Cloud edge security solutions provide companies with a cloud-delivered solution to securely access the internet, cloud-based applications, and business networks. The products are delivered using SD-WAN technology, which combines software-defined networking with a wide area network. This allows cloud edge security solutions to operate anywhere and combine security functions to protect all network activity.
Companies use these tools combine security functions of traditional tools such as secure web gateways (SWG), cloud access security brokers (CASB), and web application firewalls (WAF). This helps businesses and security teams create a single point of visibility for security policies, activities, and risks without forcing the user to interact with numerous tools or provide recurring authentication. The unified security solutions are designed to provide complete visibility across complex, hybrid environments. This simplifies work for administrators by using a single tool to classify, govern, and report on all user activity and network traffic without impacting end-user experiences. There is some direct relationship between cloud edge security tools and the other technologies mentioned above, but traditional CASB, WAF, and SWG products operate independently and do not provide the same level of visibility and accessibility across hybrid environments. The closest solution would be a software-defined perimeter (SDP), which provides unified network security but not unified access to cloud-based applications, networks, and web browsers.
To qualify for inclusion in the Cloud Edge Security category, a product must:
Provide a single access point for SaaS applications, web browsers, and networks
Centrally manage policies and risks across hybrid environments, networks, and applications
Provide a virtual web application firewall as a service
Unify incident management across hybrid environments
