What is a secure web gateway?
A secure web gateway (SWG) is a barrier or checkpoint that keeps unauthorized and potentially malicious traffic from entering an organization's network. This barrier prevents threatening website viruses, traffic, and malware from accessing sensitive data.
The gateway only allows certain users, typically employees, to access secure websites once they’re approved while blocking all other websites. Instead of connecting directly to a website, a user accesses the SWG which connects them to the desired website.
Organizations use secure web gateways to prevent internet threats and ensure employee compliance. This is done by filtering websites, downloads, and content to identify the presence of malware. The gateway acts as a wall between the web browser and endpoint device to identify and block dangerous URLs, malicious code, and malware to prevent dangerous users from engaging further.
When a secure web gateway is in use, companies have increased control and visibility across various platforms and can prevent future incidents from taking place.
The importance of a secure web gateway
Some organizations feel the additional level of protection with a secure web gateway is unnecessary, but SWGs have become increasingly important as organizations choose to work remotely and the workforce becomes more distributed.
With employees needing to access corporate resources such as sensitive data and applications from beyond the network perimeter, the need to do so securely is necessary. There needs to be an added level of security as more employees work from home, a coffee shop with free Wi-Fi, or a remote office. This is especially true if employees use multiple devices, like laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
SWGs can stop both known and unknown threats, including zero-day threats and advanced persistent threats (APTs) that would otherwise go undetected when a company fails to use this type of web security platform.
Basic features of a secure web gateway
Secure web gateway architecture comprises various components that act as both a gateway and an additional layer of security. These features include:
- Web proxy: A secure web gateway all outbound web traffic passes through. It sends web requests via ports and between internal endpoints to various websites.
- Policy enforcement: Implements multiple rules and policies around who, what, where, when, and how users can interact with the web. Restrictions are set by the employer and can be based on time, content, specific applications, usage, and more.
- Malware detection: SWGs are always on the lookout for malicious code in the form of malware. Some gateways block access altogether, while others remove the code so users can access a page that is malware-free.
- Traffic inspection: When traffic flows through the web proxy, the SWG inspects this traffic in real time. This traffic is then analyzed for content that isn’t in compliance with the policies and guidelines established by the organization. Content that doesn’t conform to the policies is then blocked.
- Data loss prevention (DLP): All outbound traffic is read and analyzed for certain phrases and patterns that match data, like credit card information, social security numbers (SSN) , medical information, and intellectual property. The gateway can keep this sensitive corporate data from being stolen or hacked.
- URL filter: Websites with specific URLs can be blocked as an added layer of security. For instance, if an organization wants to block social network platforms, they can put those URLs in the filter so they cannot be accessed.
- Sandboxing: Certain secure web gateways can detect malware by running it in a simulation of the specific network environment. Doing so effectively detects and blocks malware and other network security threats.
Benefits of a secure web gateway
When a secure web gateway is in use, an organization is likely to see many benefits. SWGs help companies:
- Pinpoint threats and weaknesses. SWGs can discover threats that evade detection by firewalls or other stream-based solutions that are concealed in web traffic due to their proxy architecture.
- Prevent future attacks from taking place. SWGs are excellent at discovering and preventing attacks before they wreak damage or violate policy or governance mandates.
- Eliminate blind spots in encryption. Since most web traffic is encrypted, SWGs can decrypt traffic, including cloud-based traffic, so encryption has no blind spots or weak points.
- Improve visibility and monitoring. An SWG will monitor every small activity happening across an organization’s network. It logs the events occurring over on-premise, public, and private clouds, providing better visibility and control over the web traffic.
- Reduce budget dedicated to data protection. Having an SWG can significantly reduce the cost of deploying security at scale and the associated costs of being the victim of a data breach or security threat.
Secure web gateway best practices
Organizations can get the most out of their secure web gateway solutions by implementing specific best practices. These best practices include the following:
- Select the right deployment strategy. Organizations should have clear business and security objectives to choose which SWG deployment model best suits their needs. On-premise has been around for longer, but cloud-based services are growing in popularity.
- Manage shadow IT. It’s common for users to install unauthorized applications on their devices, leading to high exposure of threats and data breaches within these applications. A proper secure web gateway can provide visibility into these applications, as well as respond to and manage shadow IT within an organization's network.
- Integrate with other endpoint security systems. Endpoint security controls need to be in place for straightforward implementation before an organization can reap the benefits and deploy an SWG.
- Establish security rules. Employees should have rules regarding how to use social media and other popular websites to limit the window for security threats from occurring. An SWG makes enforcing these rules easier.
Secure web gateway vs. firewall. vs. cloud security gateway
Sometimes, a secure web gateway acts similarly to a firewall because it blocks traffic and keeps sensitive information protected.
However, a firewall functions at the packet level and uses rules to allow or deny each packet from attempting to enter or leave a network. A secure web gateway works at the application level, meaning it looks at the actual traffic over the protocol to detect malicious intent.
Additionally, while a secure web gateway is focused on traffic inspection and the enforcement of various security policies, a cloud security gateway focuses on the security of cloud-based applications using application-aware policies and inspection.
