Security as a service, or SECaaS, cloud security platforms and providers have grown in popularity due to the growing use of cloud computing. SECaaS is becoming increasingly popular among businesses as a data security solution since it is simpler to scale as the company expands. It also avoids the price of setting up a complex on-premises security infrastructure. For more details, keep reading.
What is security as a service (SECaaS) in cloud computing?
SECaaS is an outsourced service where a third party handles and manages your security. Using anti-virus software over the Internet is the most basic form of security as a service.
With security as a service, solutions are no longer provided locally, where your IT department installs virus protection software, spam filtering software, and other security tools on each machine or on the network or server in your workplace, keeping the software up-to-date or instructing them to use it.
The traditional way of doing things is also expensive; you have up-front fees for hardware as well as ongoing costs for licensing to utilize the software. Instead, security as a service makes employing the same capabilities with just a web browser simple and inexpensive.
SECaaS, similar to software as a service, offers security services that cloud providers host on a subscription basis. Solutions that provide security as a service has grown in popularity for corporate infrastructures as a method to reduce the workload of the internal security team, scale security requirements as the company expands, and avoid the expenses and maintenance of on-premise alternatives.
Security as a service examples/use cases
The term “security as a service” refers to in-house security management provided by a third party and security software distributed via the cloud.
According to the Cloud Security Alliance‘s list of categories, these are some of the best use cases and examples:
- Disaster recovery (BC/DR or BCDR): When a crisis strikes, SECaaS products can assist you in ensuring that your IT and operations are back online quickly.
- Continuous monitoring: SECaaS solutions let you continuously control risks by keeping an eye on your security procedures.
- Data loss prevention (DLP): SECaaS technologies that safeguard, keep an eye on, and confirm the security of your data, whether it is being used or stored.
- Email security: Security as a service safeguards your company from spam, phishing, and harmful attachments.
- Encryption: Your data is rendered unintelligible by SECaaS unless it is decoded using the appropriate mathematical and cryptographic ciphers.
- Identity and access management (IAM): Security as a Service (SECaaS) provides capabilities for authentication, access intelligence, identity verification, and user management.
- Intrusion management: SECaaS technologies use pattern recognition technology to identify odd occurrences and activities. These tools assist you in managing invasions in addition to detecting them.
- Network security: You may distribute, defend, monitor network services and manage network access using SECaaS tools and services.
- Security assessment: SECaaS tools and services analyze your present security procedures to determine whether they adhere to industry requirements.
- Security information and event management (SIEM): SECaaS tools and services that compile log and event data can be used to analyze it in real-time and aid in detecting potential anomalies and intrusions.
- Vulnerability scanning: The vulnerabilities of your network or IT infrastructure are found by SECaaS tools and services.
- Web security: Online applications accessed by the general public in real-time are protected by SECaaS tools and services.
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What are the benefits of security as a service (SECaaS)?
Utilizing security as a service has many benefits. These are some of the most important ones:
- Cost savings: Saving company money is among the major advantages of a Security as a Service concept. A cloud-delivered service is frequently offered in subscription tiers with a variety of upgrade possibilities, allowing a firm to pay for what it requires at the time simply. Additionally, it takes away the requirement for knowledge.
- Latest security tools and updates: You can access the most recent security technologies and resources when using SECaaS. The most recent updates and virus definitions must be applied to anti-virus software and other security solutions to remain effective. SECaaS can manage these upgrades for you across all of your organization’s servers, PCs, and mobile devices.
- Faster provisioning: You may quickly scale up or down with a SECaaS product, adding security measures as needed. Simply inform the vendor of the security services you require, and they will deploy them.
- Free up resources: When a third party manages security provisions, your IT employees may concentrate on what matters to your company. SECaaS releases resources that provide complete visibility through management dashboards and assure you that a group of outsourced security specialists is effectively handling your IT security.
- Access to security experts: When you utilize SECaaS, you get seasoned, knowledgeable security experts, as opposed to your in-house team, which may lack specialized knowledge or be overburdened with other tasks and unable to devote the necessary attention to cybersecurity.
- Simpler in-house management: You can control who has access to what applications and network resources with SECaaS. People can only use what is necessary to execute their work in this way.
Disadvantages of security as a service (SECaaS)
Like everything else, SECaas has some disadvantages:
- Reliant on SECaaS provider acting: SECaaS providers contain a wealth of data, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. If they are breached, it is crucial to be sure they have made significant efforts to improve their security.
- Lack of organization-specific knowledge: Each corporation is unique and should have cybersecurity measures tailored to its particular industry.
- Jurisdictional issues: Jurisdiction issues could arise, especially when data flows worldwide.
Best security as a service providers (SECaaS) in 2022
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. You should make a decision based on your needs. Here are some typical demands and the providers that offer solutions to them.
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Cloud access security brokerage
In the area of SECaaS, cloud access security brokerages (CASBs) are the equivalent of “integrated suites.” Vendors of CASBs often offer various services to assist your business in safeguarding cloud infrastructure and data in any format.
To implement security, compliance, and governance requirements for cloud applications, CASBs, as defined by McAfee, “are on-premises or cloud-hosted software that sit between cloud service customers and cloud service providers.” These solutions keep track of and protect all cloud applications a business uses.
Solution: Oracle Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
In 2016, Oracle purchased Palerra, transforming its Identity Cloud Service into a fully functional CASB. The entire security lifecycle, from preventative measures to detection and treatment, was automated by this solution before it was available on the market.
User behavior analytics, cloud security, and shadow IT discovery are all covered by Oracle Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB). A web application firewall, identity and access management, identity cloud services, and key management are additional services provided by the Oracle Security and Identity Cloud.
