely on hashes and static signatures are increasingly ineffective against advanced threats. Modern SWG solutions leverage behavioral analytics and sandboxing to detect malware, ransomware, phishing attacks, and other forms of cyberattacks. SWGs with built-in DLP technology can also prevent data loss by preventing sensitive information from leaving the organization through inadvertently shared links and email attachments. SWGs with application control functionality can block or limit access to unsecure or inappropriate web applications such as social media. Zero trust capabilities extend these SWG features to remote users, ensuring that the same security standards are applied no matter where employees work.
Application Control
With employees working from anywhere and applications in the cloud rather than on-premise, security policies must adapt to ensure remote workers and devices can work safely. This means ensuring data can still be protected when users are disconnected from the company VPN. SWG software can detect and block access to websites and web applications that don’t meet company-acceptable use policies, such as gambling or adult content. It can also detect and block access to P2P (peer-to-peer) applications that allow for file sharing of music, movies, games, and other types of files. In addition, SWGs can monitor the integrity of encrypted data flows, allowing for more precise application control and visibility. Often, malware and other attacks use encrypted data to hide from traditional security solutions that rely on hashes and static signatures to identify malicious data. SWGs can decrypt, inspect, and re-encrypt traffic in a privacy-preserving way, stopping attackers from stealing sensitive data, encrypting their tools or techniques, and then using them on the company network. A SWG solution is critical to protecting data as networks evolve to support mobility, the cloud, and hybrid workforces. By leveraging the power of an integrated SD-WAN with a secure gateway, you can provide your digital workforce with the security they need to keep productivity up and attacks at bay.