A secure web gateway (SWG) is critical to an organization’s cybersecurity strategy. These systems can be hardware, software, or a virtual appliance and are active along the network perimeter.
SWGs inspect outbound data for sensitive information like social security numbers, credit card numbers, and medical data that can be leaked from unsanctioned web applications.
Protection from Malware
Secure web gateways shield users from threats while enforcing acceptable use policies for internet access. They also help prevent data leaks by inspecting outgoing files and blocking unauthorized sensitive uploads. Unlike antivirus, which tries to detect malware after it enters the network, SWGs nip threats in the bud by blocking malicious sites and files before they can cause damage.
All outgoing files pass through an SWG before they reach endpoint devices. SWGs use turnkey inspection policies to evaluate web content in real-time, comparing it against a database of known bad URLs and sites and checking for compliance with corporate policy. SWGs can be deployed as a cloud service or as a hardware appliance.
As organizations prioritize cybersecurity measures, a secure web gateway is crucial; this solution is a robust defense mechanism against online threats, ensuring a safer digital environment for users and sensitive data.
Some SWGs also include a malware scanner that compares the code of incoming and outgoing internet traffic with a database of known malware. The scan may also perform a sandboxing operation, running potential malware in a controlled environment to assess its behavior and determine whether it is a threat.
Increasingly, attackers use encryption to hide malware in internet traffic. SWGs can use an SSL inspection facility to decrypt HTTPS traffic, scan it for malware, and re-encrypt the data before sending it to web servers or endpoint users. This helps reduce the risk of unauthorized data leaving the organization, reducing the likelihood of cyberattacks or privacy breaches.
Data Loss Prevention
A secure web gateway (SWG) is a layer of defense between internal users and the internet. Any data attempting to connect to the internet is first routed through an SWG, where it undergoes inspection. This enables organizations to enforce acceptable use policies, block cyberattacks, protect against data loss, and comply with regulations.
A gateway will inspect outbound data for patterns that match social security numbers, credit card information, medical information, intellectual property, and more to stop sensitive corporate data from being stolen by hackers. In addition to data checks, SWGs can perform URL filtering and emulation to detect malware by sending potentially dangerous code into an emulated network environment where it can be tested for malicious behavior.
Most web traffic is encrypted, so if attackers successfully spy or tamper with this data, they’ll only see a string of unintelligible scrambled characters. A top-rated SWG will inspect SSL traffic to ensure the contents are safe and will also decrypt this content for analysis.
A gateway can help prevent unauthorized access to critical systems by providing granular control over applications and data based on the time of day, roles, quotas, and more. This enables companies to enforce rules and regulations without compromising employee productivity and the integrity of their system or networks. SWGs can work alongside a firewall or as a standalone solution and are especially useful when organizations rely on distributed workforces.
URL Filtering
A SWG’s core function is to protect companies from malware and phishing attacks by blocking access to sites that are known to be malicious. This is done by identifying URLs in web requests and checking them against a list of blocked sites or categories. This helps reduce the number of times employees are exposed to potentially harmful content while working remotely or on unsecured Wi-Fi.
A gateway can also block entire categories of websites such as social networking, gambling, or adult content to help limit the types of pages accessed over corporate networks. This is especially useful when employees access websites from home or outside the office, where they can be more susceptible to phishing and other cyberattacks.
Some gateways also employ emulation to run a copy of a suspicious website on an emulated network environment to see if it contains any malware code before allowing the page to load. This prevents a company from being infected with sophisticated malware without exposing employees to risky environments.
Finally, SWGs can inspect outgoing data for sensitive information, including credit card details, medical records, personal email addresses, and intellectual property. This can be a crucial feature when businesses outsource work or have remote workers, as these people may not be connected to a secured network and could potentially send information out of the organization’s control.
Emulation
A web gateway inspects users’ activity around the organization’s network. This is a critical step for preventing cyber threats that spy or tamper with information in transit by camouflaging malware in seemingly legitimate websites. This attack can result in leaked credentials or sensitive data that could be used for further attacks or exfiltration (e.g., stealing intellectual property data from an enterprise).
To do so, the SWG performs an in-depth inspection of all web traffic to and from the organization’s internal networks. This includes checking for malicious website URLs with a low reputation. It also contains unauthorized data uploads that could be used for cyberattacks and for adherence to industry regulations (e.g., maintaining compliance with GDPR).
This helps to keep employees safe, even when they work outside the corporate network’s safety perimeter. With growing remote task forces and workforces that are more mobile, SWGs enable them to safely authenticate and use the web on their preferred devices while keeping the organization’s secure network in place. For instance, SWGs can block access to websites or apps based on specific times or by the roles of individual users to help them focus on work and productivity. It also helps to protect remote employees from the threat of phishing attacks.