Secure web gateways (SWGs) are network security solutions that monitor and filter internet traffic to guard against threats and ensure policy compliance. They can be cloud-based or on-premises, preventing data loss while securing access to web-based apps and the internet. SWGs’ main function centers on security — offering greater defense against cyber attacks than standard proxy servers and protecting your overall network security architecture.
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How Secure Web Gateways Work
Secure web gateways intercept and filter internet traffic to block harmful websites and prevent malware infiltration to safeguard sensitive data and intellectual property. They monitor URLs, detect malware, and scan for viruses, while also operating as online proxies with advanced features such as AML, sandboxing, and web isolation. SWGs enforce policies based on user roles, locations, and content categories.
SWGs incorporate data loss prevention (DLP) to mitigate data leakage. They contain application controls for web-based programs and work in tandem with endpoint protection, network firewalls, and CASBs to protect against cyber threats such as zero-day vulnerabilities. SWGs provide a variety of deployment options, including cloud-based, on-premises, and hybrid solutions, to meet the different demands of organizations.
Here are the eight steps on how secure web gateways work:
- Traffic interception: Upon deploying SWGs, it’d quickly act as intermediaries between users and the internet. The inline deployment, generic routing encapsulation (GRE), proxy auto-configuration (PAC) files, or client agents transport traffic to SWGs.
- Initial screening: As traffic flows, SWGs provide the first line of defense by employing uniform resource locator (URL) filtering to identify harmful patterns and block known malicious URLs and reduce zero-day attacks.
- Content inspection: SWGs end web sessions to inspect content using URL filtering, advanced machine learning (AML), antivirus (AV) scanning, and sandboxing. They’d isolate web dangers by executing malicious code in a virtual environment to avoid harm.
- Advanced threat protection: SWGs detect and eliminate various threats using antivirus and AML. They’d block targeted attacks in real time by simulating the organization’s environment with sandboxing.
- Data protection and compliance: SWGs use data loss prevention (DLP) to monitor and prevent unwanted data transfers. They’d decrypt and inspect encrypted traffic to detect hidden dangers while assuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Security policy enforcement: SWGs control access to web-based apps and apply rules based on user roles, locations, and content kinds to ensure data security. It would follow information security rules for secure web resources usage.
- Integration with other security technologies: SWGs work with endpoint protection tools, network firewalls, cloud access security brokers (CASBs), and other security tools to improve your overall security.
- Deployment options: SWGs offer different deployment options. Users may choose cloud-based SWGs for flexibility and scalability, on-premises for control, or a combination of the two for optimal results.
SWGs are implemented as software on existing servers (physical, virtual, or containerized) or as appliances (virtual or hardware) for security-focused companies, with cloud-based solutions becoming more prevalent. A proper implementation should maximize the benefits of SWGs’ security features and reduce the challenges brought by its complex integration with other tools.
Top Features SWGs Offer
Secure web gateways serve as essential components of cybersecurity infrastructure, particularly for companies that focus on data security and regulatory compliance. SWGs improve network security through key features, including URL filtering, malware protection, DLP, app control, SSL/TLS inspection, and bandwidth management. They also enhance user and admin experience through behavioral analytics and cloud app visibility and control features.
URL Filtering
SWGs use URL filtering to prevent access to dangerous or inappropriate websites using predetermined lists. This function enforces internet usage regulations, protecting users from hazardous online content. As a result, it lowers the chance of malware infections and provides a secure surfing environment.
Malware Protection
SWGs employ strong antivirus and anti-malware tools to detect and eliminate dangerous software. SWGs use signature-based and behavioral analysis techniques to proactively identify and neutralize known and developing threats, offering real-time protection against viruses, trojans, adware, and other types of malware.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
The data loss prevention functionalities in SWGs track online traffic to prevent illegal data transfers. SWGs ensure compliance with data protection rules by screening outgoing traffic for sensitive or secret information. It prevents data leaks, protects organizational assets, and ensures data integrity.