Single sign-on
Users that use single sign-on (SSO) services can log into all of their enterprise cloud apps with just one set of login information. SSO also improves the ability of network and IT managers to keep track of access and accounts.
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Although some of the larger SaaS companies currently offer SSO capabilities for the items in their portfolio, you likely utilize various applications. Therefore, a third-party SSO provider would be useful.
Solution: Okta
Okta specializes in a vendor’s identity and access management (IAM) area of cloud security. Giving users access to programs on any device at any time while also upholding strict security measures is a key component of their purpose.
With just a single login and password, users can securely access any application thanks to Okta’s single sign-on solution, which employs Security Assertion Markup Language 2.0 (SAML), Secure Web Authentication (SWA), or OpenID Connect.
Okta has powerful central administrative tools that enable IT managers to create unique policies and run usage reports as necessary. Additionally, they provide one of the industry’s largest integration networks, allowing you to add SSO functionality to virtually any application, whether it be a desktop or cloud application.
Email security
Although cloud-based email servers might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of outsourcing security, they handle a significant portion of the data that enters and leaves your company.
SECaaS companies specializing in email security can shield you from hazards and threats that are inextricably linked to email, including phishing, targeted assaults, malvertising, and data breaches. While some providers offer email security capabilities as a single product, others integrate them into broader platforms.
Solution: Proofpoint
One of the best cloud security companies specializing in email is Proofpoint. Any environment, from tiny businesses using Gmail to complex, hybrid Sharepoint applications at huge corporations, can use their technology to safeguard and regulate outbound and inbound email threats.
To defend your business against known and newly discovered threats coming from any form of IP address, they employ signature-based detection.
Proofpoint offers some really helpful tools for administrators, like their 60+ out-of-the-box reports and the ability to create unique policies at the group, user, and global levels, similar to other solutions in this article. Graymail management, mobile defense, data loss prevention (DLP), encryption, and social media security are further features.
Website and app security
When employing cloud-based applications, you must safeguard your data and infrastructure and any apps and digital assets you control and are in charge of, such as your website.
Traditional endpoint and firewall protection will still open you to assaults, hacks, and breaches in this area. Most of the time, the tools and services in this category are made to identify and fix security holes in your online applications, intranets, and externally exposed websites.
Solution: White Hat Security
White Hat Security has more expertise in identifying and resolving online and application threats than many of its rivals because it has been in business for a long time.
Their tools employ dynamic and static application security testing to ensure that your websites and source code remain secure. In addition, White Hat provides a web application security solution that brings the same analytics and testing capabilities to any mobile apps your company releases.
No matter which White Hat solution you use, you’ll have access to a dedicated team of engineers at the White Hat Threat Research Center who can offer advice on any problems that are beyond the scope of your team’s knowledge and problems where the nature of the business makes it challenging to identify threats. Among its remarkable list of present and former customers are companies like Dell, NetApp, and Akamai.
Network security
Applications for network security on the cloud can help your company keep track of the traffic going in and out of its servers and thwart any threats before they happen. Even if you already have a hardware-based firewall, it’s a good idea to have additional layers of security because there are so many different types of attacks on the internet today.
Of course, network security as a service entails the provider providing threat monitoring and intrusion prevention via the cloud.
Solution: Qualys
Qualys is one of the most well-known suppliers in this field, with more than 8,800 clients in 100 nations. Their platform, created on the cloud and offering all of its services through either a multi-tenant or private cloud, is a comprehensive suite of security and compliance solutions.
Functional areas include vulnerability management, compliance management, web scanning, web application firewall, malware detection, secure website testing, and continuous network monitoring (using sensor appliances and lightweight agents).
Qualys network security solutions continuously monitor your assets (servers, computers, and devices), finding new vulnerabilities and assisting you in patching them immediately. Additionally, you can track devices in your local office or distant cloud environments and get notifications when something odd is happening.
Network administrators can maintain a close eye on all assets, hosts, scans, and patches applied thanks to the dashboards and visual reports. Cisco, GE, Microsoft, and Deloitte are a few of Qualys’ current and former clients.
Security as a service pricing
Numerous variables affect the pricing of security as a service. There are several factors to consider when choosing a managed security service provider (MSSP) to handle your business’s IT needs in general and cyber defense in particular.
According to one survey, you may anticipate paying an average of $99 to $250 per user monthly for these services. That may be a big margin, depending on how many users are protected. The following are some of the variables that affect how much managed security services cost:
- Kind or scope of service
- Size of the organization
- MSSP pricing model
How to choose security as a service provider (SECaaS)?
Giving up control of protecting your company’s most important and sensitive assets is a major endeavor. Selecting a SECaaS provider requires serious thought and analysis.
Some of the most crucial factors to take into account while choosing a supplier are listed below:
- Availability
- Fast response times
- Disaster recovery planning
- Vendor partnerships
- Compatibility with your current systems
SECaaS can add significant value to your organization by bolstering your defenses and boosting your bottom line, whether it is through cost savings, increased productivity, or safeguarding your infrastructure from the most recent security threats. So, choose wisely!
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Is security as a service a good investment?
Security as a Service is a wise investment for most enterprises when considering the cost of a data breach.
US firms, according to CSO Online, incur the highest costs for breaches, with an average cost of $8.19 million.
You are vulnerable regardless of the size or type of your firm. Because of that, investing in securing your business network using Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS) is a good choice.
Conclusion
Businesses have become increasingly aware of the need for cybersecurity over the past several years. Businesses send and receive enormous amounts of data daily as more transactions occur online. These data have become an alluring target for cybercriminals, who spend their time and resources planning ways to compromise private company networks to gain access to the data. But do not worry; SECaaS solutions are here to help.
SECaaS is one of the best options among all the available cybersecurity techniques. This is especially true if your security resources are limited or if you are not experienced with cybersecurity tactics.
