A Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) is a security solution that acts as an intermediary between users and cloud services, ensuring that an organization’s security policies are enforced when accessing cloud resources.
CASBs provide visibility into cloud applications, helping organizations monitor usage, identify risks, and ensure compliance with regulations.
Key Functions of CASB:
- Visibility: CASBs track and monitor all cloud-based activities, including sanctioned and unsanctioned applications, often referred to as "Shadow IT." This helps organizations gain insight into which cloud services are being used and how data is being accessed.
- Data Security: CASBs enforce data protection measures such as data loss prevention (DLP), encryption, and tokenization to safeguard sensitive data, ensuring it is protected both in transit and at rest.
- Threat Protection: CASBs detect abnormal user behavior and potential threats, such as unauthorized access or malware, providing real-time alerts and allowing organizations to respond swiftly.
- Compliance: CASBs help organizations meet industry-specific compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR and HIPAA) by ensuring that cloud services adhere to necessary standards and regulatory guidelines.
Integrating a CASB into security infrastructure means organizations can extend their security policies to the cloud in order to help minimize risk and ensure that cloud adoption does not compromise data security. This is especially crucial as businesses move more of their operations to the cloud, which can create new security challenges.