What’s the Purpose of a Cloud Access Security Broker?

The world seems to keep getting more complicated. There might not be any realm in which this rings truer than cybersecurity. Data breaches, or intentional attacks on specific organizations, are on an upswing. Several factors are contributing to this; but in a general sense, enterprises are having trouble keeping pace with evolving technologies, which is opening attack surfaces for criminals. This is incredibly troubling considering the average data breach in the United States costs organizations a whopping $8.64 million, according to a study from IBM.

That’s not a small amount of money for any organization. These costs aren’t going to be the same for all businesses; however, there are some patterns that can help predict vulnerability and ultimate capital loss. According to data from Statistica, four issues stand above the rest when it comes to negatively impacting the cost of a breach: complex security systems, cloud migration, security skills shortage, and compliance failures.

What does this mean for enterprises trying to protect themselves from cyber threats? Essentially, organizations today need to have a centralized cloud and cyber security, with customizable application control. This can be made even stronger when working with a company that specializes in providing security tools for all access points and traffic, which is the idea behind a cloud access security broker.

The Cloud Has Changed Everything

The technology being discussed here is relatively new. Innovative security needs arose when enterprises started adopting the cloud into their networks, along with the rise in both organizational, IoT, and personal devices connecting across the globe. While these advances are great for productivity, and are more secure in some ways, they also open new cans of worms.

To get some perspective as to how quickly this is changing. Research firm Garnter estimates 60 percent of large enterprises will have adopted cloud access security brokers (CASBs) by 2022. This is a massive shift considering only 20 percent were using them in 2018.

Simply put, things are changing so fast, enterprises need to keep relying on industry experts to a greater degree in order to protect themselves from targeted breaches. Without taking these precautions, organizations are leaving themselves vulnerable to attacks they’ll never see coming.

Get Unprecedented Governance and Management Capabilities

What exactly is offered by CASBs that help keep enterprise data safe from criminals? It starts with absolute governance and managerial control over networks and their security. Organizations can determine exactly how they want to open or restrict access to networks and applications through a host of filtering options.

Here are a couple important capabilities to consider with CASBs:

  • Governance on a Granular Level – At large enterprises, there are many hyper-specific needs and uses for user connection. But it’s incredibly difficult for a large business to keep tabs on all of this, especially without micromanaging. By setting definitive guidelines for users and applications with a CASB, it’s possible to give just the right amount of access.
  • Holistic Auditing – Organizations can get overwhelmed when trying to keep track of everything happening on their networks. This is exacerbated by dashboards being spread across several points. Centralizing management within a CASB can reduce the likelihood of lapses in risk assessment. Furthermore, a CASB can give you a better idea of the risks associated with certain applications, which can help you remedy problems before they appear.

Experts Have Your Back

When you opt for a cloud access security broker, you’re making the determination that hiring the right people for the job is paramount in network security. Undoubtedly, this is the correct thought process. Of all areas in the enterprise, few can face more turmoil due to lack of expertise. Working with a provider of CASB services will keep your cybersecurity to where it needs to be in these ever-changing times.

There are tons of network security tools and IT services out there. Few, however, are more comprehensive than CASBs. Deploying this within your enterprise can make all the difference in defending against threats.

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