Five-Minute Guide To CASB

CASB is short for Cloud Access Security Broker. It’s a service, delivered through the cloud, that makes sure that cloud data and applications are used safely. It forms a bridge between a cloud service and individual users to ensure the security policies are properly enforced, so that sensitive data isn’t leaked and malware infections can’t occur.

A CASB solution forms a focal point from which all security policy and governance can be overseen. CASBs can highlight irregular user activity, provide detailed visibility and control over cloud environments and how they’re used, and be utilized as a means of deploying cloud access control. CASBs can be applied to all cloud applications, whether they’re hosted publicly, privately, or they’re delivered through a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. It also provides protection to data both at rest and in transit.

CASB first emerged as a means of managing shadow IT, where applications are used by employees outside of the oversight of the IT team. The benefits that it gives in overall visibility, incinding in device and location information, has made CASB a strong option to be deployed across all types of cloud application.

As well as the clear benefits in keeping sensitive data and applications safe, and in protecting against external threats, CASBs can be extremely useful in ensuring regulatory compliance around data privacy and protection. At a time when CCPA, GDPR and other regulations have put data safety in the spotlight, CASBs help organizations identify compliance risks, and the actions they need to take in response.

When looking for the right vendor for a CASB solution, organizations should look at where there are gaps (or potential gaps) in their current cloud security provision. This should then inform the search, by looking for specific functionalities vendors are offering that can help plug these gaps.

Organizations should also consider vendors in the context of how CASB can be integrated with existing security solutions and controls. Certainly in the case of a cloud-first business that has already heavily migrated, an organization should aim to deploy a CASB as one element of a more comprehensive, overarching cloud security ecosystem.

That comprehensive cloud security ecosystem is CommandLink SASE, and CASB forms a key part of our offering. It combines with SD-WAN, ZTNA, Secure Web Gateway, Firewall-as-a-Service and more, so that only the right people get access to the right data and application in the right ways.

When you partner with CommandLink, you get a monthly service that encompasses all hardware, software, design engineering, project management/deployment and CommandPOD support. For CASB specifically, we give you the choice of two leading technologies - Versa CASB and FortiCASB - so that you can get the strongest protection and most diligent compliance available.