Technology Overview
A Security Service Edge (SSE) is a cloud-delivered security framework that unifies key protections to safeguard users, devices, and data wherever they operate. In an era of hybrid work, cloud migration, and encrypted threats, SSE forms a critical layer of defense for any modern enterprise.
SSE is also a key component of the broader Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) framework, which combines networking (SD-WAN) and security (SSE) functions into a unified, cloud-centric architecture. While SASE ensures seamless, policy-driven access across distributed networks, SSE focuses specifically on protecting those connections and enforcing security controls consistently, regardless of where users, apps, or data reside.
Using data from independent evaluations, CyberRatings evaluates SSE products to measure their ability to block malware, exploits, and evasions—even in encrypted (TLS/SSL) traffic—while assessing their real-world performance across hybrid and remote environments.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has called on vendors to adopt a Secure by Design and Secure by Default approach, building security into products and configurations from the start, not as an afterthought. This principle is vital in the context of SSE. An SSE platform that’s “secure by default” reduces the burden on IT teams, ensures safer deployments without extensive tuning, and minimizes the risk of misconfiguration—one of the most common causes of breaches.
CyberRatings examines whether SSE products align with CISA’s Secure by Default principles. Do they provide meaningful protection immediately upon deployment? Are secure policies enabled automatically? These factors are essential to determine whether SSE vendors truly deliver on their promise of cloud-native, zero-trust protection. Effectiveness varies dramatically based on default configurations, deployment ease, and policy enforcement. Without a secure-by-default foundation, even the most feature-rich SSE solution can fall short of its potential.