What Are the Benefits Of Security Service Edge (SSE)?

Security Service Edge (SSE) is a new approach to security designed for the decentralized, cloud-based networks that organizations rely on today. It helps businesses better manage their security across distributed modern networks and protect themselves against the growing complexity of the threat landscape.

What is Security Service Edge?

Security Service Edge (SSE) is a collection of advanced security tools rolled into one cloud-based service.

As part of the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) model – SSE combines features of network security and wide area networking (WAN) to ensure users can safely access public and private networks, from anywhere in the world.

Why Is SSE Important?

Here’s why SSE is Important.

Evolving Network Landscape: Traditional perimeters are fading, with organizations operating across hybrid cloud environments and remote access.
Increased Complexity: This complexity makes it harder to monitor and secure user and machine identities accessing networks.
Enhanced Visibility: SSE provides a centralized view of network activity, enabling organizations to understand and analyze traffic patterns.
Proactive Security: SSE offers the tools and intelligence necessary to detect and respond to security threats in real-time.

Key Components of SSE

SSE is made up of several security tools, including:

Zero Trust Network Access

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) applies a consistent, baseline level of security across an organization’s network by automatically assuming every identity and request is guilty until proven innocent. It enforces strict authentication and authorization measures by continuously verifying all users, regardless of their identity or location.

This reduces the risk of threat actors:

Escalating their privileges
Moving laterally
Breaching sensitive resources

Secure Web Gateway

Secure Web Gateway (SWG) defends users from a wide range of threats, including:

Malware
Phishing
Malicious URLs

This keeps organizations compliant with web usage policies.

Cloud Access Security Broker

Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) offers insights into how cloud apps are being used and enforces certain security policies to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access.

Firewall-as-a-Service

Firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS) enforces network security policies and controls the flow of data like a typical firewall, but being cloud-based, it does so without the need for expensive and cumbersome on-premises hardware.

Top 5 SSE Benefits

Here are the 5 biggest benefits of Security Service Edge (SSE).

#1: Greater Flexibility

SSE’s cloud-native design allows it to easily scale with security systems over time. This means organizations can:

Seamlessly integrate SSE with existing systems and future-proof their tech stack.
Cut hardware expenses and draw up more reliable budgets.
Adopt new platforms and applications, and adapt to change without compromising security.

#2: Better User Experience

As an edge-delivered solution, SSE efficiently manages data traffic and reduces latency, both of which are crucial for a smooth user experience. It does this by:

Using a global network of data centers, SSE connects users to the nearest point of presence (PoP). This means they can access applications and services much more quickly.
SSE reduces congestion with methods such as dynamic routing and load balancing to ensure users get the best possible performance.

#3: Visibility Over Security Infrastructure

Considering the scale and complexity of cloud infrastructure, visibility is a key security requirement. SSE offers real-time visibility into network traffic, allowing organizations to:

Detect anomalous and suspicious activity.
Gain a better understanding of network vulnerabilities.
Respond to threats quickly.
Improve their overall security posture.

#4: Granular Control

SSE provides granular control over who can access what on an organization’s network access, preventing threat actors from breaching sensitive data. It does this by implementing:

Strict user authentication (such as multi-factor authentication).
Least privilege and role-based access controls.
Continuous monitoring (including behavioral analysis and threat detection).

#5: Compliance Across-the-Board

SSE applies consistent security policies across all users and devices, and includes automated reporting and auditing tools to make it easier for organizations to stay compliant with key industry standards. These include:

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)
ISO 27001
Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX)
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

SSE also implements strong data protection measures to reduce the risk of breaches and help organizations maintain a strong security posture.

Maximize Network Security with Check Point’s SASE

Protecting your corporate network requires advanced solutions. Check Point’s SASE provides fast and reliable access to all of your on-prem and cloud resources while safeguarding your network with Zero Trust access, advanced threat prevention, AI-powered security, and more. Harmony SASE makes it easy for you to protect your most critical assets while you navigate the cloud, all with superior internet security performance.

Book a free demo today to find out more.

FAQs

How does SSE protect my organization’s private applications from web-based threats?

SSE utilizes a Secure Web Gateway (SWG) to protect users from a wide range of web-based threats, including malware, phishing, and malicious URLs. This ensures that users can access private applications safely without compromising security.

Can SSE help manage security for remote users and mobile users accessing corporate resources?

Absolutely! SSE’s Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) approach provides consistent security for all users, regardless of their location. This means remote users and mobile users can access corporate resources with the same level of security as those in the office.

What are the benefits of using SSE for my branch offices?

SSE offers centralized security management, which is particularly beneficial for branch offices. It provides consistent security policies and real-time visibility into network activity across all locations. This helps ensure that branch offices are protected from the same threats as the main office.

How does SSE help reduce my organization’s attack surface?

SSE implements a Zero Trust security model, which reduces the organization’s attack surface by assuming every identity and request is guilty until proven innocent. This minimizes the potential for threat actors to exploit vulnerabilities and gain access to sensitive resources.

How does SSE ensure compliance with industry regulations?

SSE enforces consistent security policies across all users and devices and includes automated reporting and auditing tools to streamline compliance with key industry standards, such as PCI DSS, ISO 27001, SOX, GDPR, and HIPAA. This makes it easier for organizations to demonstrate adherence to these regulations.