Organizations need a modern security solution to protect against malware and other threats in today’s network environment. These solutions may be deployed in various forms, including hardware, virtual appliances, or a cloud-based software platform. They inspect all packets passing through them, using multiple techniques to determine their safety. This includes deep packet inspection, URL filtering, malware and virus scanning, content analysis, application control, and more.
Protects Against Malware Attacks
Secure web gateways (SWG) help protect businesses from malware and other security threats based on the internet. They do this by monitoring and analyzing outbound traffic and blocking it when it violates your organization’s security policies and data security rules. They are available as software, hardware, or a virtual appliance on the network perimeter or at user endpoint devices. In either case, the SWG acts as a proxy that connects users with the web and enables your IT team to enforce various policies and data restrictions. An SWG chart can also monitor and inspect HTTPS encrypted traffic to identify hidden threats. It uses machine learning, sandboxing, and other techniques to examine incoming content for known and unknown threats. In addition to detecting and blocking malware, secure web gateways can protect against phishing attacks and different types of malicious code by examining web page content for specific patterns matching social security numbers, credit card information, medical information, intellectual property, and intellectual property other sensitive data. Some also feature data loss prevention (DLP) functionality to stop unauthorized information from leaving your organization’s systems.
Protects Against Data Breach
As businesses have become more reliant on remote workforces and cloud services, the need for secure web gateways has grown proportionately. These technologies help organizations monitor incoming and outgoing data and protect users from malicious websites. One of the most popular ways SWGs block malware is through URL filtering. This prevents employees from attempting to load websites identified as malware-infected. Some SWGs also use sandboxing to test for malware, executing the code in a controlled environment and comparing it with known malware codes. Another way SWGs protect businesses is through a data loss prevention (DLP) solution. It inspects outbound traffic for unique patterns that match sensitive user information such as social security numbers, credit card data, medical information, and intellectual property. These features make secure web gateways crucial to an overall security strategy and keep your business safe from cyberattacks. They also help you keep track of new threats and respond to them in real-time.
Enables Remote Access
Secure Web Gateways enable remote access to applications and websites within the network. This is important for companies with employees in multiple locations or remotely. Secure web gateways monitor traffic to and from the internet, blocking websites that violate an organization’s security policy. This allows companies to maintain compliance and prevent data loss or exfiltration. These solutions monitor web and internet traffic for malware, viruses, and other cyber threats. They can block these threats, help organizations protect their data, and avoid fines or legal penalties.
Moreover, SWGs provide an easy and quick way to implement policies that enforce security rules. This enables company IT departments to protect their systems from online threats, increasing employee productivity. Another critical feature of SWGs is real-time application usage monitoring, which allows companies to detect applications used by employees and control their access to resources. This can prevent employees from using social networking websites that expose the business to security threats. Other features include content filtering, which blocks explicit videos and photos from entering a corporate network.
Increases Employee Productivity
With increasing global employee mobility, companies rely on remote employees to access data and applications. This increases the risk of malware and data breaches, as these employees may be using unsecured endpoints on untrusted public networks that are open to attack. Secure Web Gateways can help businesses protect against these threats by inspecting encrypted traffic before it reaches their network. This helps prevent unauthorized access to data while protecting it from phishing attacks. In addition, secure web gateways can monitor and record online activity to help companies identify potential risks and improve security. They can enforce policies for specific users or groups, ensuring only approved personnel can access sensitive information. With remote work becoming the norm, companies must modernize their security to support this new reality. This means making sure that crucial security solutions, such as secure web gateways (SWGs), can be deployed in ways that will support today’s workforce.
Increases Security
A Secure Web Gateway (SWG) protects your network perimeter by filtering traffic from malicious websites and links. It lets you control application usage and prevent users from accessing sensitive data outside your network. SWG software can detect malware by inspecting incoming and outgoing traffic and determining if it contains codes that look like the ones used by attackers. It can also monitor files on the internet that mimic legitimate sources, ensuring that users aren’t downloading anything that could threaten your network. With more employees working remotely, companies must take extra precautions to prevent cyberattacks and theft of sensitive data. Remote workers often use unsecured Wi-Fi settings to transfer sensitive information, making them more vulnerable to attack. Security gateways can also inspect incoming and outgoing SSL/TLS encrypted traffic to identify malware or other security threats. However, many smaller appliances need scalability, performance, or inspection capabilities to inspect this traffic volume. Forced appliance upgrades may be necessary to ensure the capacity to support the subscribed service.