Almost every organization needs high-performance remote access that delivers excellent service quality for knowledge workers. The rise of hybrid working arrangements in many businesses has increased the attack surface that cybercriminals can use to plan and execute attacks. When staff are accessing business applications and data from remote locations and devices, it is essential to have robust security in place.
Zero Trust with Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) offers a way to secure an expanding remote workforce and protect organizations from ever-changing cyber threats. In this blog, we will summarize Zero Trust and SASE and discuss how the Cloudbrink service enhances security for hybrid and fully remote workforces.
What is Zero Trust
Zero trust is a simple concept at first glance. It requires that every connection to the network is treated as hostile and dangerous no matter where it originates. Whether a connection comes from a secure desktop PC within a corporate headquarters or an unfamiliar IP address through a VPN, zero trust security dictates that the connection must undergo the same rigorous scrutiny. Each connection request must provide accurate authentication details and responses before the system grants access. No connection gets preferential treatment based on its origin.
By eliminating trust based on connection origin, zero trust helps deal with the removal of the traditional network perimeter secured by border firewalls and intrusion detection systems. Simply trusting a device and user based on the fact they authenticated on a PC in a known office or on a trusted network segment is no longer viable. When we use the term networks in the context of zero trust, we include private corporate networks and any cloud-based network infrastructure. The term Never Trust - Always Verify is a good summary of zero trust.
The Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) framework has emerged as a way for cybersecurity vendors and suppliers to deliver zero-trust solutions. Gartner defines ZTNA as: "a product or service that creates an identity- and context-based, logical access boundary around an application or set of applications. The applications are hidden from discovery, and access is restricted via a trust broker to a set of named entities." The terms zero trust and ZTNA sometimes get used synonymously, but they are not the same thing in many discussions. Cloudbrink delivers a high-performance ZTNA solution that secures access to networks, SaaS, private cloud apps, and data center apps.
SASE and Zero Trust
SASE solutions include zero trust delivery via ZTNA. SASE typically provides at least some of the following:
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) - Included in this listing again for completeness.
Software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) - SD-WAN leverages software-defined networking to optimize traffic flow across multiple connections, such as broadband and cellular networks. Its intelligent routing capabilities ensure optimal performance and reliability, even during network congestion or outages. With SD-WAN, remote access infrastructure is resilient due to eliminating single points of failure.
Centralized management - Using a modern SASE platform, IT administrators can centrally manage SD-WAN, ZTNA, and other components of the networking and security stack. This helps reduce the burden on overworked and stressed cybersecurity and IT admin teams.
Secure web gateway (SWG) - A secure web gateway filters unauthorized traffic from accessing a specific network to help detect and prevent attackers from entering a virtual perimeter.
Cloud access security broker (CASB) - A software-as-a-service application that serves as a security checkpoint for data flowing between on-premises networks and cloud-based applications, enforcing data security policies. Using a CASB helps safeguard corporate data and can also help detect malicious behavior and alert administrators to anomalies.
Firewall as a service (FWaaS) - Firewalls are still important, even with the erosion of the traditional network permitter. The new reality requires a new approach, and FWaaS is part of that new approach by moving firewalls to the cloud. This shift allows companies to connect a mobile and remote workforce to the corporate network while ensuring consistent security policies get applied beyond the organization's network borders.
The Cloudbrink Advantage
Cloudbrink Hybrid Access as a Service (HAaaS) delivers a fast and secure ZTNA experience for the hybrid workforce. It provides an experience for remote workers equivalent to that which the in-office staff enjoyably. Unlike traditional ZTNA and VPN solutions that sometimes compromise on security or hinder user performance, Cloudbrink's service ensures user connections are secure, and it eliminates performance issues to provide a seamless and productive end-user experience.
Cloudbrink HAaaS is a software-only solution that delivers an optimal user experience. With HAaaS, legacy VPN and SD-WAN connectivity architectures are replaced by machine learning-based connectors that monitor local and regional connectivity across multiple cloud regions. Cloudbrink's innovative technology utilizes thousands of dynamic points of presence, known as FAST edges, located in Cloud data centers all around the world. This enables remote workers to experience a level of performance that is equivalent to working in the office, with an impressive 30x increase in application performance. With simplified operations across the board, this powerful experience is easy for network security teams and IT administrators to manage. Plus, it is invisible to end-users and provides them with a seamless experience.
Conclusion
Cloudbrink's HAaaS solution delivers zero trust with SASE in a revolutionary way that is a game-changer for remote access, empowering organizations with secure, reliable, and high-performance connectivity. By combining the agility and intelligence of SD-WAN with the reliability of HAaaS, organizations can overcome the limitations of traditional remote access solutions. Whether it's a remote workforce, branch offices, or multiple locations, Cloudbrink HAaaS delivers a seamless user experience that enables IT teams to efficiently manage and secure their remote access infrastructure. As remote work continues to evolve, the deployment of Cloudbrink HAaaS will allow your staff to work effectively from anywhere, over whatever network connectivity is available.
