A secure web gateway can be seen as a solution for network security that can either be deployed in the cloud, or on premise. Business policies are enforced and internet traffic is also screened. In this way, a secure web gateway helps shield a business from internet security risks, including malware.
It’s the secure web gateway, which is responsible for standing between the Internet and users. It provides advanced network security by comparing the web requests it gets to corporate policies. A good web gateway incorporates important security functions such as: preventing data loss, URL filtering, application control, antivirus, and HTTPS inspection.
In this article, you will learn what the pros and cons associated with secure web gateways are. You’ll also learn about the pros and cons of Cloud Access Security Broker solutions, also known as CASB. Finally, you’ll be able to determine whether a secure web gateway or a CASB would suit your business better. Being aware of security solutions can also help you decide which would suit you better.
The main appeal associated with a secure web gateway is that it allows for the screening as well as filtering of internet content. This is before the content can reach any corporate systems. The internet is an important source of cyber risk. SWGs have ended up changing what their deployment location is, from appliances on-premise to services based on the cloud.
It’s also important to note that secure web gateways need traffic in order to transit through them. This is an important prerequisite when it comes to providing protection. An SWG could be deployed as a standalone solution where all the traffic is routed through, or it could also be a part of the Secure Access Service Edge, also known as SASE.
So what are the pros and cons?
A CASB solution can be deployed either as an appliance on-premise, or as a service based on the cloud. Its main role is to be the gateway between the cloud service provider and their customers. With CASB solutions, corporate security policies can be enforced. Attempts can also be made to minimise risk, as well as ensure regulatory compliance.
CASB comes with various features. These include: authentication, SSO or single sign on, as well as mapping credentials. This enables businesses to detect whether cloud resources are used by authorised or unauthorised users. You can also get SWG functions that are common, such as detecting malware and preventing the loss of data.
Web gateway security and CASB can both be seen as a step up from using firewalls to maintain network security. However, their use cases are very different. Cloud-based SWGs tend to have more features and capabilities than CASB solutions. This means that an SWG can be a great replacement for firewalls that are limited.
Adopting SWG, targets web threats using an inline proxy solution together with threat defence. CASB can also be seen as necessary; this is because both firewalls and secure web gateways need traffic to transit through, in order to provide protection.
CASB solutions can perform well when it comes to addressing challenges that are new. It can also work to provide security solutions to people who are remote working. Disruptive transformation has been accelerated as more and more people choose to work remotely. It’s not necessary for businesses to invest in CASB solutions right at this minute. However, it’s still evolving as a core part of the technology road map of businesses that want to be strategic.
With CASB solutions, you can choose between variants either on the cloud, or on-premise, which can be useful should you be migrating to the cloud in phases. With cybersecurity solutions like SWG and CASB, businesses can better protect their interests.
You should also note that API support is not universal, when it comes to CASB. For businesses, this means that they need to monitor online traffic using a proxy. There are several benefits to opting for CASB solutions as well. These include: visibility, compliance, mitigation as well as risk detection. CASB solutions can also increase the visibility into applications used by employees, or even whole teams, in order to be more efficient at work.
Visibility when it comes to such applications as well as their usage can enable IT employees to deliver what the businesses want. They can also better align with the requirements of businesses to be more agile as well as efficient.
There are several benefits associated with adopting both SWGs as well as CASBs. However, there are certain key differences between these two as well. CASBs are becoming more and more popular among businesses, however API support is still limited. SWGs on the other hand need web traffic in order to provide protection.
In this way, there are key differences between how SWGs and CASBs work. Both security solutions are great for businesses, and when you know what the pros and cons of each type are, you can better choose one for your business.
If you want to adopt or learn more about adopting SWGs or CASBs into your business, then get in touch with BlueFort Security support. You can call BlueFort Security at 01252 917000, or send an email to enquiries@bluefort.com. You can also get in touch with them via their contact form.
A secure web gateway, also known as SWG, is essentially a security solution.
It ensures that internet traffic that is unsecured cannot enter the internal network of a business.
A SWG is often used by businesses in order to protect their employees as well as their users. The secure web gateway definition is that it’s a security solution that protects employees and users from malicious entities on the internet.
It works by preventing people from accessing malicious websites. It can also provide protection against internet viruses, malware and even other malicious threats. With SWG, businesses can also ensure regulatory compliance is followed.
A secure web gateway needs to at least have URL filtering capabilities, should be able to detect malicious codes as well as filter then. It should also provide application controls for applications in the cloud, for example Microsoft 365.
Without a SWG in place, businesses can become vulnerable to cyber threats. In this article you’ll learn what is a secure web gateway, as well as why it’s important. This article can help you learn about cybersecurity solutions that can be important for your business.
Both firewalls as well as secure web gateways perform similar tasks, so it’s not uncommon to confuse them. However, they are very different. The responsibility of a firewall is to review what’s coming in through the incoming packets. It then compares what it finds against signatures of threats that are known. This is only done at the network level.