Application Control
SWGs are responsible for managing access to web-based applications in accordance with your business policy. The application control feature enables firms to control which applications their employees can use, assuring productivity and security. SWGs can prevent unapproved or non-business-related applications, reducing the risks associated with untested software.
SSL/TLS Inspection
SWGs apply secure sockets layer (SSL) and transport layer security (TLS) inspection to detect hidden risks in encrypted online traffic. By decrypting and examining HTTPS traffic, SWGs can detect and block dangerous content that might be hidden within encrypted conversations. Because attackers can also use encryption to hide malware and other dangerous activity, the SSL/TLS inspection feature addresses this issue for comprehensive security.
Bandwidth Management
SWGs allocate network bandwidth by prioritizing crucial business processes over less important ones. They dynamically allocate resources, providing enough bandwidth for mission-critical applications while reducing non-essential traffic like streaming video, resulting in improved network performance and user experience.
Behavioral Analytics
SWGs leverage powerful behavioral analytics to monitor and evaluate user activity trends in real time. SWGs can detect anomalies and suspicious activity that indicate security threats or policy violations using AI and machine learning algorithms. Its preventive strategy enables you to quickly identify and manage the risks caused by insider threats or external attacks that target user behavior.
Cloud Application Visibility & Control
SWGs enable visibility and control over cloud-based applications that users access. They discover and categorize cloud applications utilized throughout the network, allowing administrators to apply policies based on application categories or specific applications. SWGs guarantee that enterprises maintain security and compliance standards, while also allowing employees to use cloud services safely and productively.
5 Benefits of Secure Web Gateways
Organizations acquire advantages of using SWGs in terms of managing their overall cybersecurity. Benefits include powerful threat protection by blocking dangerous websites and apps, limiting sensitive data leaks, and simple integration into SASE architectures. These also provide adaptable security solutions for a variety of industries and business types, as well as secure remote work environments with enforced security standards.
Enhance Threat Protection
SWGs effectively prevent access to harmful websites and applications, reduce malware infections, and enforce compliance requirements. The complete defense SWGs offer protects users, data, and the organization against a variety of cyber threats to ensure a stronger network security posture.
Prevent Data Loss
By monitoring and restricting the transmission of critical information, SWGs prevent the harmful impact of data leaks. They protect consumer data, credit card numbers, personally identifiable information (PII), and intellectual property from unintentional or intentional disclosure while ensuring data confidentiality and integrity.
Support SASE Architecture
SWGs work well with Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) structures. SWGs, like cloud access security brokers (CASB), zero trust network access (ZTNA), and software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) solutions, help create a unified and comprehensive approach to network security and connectivity. Using SASE improves operational efficiency and reduces the need for complex tool integrations.
Offer Adaptability Across Industries
With its flexible nature, SWGs cater to different types of businesses, including those with distributed workforces, regulated industries, cloud service users, SMEs, high-risk sectors, and e-commerce corporations. They offer consistent and scalable security measures across several locations and user types, delivering tailored protection that meets unique company demands and regulatory standards.
Enable Secure Remote Work
SWGs seamlessly apply security standards across remote work environments. This capability enables secure web access for remote employees, allowing them to authenticate and utilize the internet safely from any place while maintaining company security.
5 Challenges of SWGs
Despite their security benefits, deploying SWGs sometimes presents challenges in combining security and operational flexibility. Integrating SWGs with other tools can be complicated, resulting in file access delays and needing large maintenance efforts. SWGs may also impose file size and type restrictions, resulting in additional operational constraints.
Complex Integration
Integrating SWGs into existing security infrastructure, particularly in a SASE framework, complicates network administration. For a seamless operation and effective policy enforcement across varied settings and security components, make sure to conduct a comprehensive planning and coordination within your security team and vendor solutions.
Delayed File Access
During peak traffic periods, SWGs can encounter queuing and rate limiting, which can cause file access delays. The delay occurs as files are scanned and approved, reducing overall workforce productivity by slowing crucial procedures that rely on rapid access to data.
