As the first quarter of 2024 ends, it’s important to keep your eyes open for emerging trends in cybersecurity and infrastructure news. Secure Access Service Edge – or SASE – has long been a popular cloud-native architecture for organizations to secure their networks. Gartner predicted that by this year, at least 40% of enterprises will have explicit strategies to adopt SASE and that by 2027, the market for SASE will reach over US$ 25 billion. In this blog article, we explore the meaning of SASE and then list some of the SASE trends of 2024. We also look at Sangfor’s Secure Access SASE platform as a solution for your company. First, let’s get a better understanding of the SASE definition.
What Is SASE?
Secure Access Service Edge – or SASE – can be described as a cloud-native architecture that combines network and security-as-a-service functions under a single platform. This unifies Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) with SWG, CASB, NGFW, and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) capabilities. Coined by Gartner, the term essentially described architecture that “supports branch office, remote worker, and on-premises secure access use cases” and is “primarily delivered as a service and enables zero trust access based on the identity of the device or entity, combined with real-time context and security and compliance policies.”
SD-WAN technology can ensure secure connections for users across multiple locations, providing enhanced performance and centralized management. However, the SASE solutions quickly took over by combining SD-WAN capabilities with cloud-native security services – thus making SASE the ideal modern blend of both. SASE solutions provide automated, secure, and improved control and visibility for organizations while applying policy-based rules to network devices and users based on the device or user, role, behavior, and location - ensuring secure access to applications and data regardless of how far away from the main data center you are.
As the use of SASE solutions expands across different sectors, we took the liberty of marking down some of the top SASE trends we’ve seen in 2024 so far. These insights can help companies evaluate their security posture and implement SASE accordingly.
2024’s Top SASE Trends
SASE solutions are rapidly evolving to adapt to new threats, landscapes, and needs for organizations. In 2024, the SASE architecture has seen its share of evolution as well. These are some of the top SASE trends of 2024:
1. SASE Improving Zero-Trust Technology
Zero-Trust Architecture (ZTA) has played a crucial role in cybersecurity in the modern age. These technologies prevent unauthorized access by constantly verifying access and building a zero-trust policy. Integrated SASE solutions will enable the use of zero-trust technology and policies to provide a comprehensive security perimeter that validates users and devices at shorter intervals as required.
2. The Use of AI in SASE Applications
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity has steadily been on the rise. The automation and consistency of AI make it ideal for real-time scanning, detection, and alerts. Fully integrated SASE solutions will soon be enhanced through the use of AI-driven technologies and machine learning. This will allow modern SASE solutions to keep up with rapidly evolving threats and the need for faster and more reliable accuracy while sifting through larger amounts of data.
3. Simplified Single-Vendor SASE
A single-vendor SASE solution ensures that all SASE components are sourced from the same vendor. As cybersecurity companies elevate their platforms, single-vendor SASE solutions are quickly becoming a reality. When all SASE features are handled and integrated by one cybersecurity provider, this ensures easier deployment, management, and control while providing smoother integration and fewer expenses.
4. SASE and Edge Computing Convergence
As the Internet of Things (IoT) expands and lower latency becomes a demand, deploying SASE at the edge of a network will elevate performance while improving security. The convergence of edge computing and SASE capabilities will ensure a seamless and secure blend of performance and protection.
5. End-to-End DEM Being Essential to SASE Solutions
Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) provides end-to-end visibility. As SASE solutions evolve, DEM is expected to become a core feature to enhance user experience, simplify performance, and reduce operational expenses.
6. SASE for Multi-Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Models
Multi-cloud and hybrid cloud models have become very popular for most modern organizations. SASE is predicted to support these evolved and complex cloud infrastructures to ensure seamless connectivity and reliable security measures – allowing companies to optimize their cloud resources without neglecting security.
7. Emphasis on Data Compliance and Regulations
Data regulations and compliance are a critical and costly issue for most companies. Without the proper systems in place, data leakage can become a reputational and financial nightmare within minutes. SASE solutions will place a greater emphasis on data compliance by enforcing consistent security policies and providing comprehensive visibility into network traffic.
8. SSE Expanding Connectivity
While SASE solutions do focus primarily on secure and enhanced connectivity across remote locations, on-premises security and connectivity are still an issue. SASE solutions are predicted to use Security Service Edge – or SSE – to provide cloud security for LAN/WLAN. This will enable more Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) and agent-less secure access capabilities while also aiming to secure critical infrastructure through Operational Technology (OT) security integration.
While all these SASE trends point to the architecture continuously evolving and improving as the years pass, companies need to stay ahead and invest in these security solutions today without waiting to see how they unfold and risk being left behind. This is why Sangfor offers a neatly packaged SASE solution in its Access Secure platform.
Sangfor Access Secure
The Sangfor Access Secure platform provides advanced SD-WAN capabilities and superior security with Zero Trust Network Access to ensure an exceptional user experience that empowers businesses to operate securely, swiftly, and seamlessly across the globe.
The Sangfor Access Secure ensures a secure and cloud-native connection between HQ, branches, and remote users. The platform deploys consistent network security to protect your company against all types of malware, viruses, and ransomware while also being able to audit external and internal traffic to defend against insider threats.
Key capabilities of Sangfor’s Access Secure platform include:
- Cost Effectiveness: Using Sangfor’s Pay-as-you-Grow strategy, companies can seamlessly scale their Access Secure platform up or down as needed and avoid spending money for services they don’t need.
- Simplified ZTNA: Sangfor’s Access Secure platform also provides a simplified and comprehensive ZTNA by making use of advanced, cloud-based Zero Trust Network Access that ensures secure, dependable, and high-performance remote access to any application or resource - whether on-premises or in the cloud. With its unified policy management, you can rely on a flexible, scalable, and adaptive ZTNA solution with Sangfor.
- Easier Connectivity: With Sangfor’s Secure Access, branch offices can connect securely and seamlessly with a design based on unique customer needs and guidance from Gartner.
- Active Analytics: The Sangfor Analytics Platform also tracks data leakage and deploys extensive data analysis to uncover hidden security risks. The platform works closely with Neural-X to uncover invisible threats within the network before they can cause damage.
- Advanced Security: Sangfor Access Secure ensures that users are authenticated and constantly protected from malware, ransomware, and cyber-attacks with the use of AI-driven software. Administrators can also easily audit users and patterns to uncover any misuse of applications, bandwidth, or possible data leakage – regardless of how remote the user is.
- Seamless Remote Deployment: For clients in remote locations, a simple lightweight client installation on their devices will allow them to be connected and secured by the platform. Access Secure already serves over 100,000 customers who operate branches and offices in some of the most remote locations – spanning continents, oceans, and borders.
Sangfor’s Secure Access has also been recognized in the Frost & Sullivan Frost Radar™ for Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), 2023. The Frost Radar notably recognized that “Sangfor is the only Chinese vendor that can provide SASE solutions through a single pass architecture to deliver unified networking and security services.”
Vivien Pua, the Senior Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan stated that Sangfor Access Secure “leverages ML/AI to provide AIOps for simplified network operations.” She further commented that Sangfor’s AI-driven Engine Zero malware detection engine and robust threat intelligence database “allow the company to deliver real-time analysis and more effective security protection through the SASE platform.”
Get the best SASE framework for your company’s needs by investing in award-winning and globally recognized solutions. Choose Sangfor Secure Access for efficiency, security, and commitment that goes the extra mile. For more information, contact Sangfor today to learn about how we can elevate your future.
