Small and medium businesses (SMBs) are now highly dependent on cloud applications for everything from sales to human resources. This reliance accelerates productivity, but managing data and user access outside the traditional network perimeter presents a serious challenge. A Cloud Access Security Broker, or CASB, is built to give you control. The right CASB security protects your data without placing an overwhelming administrative burden on your limited IT resources.
What applications are staff using without IT approval?
The average mid-sized company uses over 1,000 cloud applications, many of which can be deployed by employees without the IT department’s knowledge or approval. Shadow IT creates enormous risk because it brings unsecured applications. Trying to manually track every application users connect to is a doomed task, leading to wasted time and incomplete data protection.
Finding a solution that performs automatic and continuous cloud discovery should be a priority. Classifying applications by risk level saves your team hours of manual research. It also provides actionable insight into potentially dangerous apps.
A suitable CASB must offer:
- Continuous Discovery and Analysis: Automatic identification of every application accessed by users including detailed metrics on usage and data flow
- Risk Scoring: Instant, automated scoring that ranks applications based on individual actions within apps, such as file uploads
- Dynamic Catalogue Management: The capacity to move applications into approved or blocked lists with a single click, streamlining the governance process
How does a modern CASB stop data leaks across cloud apps?
Data Loss Prevention, or DLP, is the single most important feature for regulatory compliance. Regulations like GDPR and other data privacy frameworks demand that businesses maintain constant control over sensitive information. Yet, once data enters a cloud service, traditional network firewalls have no control over where that data goes next. A misplaced click or a misconfigured permission can lead to a costly breach.
A powerful CASB security solution applies DLP policies directly. It needs the power to scan data both in transit, as users upload or download files, and when resting, as data is already stored in corporate cloud services. The best tools offer predefined templates for standard data types such as credit card numbers, financial records, or medical information.
Moving beyond passwords: Why access should adapt to context
Traditional user authentication relies on a password and perhaps getting a code from a phone. But if an attacker steals credentials, they can often log in undetected from a different continent or an unfamiliar device.
Implementing smart access policies means CASB security goes far beyond basic login protection. A necessary feature is situational access control. The system evaluates several factors before allowing a user into a sensitive cloud application. It verifies the identity and then assesses the device health, geographical location, and current time.
If a login attempt originates from an unpatched device that is not approved by the IT team, the system should block access regardless of the correct password. If a legitimate user suddenly tries to download the entire customer database from a foreign country at 3 a.m., the system should instantly challenge the user or block the action. This adaptive approach lowers the chance of a successful attack.
What is the process for safely inspecting encrypted traffic?
A massive percentage of internet traffic today is encrypted. However, encryption also provides a convenient hiding place for malware, ransomware downloaders, and unauthorized data uploads. If your CASB solution cannot look inside encrypted traffic, it is blind to the greatest threats.
An ideal CASB security solution performs SSL inspection seamlessly and at high speed. The system must decrypt the traffic, scan for hidden malicious code or data policy violations, and re-encrypt it before sending to the user. All of this happens in milliseconds. But it must also allow the IT team to create targeted exemptions for trusted websites. If this is done, it prevents unnecessary processing of traffic to known secure sites. The IT buyer should verify that the CASB handles this inspection without reliance on outdated, performance-degrading proxies.
Does the platform include simple, pre-built policy templates?
Many security solutions offer powerful control, but the initial setup and ongoing policy creation require specialised staff and hundreds of hours of manual work. For SMBs with limited IT headcount, this is a non-starter.
Therefore, service providers must provide pre-built, one-click templates for general security and compliance needs. These templates should cover rules for:
- Blocking specific categories of high-risk Shadow IT apps
- Applying data protection policies for GDPR or HIPAA compliance
- Restricting access to corporate cloud storage for unmanaged personal devices
A CASB security platform that is fast to deploy provides immediate protection, which is vital for reducing administrative overhead. It allows the team to spend time resolving issues instead of building policy from scratch.
How can reporting prove data protection during an audit?
Regulations require businesses to demonstrate that they have actively controlled user access and data movement. Automated reporting and auditing is therefore a must-have feature. A top tier CASB security solution collects all user activity, application access data, and policy violation records into a single, unified repository. Your IT leader can generate comprehensive reports in minutes.
Automated reporting should provide clear summaries for stakeholders detailing which security policies are active, who they apply to, and confirming that continuous monitoring is in place. TrustLayer provides comprehensive reporting that turns a stressful regulatory requirement into a routine function. Simplifying the process of proving your diligence to regulators and partners alike is achieved. Well-designed CASB security reduces your operational risk and provides documented proof of your security posture.
How does a unified platform save time and resources?
SMBs can try to solve cloud security challenges by purchasing several single-purpose tools for web filtering, cloud application control, and identity management.
Instead, you should look for a service provider that provides all of these in a single interface. The ideal CASB security platform integrates with your existing cloud applications, providing unparalleled coverage.
Time to update your cloud security
These key features of CASB security provide the foundation for a secure, productive cloud environment.
Cybersecurity shouldn’t slow your business down. We simplify cloud security for the modern SMB. It’s fast to deploy, easy to manage, and built to grow with you. Book a demo today.
