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In part three of our series on how to create a cloud security plan, we took a closer look at cloud security best practices that can help any business across all industries. We briefly mentioned that using a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) as an advantageous option. Since many people aren’t aware of this technology and how it works, we thought it would be important to take a deeper dive into the details of CASB and how it can help your company create a comprehensive cloud security plan.

What is Cloud Access Security Broker?

Essentially, a CASB is a software that forms an additional layer of protection between your company and the cloud. Instead of sending information directly to the cloud, it will first pass through the CASB where it will be checked against a variety of security standards. This makes it easier to enforce security measures and meet compliance standards. The CASB can either be located on-premise or hosted in the cloud.

Advantages of a CASB

One of the biggest challenges of maintaining cloud security is ongoing monitoring. This is an essential component, especially as new attacks emerge and cloud resources evolve, potentially creating new vulnerabilities. A CASB will provide an additional defense against high-risk events. The software includes malware prevention along with encryption services so that even if there is a data breach, outside parties won’t be able to decipher the information.

Additional advantages include:

• Better visibility. A CASB will allow you to easily view all aspects of cloud applications and how they are being used. You can see who is using the platform, where they are located and what devices they are using. Without full visibility, information is not being properly controlled, which creates unnecessary risks.
• You can use the CASB to constantly test your data and protocols against compliance standards. This will help you comply with government and industry regulations that are designed to protect consumer information and implement security best practices.
• Insider threat reduction. In some cases, employees are the most pressing threat to vital data. A CASB will allow you to detect and quickly respond to unauthorized users accessing different areas of the cloud. You can easily create privileges and authentication protocols that will more effectively protect data and limit access.

All of these advantages are essential to a comprehensive cloud security plan. A CASB simply makes it easier to execute all of these steps and provide a more secure approach that continues to monitor changes.

Security Broker Deployment Options

Ultimately, a CASB can be deployed in three different ways:

1. Forward Proxy. In this case, the CASB is used to proxy traffic to multiple platforms. This places the CASB behind the firewall and adds protection before connecting to the internet. It also provides inline security so that security measures are actively deployed and monitoring live traffic.
2. Reverse Proxy. With a reverse proxy, the CASB sits in front of the cloud provider, blocking the network traffic and forcing information to go through the same set of inline security measures.
3. API Mode. With API mode, the CASB can be directly integrated into the cloud service. The main advantage of this approach is that you can secure both managed and unmanaged traffic.

You can also use any combination of these deployment approaches to enhance security even further. Fortunately, there are many reputable CASB providers who have well-established and proven solutions. Microsoft, Symantec, McAfee, and other big names all offer CASB services so that you can take your cloud security plan to the next level.

To learn more about CASB options and how you can use this tool to adhere to cloud security best practices and maximize your cloud technology without compromising data, contact the experts at prancer. We help businesses continue to meet cloud compliance standards by creating validation networks. Our team can answer all your cloud security questions and help take full advantage of the latest resources without compromising security.