Large Resources Needed for Maintenance
SWGs’ efficacy is dependent on keeping up with the newest security updates and threat intelligence. However, the continual effort and resources required for frequent changes, such as cost, specialized skills, and time, can put an added strain on IT departments. This challenge may result in delayed upgrades or gaps in security coverage that exposes networks to new vulnerabilities.
Limited File Size
SWGs impose size constraints on files that can be processed, which typically range between 15 MB and 400 MB. Exceeding these restrictions may result in restricted file transfers or files that bypass scanning completely. The restriction is intended to reduce the danger of malware disguised in huge files, but it can also interrupt workflows when genuine files exceed the specified limits.
Restricted File Types
To improve security, SWGs restrict the file types that can be transferred. While this technique tries to limit the risk of malware and data breaches linked with specific file types, it may impede productivity when users must work with unsupported formats or face restrictions on vital file types required for business operations.
How SWGs Protect In-Office & Remote Employees
The increasing use of cloud infrastructure and apps has surpassed traditional on-premises data center security mechanisms and network equipment. As employees progressively adopt cloud-based technologies from various locations and devices, the problem of ensuring strong security across dispersed networks becomes apparent. The shift to modern secure web gateways provides a solution through the following:
- Consistent security rules: Using SWGs enforces uniform security policies in both in-office and remote locations. It ensures that all employees meet the same cyber threat prevention criteria and protocols.
- Remote access security: Implementing SWGs ensures that distant personnel have secure access to business resources by using strong authentication and encryption technologies to protect data transmission over public networks.
- Real-time threat prevention: Constantly monitoring and filtering internet traffic through SWGs can identify and block malware, phishing attempts, and other harmful activities that could compromise both in-office and remote devices.
- Data protection: Utilizing SWGs’ advanced features, such as data loss prevention, prevent illegal data transfers and leaks, whether employees access sensitive information on the office premises or remotely.
- Comprehensive reporting: Employing SWGs offer features that produce detailed data on web usage and security incidents across all endpoints. It allows IT departments to maintain visibility and respond quickly to any threats regardless of the location.
Through SWGs, organizations can improve overall security, lower operational costs, and streamline administration operations by combining or removing old web proxy appliances. The shift to SWGs not only strengthens defenses against different cyber threats, but it also provides a better user experience by assuring seamless and safe access to important apps and data regardless of where employees are or what devices they use.
Comparing SWGs with Other Technologies
Other technologies work alongside SWGs to improve security. These include firewalls, CASB, SASE, endpoint protection technologies, and IAM solutions. Each has distinct capabilities, such as network filtering, cloud application control, and endpoint security. When combined with SWGs, they enable multilayer security against advanced persistent threats, ensuring complete protection for your business assets.
This table compares the key functions, security controls, integrations, and deployment choices for SWGs and other security tools:
| Capabilities | SWGs | Firewalls | CASBs | SASE | Endpoint Protection | IAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key Functions & Focus | Web traffic security, content filtering, user policy enforcement. | Network traffic filtering, threat prevention at the network level. | Cloud application security, data protection, data policies, visibility. | Converged network and security services, cloud-delivered security. | Endpoint security, malware prevention, device management. | Identity management, access control, authentication. |
| Security Controls | URL filtering, application controls, malware protection, DLP. | Packet filtering, VPN support, NAT, IDS/IPS. | Access control, data loss prevention, encryption, app visibility. | Access policies, data security, threat prevention across network and cloud. | Malware detection, behavioral analysis, endpoint firewall. | User authentication, access policies, single sign-on (SSO), MFA. |
| Integration | Often integrates with firewalls, CASB, and IAM. | Integrates with SWGs for enhanced web traffic filtering. | Works with SWGs, firewalls, and ZTNA. | Typically integrates with SWG, CASB, ZTNA for unified protection. | Integrates with SWGs, CASBs. | Integrates with SWGs, firewalls, CASBs. |
| Deployment | Cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid. | Typically hardware or cloud-based. | Cloud-based, often as a SaaS solution. | Cloud-delivered, part of SASE architecture. | Installed on endpoints or as cloud-based agents. | Cloud-based, on-premises, hybrid, or via MSPs. |
Firewalls
SWGs and firewalls play distinct functions in network security. Firewalls scan packets at the network’s perimeter and use predetermined rules to allow or prohibit traffic based on known threat signatures. SWGs work at the application level. They inspect web traffic in greater detail to impose policies based on user behavior, content, and application protocols. The integration of SWGs and firewalls emphasizes their complementary function in overall network defense.
