Why Do I Need a Next-Gen Secure Web Gateway?

The internet is now your default corporate network. This has some major perks — it means that your employees can access whatever they need from wherever they need it.

But using the internet like this has also made your organization's security posture more complex. People are using networks and devices your IT doesn't manage, and they are accessing data that is scattered across countless apps. And you can’t forget the prevalence of internet-based threats like phishing, which can steal credentials and deliver malware. 

To keep data protected while still providing seamless access to employees, organizations are now moving to a zero-trust strategy, which asks users and devices to prove that they are trustworthy rather than assuming that they are. A true zero-trust approach requires security solutions that work together, and a key piece of this puzzle is a secure web gateway (SWG). 

Traditionally, SWG is a piece of hardware that sits at the edge of your corporate perimeter to monitor web traffic as users connect to the internet. But now, nearly all connections happen via the internet. And because your data now resides in the cloud, there’s no point in redirecting traffic back inside your corporate perimeter to be filtered. Not only does this create a poor user experience, but the traditional SWG lacks visibility into any traffic that isn’t forced back on premises.

To support the way your organization now operates, you need a modern, cloud-based SWG that matches the way you work. 

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With greater flexibility comes greater risk 

It used to be that the internet was only an occasional destination for employees. That, combined with the fact that most users and devices were located inside a corporate office, meant that a physical piece of SWG hardware could do the job of inspecting web traffic just fine. 

But now, your employees are working from anywhere, and they’re using the internet to access the things they need. While the flexibility of being able to work from anywhere and on any device makes your users more productive, it also introduces new risks. Your corporate data could be leaked via employees’ personal web apps, social media, and more, and the constant exposure puts you at a higher risk for phishing attacks and other internet-based threats. This means a physical piece of hardware simply can’t protect against the volume and variety of internet-based threats. 

A traditional hub-and-spoke approach to monitoring web traffic is also unnecessarily complex, leading to a poor end-user experience, which in turn puts a damper on productivity. Your organization needs a tool that allows you to enforce acceptable use and restrict access to websites based on corporate policies, even when employees aren’t in the office.  

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How SWGs safeguard your online environment 

In today’s digital landscape, a SWG is indispensable for securing internet traffic and protecting corporate data — but not every solution is created equal. These are the critical features you need to consider when evaluating a SWG solution for your organization.

URL and content filtering 

SWGs filter web traffic in real time, blocking unauthorized or malicious websites. They ensure employees avoid phishing sites and harmful downloads by assessing sites based on reputation and predefined policies.

Data loss prevention (DLP) 

Built-in data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities are critical to any SWG solution. By scanning uploads for sensitive information, DLP can prevent the accidental or intentional sharing of confidential data. This is especially important now that so many people use generative AI — a potent avenue for data leakage — as part of their daily workflow. 

Real-time threat protection 

Using advanced techniques like traffic inspection, malware scanning, and sandboxing, a modern SWG can block zero-day threats like malware and phishing attacks in real time. Remote browser isolation (RBI) adds extra protection by isolating browsing sessions.

Web traffic inspection 

SWGs can inspect incoming and outgoing traffic across all ports and protocols, detecting malware and other potential threats that could be hidden in encrypted traffic. After traffic is inspected, it’s re-encrypted and allowed to proceed, while detected threats are blocked and quarantined. 

Monitoring user activity  

With user and entity behavior analytics (UEBA) capabilities, a SWG can monitor activities ranging from web browsing to file uploads and form submissions, providing detailed logs and alerts when a user exhibits suspicious behavior. This granular level of visibility can also help to identify any shadow IT employees are using. 

Embrace modern security with Lookout Secure Internet Access

Protecting your corporate data while ensuring smooth access for employees requires a modern, cloud-based SWG. Traditional, hardware-based SWGs simply can't keep up with the evolving threats and flexible work environments we see today. 

Lookout Secure Internet Access is designed to meet these challenges head-on. It’s a cloud-delivered SWG built on zero trust principles, safeguarding users, devices, networks, and data from a wide range of internet threats. Powered by a next-gen inline proxy, it ensures consistent policy enforcement and a seamless user experience. 

To find out how Lookout Secure Internet Access can help protect your organization against advanced attacks, register for our webinar, Defending Against Advanced Threats with a Modern Secure Web Gateway.