There’s no question that Software-as-a-Service has revolutionized the IT environment. SaaS gives organizations access to applications that enhance the user experience and deliver advanced capabilities. Cloud-based generative AI tools are the latest examples.
However, SaaS also creates security risks. One of the best known is shadow IT, which is associated with data loss, data exposure and a lack of control over user access. Misconfigurations, including excess user permissions and improper security settings, are another big problem. Data breaches and regulatory compliance gaps are also associated with SaaS.
These risks are amplified when generative AI is integrated into SaaS platforms. In a recent survey by Snow Software, 23 percent of IT leaders said generative AI was their No. 1 SaaS security concern.
Cloud access security brokers (CASBs) help organizations reduce SaaS risks. CASBs sit between the organization and SaaS applications, protecting users and sensitive information. CASBs also help IT teams detect shadow IT applications and ensure that security policies are enforced in the cloud environment.
The Four Pillars of CASBs
CASBs have four equally important pillars. The first is visibility, not just to monitor user activity within authorized cloud applications but also to detect the presence of shadow IT services. IT teams can control access to services and activity permitted within those services at a granular level.
The second is compliance. Organizations must be able to protect the privacy of sensitive data and apply data loss prevention policies according to data governance and regulatory compliance requirements. The third is data security, which includes sophisticated functionality such as encryption, tokenization and document fingerprinting.
The fourth is threat protection. This involves using threat intelligence, dynamic malware analysis and other capabilities to detect and respond to suspicious activity, insider threats, privileged user threats, session hijacking and compromised accounts. CASBs help ensure that users aren’t spreading malware and other threats, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
CASBs and SASE
CASBs are an essential component of secure access service edge (SASE). SASE is not a product but a network architecture that combines edge security controls with software-defined WAN services. These capabilities are delivered as cloud-based services, shifting the emphasis from network hardware to the cloud.
SASE incorporates zero-trust security principles. Every user and device attempting to access IT resources is considered suspect until authenticated and authorized. SASE also moves security controls to the edge of the network, closer to users and devices. This reduces latency and enhances threat protection. At the same time, SASE simplifies policy enforcement, ensuring that security controls are applied uniformly across the environment.
CASBs apply these capabilities to cloud services and applications. They complement SASE, providing robust cloud security within the unified SASE framework. Without CASBs, organizations lack the visibility and data protection they need in the cloud.
Finding the Right Solution
Many organizations are missing out on the benefits of CASBs, however. A new report from the Cloud Security Alliance finds that just 21 percent of organizations use CASBs. At the same time, 83 percent say they need to improve cloud security, and half lack the in-house resources to do the job.
The survey found that 27 percent of organizations are conducting initial research on CASBs, and 15 percent are evaluating vendors. Those are critical first steps, as not every CASB will be right for a particular environment. Organizations should assess their cloud ecosystem to ensure the CASB they choose protects every application, service and storage repository. The CASB should also detect all shadow IT apps and unmanaged devices, and control access based on user and device behavior. Data loss prevention tools enable the CASB to protect sensitive data without impacting productivity.
Technologent can leverage our cloud, security and generative AI disciplines to help you select and implement the right CASB. Let our experts show you the intersection of cloud, SASE and SaaS in your environment.
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