Initially, SWGs concentrated on online traffic filtering, whereas firewalls handled all network traffic, including web data. Both technologies evolved over time, with providers incorporating additional features that blurred the distinctions. Modern firewalls have improved app-level security, but they may still rely on stream-based AV screening, which could overlook sophisticated web-based threats.
Explore our guide to learn about the common types of firewalls, including their pros, cons, capabilities, and more.
Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASBs)
SWGs and CASBs both aim to protect data and regulate access, but they differ in scope and usefulness. SWGs primarily safeguard online traffic by filtering and analyzing application-level content and imposing web-usage-based regulations. In contrast, CASBs provide broader visibility and control over cloud apps, including SaaS platforms, as well as granular access controls and data security features via native API connections.
SWGs give critical traffic and log information to CASBs, for thorough monitoring and control over app usage and data transfers. CASBs improve SWG deployments by extending protection to cloud apps beyond regular web traffic, ensuring uniform security policies across all digital interactions. The combination of these functions works within a SASE framework to improve online traffic and cloud application security.
Check out our review of the leading CASB solutions, covering their key features, pricing information, advantages, and more.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)
SWGs and SASE both focus on protecting internet traffic, but with distinct goals and integration methodologies. SWG has traditionally filtered and enforced online traffic restrictions independently. In contrast, SASE combines SWG with ZTNA, CASB, and other network security services to create a unified cloud-delivered solution.
SWGs within SASE provide full protection by intercepting and analyzing user traffic while employing numerous security engines, including IP and domain reputation-based threat protection, anti-malware, and data loss prevention. This integration improves security posture, visibility, and provides consistent policy enforcement across all traffic types in a distributed and cloud-based environment.
Discover the top SASE solutions and learn more about their capabilities, limitations, cost, and best use cases.
Endpoint Protection Tools
Endpoint protection solutions and SWGs have the same purpose of defending enterprises from cyber attacks, but they function at distinct locations in the security architecture. SWG filters and secures internet traffic at the gateway level. It intercepts and inspects traffic to prevent malicious material and enforce policies. Endpoint protection tools, such as antivirus software, are installed directly on devices to protect against local threats and ensure device security.
The integration of SWG with endpoint protection improves overall security by extending threat prevention capabilities from the network gateway to individual endpoints. It provides a comprehensive protection against malware and other cyber threats throughout the enterprise.
Identity & Access Management (IAM)
IAM is a framework that ensures that the right individuals have access to the correct resources at the right time. It administers user identities, authentication, and authorization processes throughout an organization’s IT infrastructure. The distinction between SWG and IAM is in their focus: IAM controls user identities and access privileges, whereas SWG secures web traffic and enforces content filtering policies.
Both technologies play a role in increasing security by enforcing policies and permissions based on user identity. It reduces the risks associated with illegal access and data breaches. Integration of IAM and SWG entails using IAM systems to enforce access controls and permissions at the user level within the SWG. This guarantees that users that access web resources via SWG are authenticated and authorized appropriately.
Read our comprehensive guide of the top IAM tools, highlighting their features, benefits, and more.
Bottom Line: Deploy Secure Web Gateways for Enhanced Protection
Organizations that use secure web gateways reduce the risks of unauthorized access, data breaches, and malware infections. Utilizing SWGs not only protects sensitive data, but also ensures regulatory compliance and operational continuity. Combining SWGs with complementary security solutions creates a layered defense strategy that improves protection across networks, endpoints, and cloud environments.
SWGs, along with other security tools, are integral components of modern network security. Read our detailed guide to better understand how each component plays its part in the overall network security architecture.
Drew Robb contributed to this article.