An SWG on the other hand, operates on the level of the application. It can be used to either block or allow keywords or connections. This is according to the web use policy of the business.
People don’t just access data as well as applications only through the data centre of the business. Employees today can work remotely as well. All they need to do is access relevant applications from their smartphones or their laptops, or other personal devices. The apps these employees will be accessing are located in the Cloud, instead of on a company data centre. Do you want to know what a secure web gateway is? And why is it important?
Businesses that still rely on traditional infrastructure in order to secure internet traffic, find themselves backhauling it due to MPLS links that are expensive. They need to create a legacy SWG that is located in the data centre. As a result, internet traffic flow is slowed down, which ends up frustrating the employees. This way, they are less productive as well.
It’s also not possible for such legacy solutions to meet the modern cybersecurity needs. The world has moved on to a digital landscape that is based on the Cloud. Cybercriminals are aware of this, which is why they are creating new kinds of security threats. They are developing code that is malicious, as well as new methods of attack, at a rapid pace.
There are high costs associated with updating legacy hardware. This is why many businesses choose to not upgrade their hardware, leaving themselves vulnerable to attacks. You should also consider keeping up with security solutions news, as this can help you to implement the best security practices in your business.
There are important differences between web gateways as well as proxies. Both a gateway and a proxy server are both responsible for routing traffic from a certain network to the web.
However, a proxy server will filter the collections which it allows, while a gateway doesn’t.
This is why a SWG can be likened to a door that links to the internet. A proxy server on the other hand is more like a wall that has bard in it. This keeps the network that is inside safe from exposure to the internet.
An important question regarding SWGs is what kind of security features you can expect. This can better help you understand what a secure web gateway is. They include:
Web security gateways are a security solution that controls which websites are accessed, depending on what URL they have. It essentially prohibits employees from accessing content that is either malicious or inappropriate.
Internet traffic can either be blocked or provided with access, depending on what URL category it has: groups, users or machines.
With the help of application controls, administrators gain the ability to create web security policies that are granular. Users will need to identify, limit the usage, or block widgets or web applications that may be malicious.
This feature helps in ensuring that the data that is being shared between applications is secure as well as private.
This web security gateway feature helps ensure that information that is critical or sensitive does not leave the network of the organisation. It can also protect businesses against unintentionally losing information that is valuable or sensitive.
Data movements are also monitored. Industry compliance standards and regulations are also met.
An antivirus prevents, detects, as well as removes software like: bugs, Trojan, adware and more. Virus signatures are used in real-time in order to stop threats proactively. Online security services can also be better managed.
The web security gateway will also monitor the business’ network in order to ensure that attacks are resolved and incidents are responded to.
Web security gateways can also scan as well as secure SSL encrypted traffic, should it pass through the gateway. SWGs that make use of https inspection end up decrypting the traffic using the public key of the sender. They inspect and protect the content, then re-encrypt it before it’s sent back to the sender.
If you wanted to know what a secure web gateway is, then this article should have provided you with all the information you needed. If you want to implement a secure web gateway in your business, then get in touch with BlueFort Security. You can either do that through the Evolve IT support services page.
You can call BlueFort Security at 01252 917000, send an email to enquiries@bluefort.com or get in touch via the contact form.
Security awareness training refers to a strategy that is employed by security and IT professionals, in an attempt to mitigate risk from users. With the help of a security awareness program, users as well as employees can better understand what role they play when it comes to combating breaches in information security.
With the help of good security awareness training, employees can better understand what rules of cyber hygiene to follow. They will understand what the security risks are that are associated with their actions. This will enable them to better identify any cyber attacks they may encounter online.
There are challenges in place, when it comes to teaching users as well as employees about security awareness. A good security awareness program can better help employees understand how important their role is. In this article, you will learn why security awareness training is important, as well as the best practices associated with starting your own security awareness program.
Security awareness training refers to empowering users and employees with information regarding how to better protect themselves online. With the help of security awareness programs, users will be more informed when using software online.
With the help of security awareness training, risk from employees as well as users can be mitigated. This way, they can play an active role when it comes to combating breaches in information security. IT as well as security professionals make use of security awareness training in order to mitigate risk from users. Through these programs, users as well as employees can better understand what role they play in protecting and preventing breaches in information security.
When users and employees are informed about security awareness, they can follow better cyber hygiene practices. They will also know what the security risks are, based on the actions that they take. This can enable them to better identify any cyber threats or attacks as well.
According to research, nearly 90% of all security breaches involve human error in one way or another. With the help of security awareness training, you can better address mistakes that employees make when it comes to cybersecurity. This can minimise risks associated with losing IP, PIL, brand reputation or financial resources.
When an information security awareness program is good, it addresses mistakes that employees may make when using the web, or their email. They can even make mistakes in the physical world, such as not disposing of documents properly.
