Why a single-vendor SASE approach matters

Despite some recent high-profile moves to encourage a return to the office, it is fair to say hybrid work is here to stay, writes Fortinet’s Graham King.

In the Fortinet Work-from-Anywhere Global Study, 60 per cent of respondents report that they plan to continue accommodating employees who work from home and 55 per cent have a hybrid work strategy. But the reality is that security gaps arising from remote work, and these continue to be exploited by threat actors.

According to the FortiGuard Labs 1H 2023 Threat Landscape Report, there has been a rise in the frequency and complexity of ransomware, and breach attempts are becoming more sophisticated and targeted.

To prevent breaches, it is critical for security solutions to be integrated across all locations, both on-premises and in the cloud. A secure access service edge (SASE), or zero-trust edge (ZTE) architecture, converges networking and security to secure users no matter where they are located.

So SASE is yet another product?

Well not exactly. SASE is rather a framework of technologies, that work together to provide controlled access, based on zero-trust principles, to company resources and services, whether those resources are within company data centres, in public cloud infrastructure, or being consumed via SaaS.

The concept is that no matter where those resources reside, no matter what user or device is connecting to them, no matter how the connection is made, the security controls should always remain the same.

Organisations may in fact already be using such technologies, and likely from a wide range of vendors. Endpoint protection, Remote VPN client, SD-WAN, Secure Web Gateway, NGFW, DLP, CASB – are of course nothing new. Few, however, have a unified SASE solution currently in place that allows those technologies to seamlessly work together – continuously examining user and device telemetry to ensure that access is granted only when specific criteria are met, and bringing together the threat intelligence into one place when they are not.

Complexity is the enemy: Single-Vendor

SASE approach Integrating SD-WAN and cloud-delivered security, Fortinet Single-Vendor SASE delivers unified management using a single simplified console. Organisations can consistently apply enterprise-grade security across all network edges and secure users whether they are on the network or off the network at a branch location.

Fortinet Single-Vendor SASE uniquely brings together all the components needed to converge networking and security for zero implicit trust everywhere. It provides a full set of networking and security capabilities including secure web gateway, universal zero-trust network access, next-generation dual-mode cloud access security broker (CASB), Firewall-as-a-Service, and Secure SD-WAN. Powered by FortiOS, FortiGuard AI-Powered Security Services, unified management, and a unified agent drive operational efficiency and deliver consistent security everywhere.

FortiSASE offers several key benefits for organisations looking to secure a hybrid workforce.

A better experience for users

FortiSASE provides a converged SD-WAN and cloud-delivered security solution that is managed from a single console: FortiManager. It uses a unified agent (FortiClient), which helps organizations reduce their security vendor footprint. FortiClient is referred to as a unified agent because it provides features such as endpoint protection for vulnerability tracking, ZTNA, CASB, SWG, or VPN, which helps organisations unify the agents they may have deployed over multiple years.

Simple licensing

When compared to other solutions, FortiSASE provides the simplest licensing model and compelling total cost of ownership. FortiSASE offers flat, user-based licensing with no feature-based tiering. This licensing model helps organizations better plan their SASE journey and keep their costs predictable. Fortinet also takes advantage of built-in FortiGuard artificial intelligence and machine learning, which give FortiSASE an edge compared to other solutions that must rely on outside solutions to OEM or deliver through partnerships.

Consistent security everywhere

Security is the same for users who are working on-premises, at a branch, or remotely. With FortiSASE, organisations have a uniform solution across all environments. It provides flexibility for micro-branches that need security for their LAN/WLAN.

With FortiSASE, organisations can gain full visibility into their networking and security for secure internet access, secure private access, and secure SaaS access everywhere.

About Fortinet

Fortinet is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere you need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilises leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence.

For any further information about FortiSASE, or any of the other range of Fortinet products, please contact Gking@fortinet.com