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If you are interested in cybersecurity, you have definitely heard of Zero Trust and SASE, as they are the latest buzzwords in the constantly evolving cybersecurity world. These frameworks are influencing a wave of the cybersecurity era that will radically alter how business networks are constructed and run.
Although Zero Trust and SASE are both extensive cybersecurity solutions, you don’t have to choose only one of them to secure your company. The great thing about them is that they can work together excellently to create solid protection from cyberattacks. Let’s find out how.
What is Zero Trust?
Zero Trust is a cybersecurity solution based on the principle “never trust, always verify.” It always authenticates and authorizes users and devices based on many points such as identification, location, and device health. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time trying to access the network or you’re just coming back, Zero Trust does not let you in unless it can verify your identity.
Zero Trust is now necessary for companies to protect their network, especially if they have a remote or hybrid workforce. With the rise of remote work, organizations must take new security measures to protect themselves and their users. Lots of organizations use Zero Trust model in the cloud, since it requires reciprocal authentication to verify the user’s identity in order to give access, filtering out bad actors who shouldn’t have access to your company’s network.
What is SASE?
SASE is a cybersecurity solution that is based on the cloud. The fact that it’s cloud-based is an important feature since more and more companies use cloud-based apps for remote users to have access to their data. It combines network and security-as-a-service activities into one cloud service. Thanks to SASE, organizations are able to integrate their network and security solutions into a single management panel.
All employees are consistently protected by SASE no matter where they are located. A security solution’s capacity to be flexible and adaptable may make or break it, and SASE offers both with ease. Additionally, it offers better performance with lower latency. It adapts to evolving threats and expands alongside your business.
SASE has been a trending cybersecurity concept for a while now mostly due to how effective it is in the cloud. However, according to Security Magazine, 69% of IT and security professionals are still unsure of what SASE really means. It is important to understand and implement SASE to make sure your organization is safe from cyberattacks.
Zero Trust vs SASE
We now know that both Zero Trust and SASE are essential cybersecurity solutions for organizations in the remote age. Organizations must recognize both’s similarities and, more critically, how they complement one another. This is because using both solutions is the better approach to having a complete cybersecurity environment.
We can consider SASE to be a more advanced cybersecurity philosophy than Zero Trust. We can say that Zero Trust is a component of a larger SASE architecture. But keep in mind that SASE is a long-term target, whereas Zero Trust implementation can be a short-term solution.
Similarities of Zero Trust and SASE
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- Digital identification as the basis for access: Both SASE and Zero Trust base access on a user’s digital identity. When using Zero Trust, you must constantly verify the users’ identities before granting them any system access. Similarly, SASE uses identification to determine which access policy is applicable to the user.
- Ongoing verification: Each of these solutions gives access to users in accordance with their job responsibilities and the information required to carry them out. Both Zero Trust and SASE do not provide unlimited access and make sure to verify the users each time they try to access the network.
- Context as a factor for access: Both SASE and Zero Trust employ dynamic user access restrictions. They don’t only look at a user’s identity but also give users access to specific data only when they need it.
Main differences
SASE is a system that integrates a number of network and security technologies. Zero Trust specifies how authentication should be carried out but, unlike SASE, does not specift a particular implementation. SASE is similar to a philosophical approach rathen than a set of rules to be followed.
Zero Trust outlines the granular and identity-based authentication and authorization procedures that should always be used. SASE contains Zero Trust in that it advises that the security services access layers adhere to Zero Trust principles, although it is primarily concerned with the deployment strategy and less with the specifics of security.
How can they work together for your organization?
The security tactic of Zero Trust is quite effective. You can implement it in certain areas of your organization using SASE or not. However, the best solution is to use them both as they are two security solutions that complement each other very well. Their difference is that Zero Trust doesn’t concentrate on any specific security-related technological advancement. In contrast, SASE particularly contains a number of security technologies. It discusses how a provider should install these services and how a business should use them.
The SASE and Zero Trust models give organizations more insight into their IT environment and close any flaws in the security architecture when they are effectively installed and integrated. Using the two solutions together also automates some repetitive and mundane security elements, freeing up employees to concentrate on higher-value duties essential for the business’s daily operations. They are also readily scalable depending on the requirements of the company. This, in turn, decreases the costs while improving the performance and agility of your organization.
Final words
It is clear how both SASE and Zero Trust work to make sure your organization is secure from cyberattacks in the age of remote work. If you want to embrace a holistic and strategic approach to cybersecurity, combining the principles of SASE and Zero Trust is one of the best practices for your organization.
SASE makes it simpler to implement identity and context based controls, granular rules and Zero Trust for data transfer throughout the whole network. By combining the two architectures, your organization can optimize the operational facets of managing infrastructure and technology. This will help your organization save money, simplify things, and improve performance and flexibility.
