Why SASE Solutions Need Zero Trust

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a groundbreaking network and security approach that converges all network and security requirements into one single platform. The SASE model is especially useful for distributed, global workforces, who need high-performance and ongoing connectivity and access to organizational networks. From a security aspect, SASE needs to provide the highest level of security to this network topology. Zero trust is the most befitting security model to answer this need. Let’s see why.

1. Convergence & Simplified User Management

SASE provides IT and security teams with a single, converged platform to manage all network activities. This reduces the overhead and difficulty of managing multiple point solutions. It also eliminates the friction of integrating different solutions that weren’t meant to operate together.

How Zero Trust Can Help

Zero trust complements this benefit by providing security teams with a single interface to manage user management and access policies. Security teams can easily grant or revoke access at the click of the button, easily controlling who has access to network assets. In addition, zero trust provides auditing and recording capabilities for visibility and to provide security teams with monitoring capabilities.

2. Cloud-Native Architecture

SASE solutions are cloud-based and cloud-native, and not on-premises. This enables scalability, taking advantage of more computer power and supporting more devices.

How Zero Trust Can Help

Zero trust can easily enforce the principle of least privilege and micro-segmentation in the cloud. User identity is constantly validated inside the network and at its entry point, without slowing down performance or hampering scalability. Enabling frictionless security policy execution in the cloud enables businesses to continue being productive.

3. Global Connectivity

SASE providers are required to set up and run their own global PoPs, without depending on the public network or a provider like AWS or GCP. It is a new global network that provides businesses with the ability to work at any location around the world, from offices or from home.

How Zero Trust Can Help

Zero trust is the security solution that is built for global connectivity. More limiting security solutions based on the castle-and-moat approach require employees to connect from a certain network or VPN. This obstructs employees’ ability to easily connect from any global location, even if they have SASE. If they are able to connect, VPNs often hamper performance, because of latency and routing issues. This defies the purpose of SASE.

Through zero trust, the ongoing validation of users according to their identity, and not their network, made location a non-issue. This means users can easily and securely connect from any location at any time, and without traffic being routed around the globe.

4. Complete Device and Edge Support

SASE is required to support all edge and devices. This includes connecting from the office, home, mobile devices, coffee shops, and more. Connection has to be secure and provide high performance.

How Zero Trust Can Help

This is where zero trust really shines. By authenticating users based on their identity and not their originating network - supporting any edge becomes easy, and scalable. New edges and devices can be easily added to security policies, without having to fear adversaries being tunneled in, like in the case of VPNs.

Conclusion

A SASE network provides many benefits to companies: connectivity, high performance, scalability, and more. It’s important to ensure your SASE provider has a security solution that can complement these benefits. Zero trust is the most advanced security solution that is based on the same principles, and provides the same SASE value to security teams.

The Cyolo advanced secure remote access solution complements SASE by securely connecting onsite and remote users to authorized assets, in the organizational network, cloud or IoT environments and even offline networks. SASE methods and principles are already built-in to the Cyolo solution, so transition to SASE is easy.