A good security training program tried to engage the modern workforce, in an attempt to reduce risk from users. There are a lot of security awareness programs that don’t follow the best practices in education. They tend to deliver one-off training sessions that end up overwhelming the users. In the worst case, the users can end up forgetting everything they learnt. You can ensure that your employees learn more about cybersecurity solutions, by making the program more immersive and engaging.
In order for the training to be memorable, it will need to be done persistently. The training should be delivered on a regular basis, but in doses that are small. This will help the employees fit the training into their busy schedules. One other thing you should consider is the benefits associated with positive reinforcement. Training that uses positive reinforcement and even humour tends to work better than training that is either boring or fear-based. This helps improve retention in user security awareness training.
Human error plays a role in more than 90% of all breaches in cybersecurity. This is why managing cyber risks from employees is essential for businesses. Security awareness training enables businesses to steer away from data breaches as well as showcase regulatory compliance. You should also know what the security awareness news is, so you can keep your employees up to date with the latest developments.
If you want to launch a security awareness program, then you could have various questions. One of these is what kind of topics should you include? You’ll need to tell employees the answer to the question, ‘Why is cybersecurity awareness important?’. In addition to this, you’ll also need to explain the best practices related to security awareness.
Here are twelve topics that you should cover in your security awareness program:
Cyber criminals continue to make use of phishing attacks, now turning to smarter ideas, in order to trick users and employees. Their aim is to trick either users or employees into downloading attachments with malicious software. In this way, they will try to gain access to sensitive data.
This is a storage medium that is portable, allowing users to copy information onto the device. They can then remove that copied information to another USB device, and say this USB device happens to contain malware, then when it’s reattached to the PC or laptop, then it could end up infecting the device with the malware.
Some commonly used removable media include SD cards, USB sticks, smartphones and even CDs.
If your employees use a password that is too common, then it’s possible for malicious entities to detect what those passwords are. They can then gain access to your employee’s accounts. When employees use simple passwords, or they have password patterns that are recognisable, they become easier to detect.
This is why employees should know how to make strong passwords. Otherwise, malicious entities could gain access to a large number of employee accounts.
In today’s world, a lot of attacks tend to happen through the digital media. This is why all sensitive data should be secured. This is vital when it comes to the integrity of the security system of your business. Employees should be made aware of risks associated with leaving documents or computers unattended as well. They should never leave vital information unattended, either at work or even at home. Being vigilant can help reduce the security risk.
The world is more connected today than ever before, and this doesn’t come without risks attached. When it comes to security awareness training in 2022, user-device accountability has become increasingly important. This is especially true for people who work remotely, or while travelling.
An online course on the best practices for workers using mobile devices can help them learn what they should do. They can also learn how to avoid risks, without the need for expensive security protocols.
Employees need to be made aware of the risks associated with working remotely. Any personal devices that they use for work needs to remain locked, any time they are not attending to it. That device should also have anti-virus software installed.
Employees should be made aware of how they can use public WiFi services in a safe manner. There are WiFi networks that are fake, that end up posing as coffee shops that offer free WiFi. If the end user links to such a WiFi connection, then they would be accessing public servers that are non-secure.
Cloud applications are being adopted by more and more businesses, transforming how they work. At the same time, a large amount of data that is private is also being stored remotely. This could be affected by hacks on a large scale.
Some employees can end up oversharing on the internet. If they end up talking about sensitive information, then this could become accessible to malicious actors as well. A malicious actor could even pretend to be a trusted source, to gain access to this information.
Employees need to know how to protect themselves using their privacy settings. They should also be made aware of why they shouldn’t spread information in public.
There are many employees that have already been exposed to breaches of data. This could be from using simple or even repeat passwords for various accounts. A key part of the IT induction process is educating employees on safe habits regarding using the internet.
This is a tactic that is commonly used by malicious actors in order to gain the trust of users and employees. They offer lures that are valuable, and can even impersonate people in order to gain access to personal information.
The company network can be affected by malware in personal devices as well. Say a person unknowingly downloaded an application with malware. Then they bring that personal device to work and connect it to the company network. This risks the integrity of the company network as well.
This is why employees need to be made aware of the best internet practices. They should know to not share files that aren’t encrypted. All their downloads should be authenticated as well. This will help reduce the risk.
Security awareness training is essential to ensuring that employees and users don’t end up causing data breaches. This is a strategy that is commonly used by security and IT professionals in order to prevent and mitigate risks from users. If your business doesn’t already have a security training program in place, then consider implementing one.
Your security awareness program should cover a wide range of topics, from phishing attacks, all the way to what good internet hygiene is. When employees are made aware of the role they play in security breaches, they can better work to actively prevent them.
If you want to start a security awareness program, then get in touch with BlueFort Security. From BlueFort Security, you can gain professional support regarding implementing security awareness programs at your business.
Either get in touch with us through our contact page, or call us at 01252 917000. You can also send an email to enquiries@bluefort.com.
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