A reactive, tick-box approach to staying ahead of tightening regulations and increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks is no longer sustainable or cost-effective.
Organisations should instead seek adaptive, scalable solutions that support business needs, however, it can be a challenge to select the right solution.
Beyond the selection of a security solution, correct integration is essential, as poorly implemented security controls can introduce user friction, leading to employee frustration, security bypasses, and an overwhelming volume of support requests. While SSE (Security Service Edge) can be an effective solution for some organisations, unlocking its full potential requires careful consideration and strategic implementation that minimises disruption and improves the security posture of the organisation.
How SSE Addresses the Human Risk Element
SSE core services include Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS). SSE capabilities secure access to the web, cloud services, and private applications from any approved location. Users can benefit equally from SSE security outcomes regardless of whether they are remote, hybrid, or on-site workers.
One of its key benefits is that it enhances cybersecurity controls by mitigating the risk employees pose to the organisation. The human element is often the most vulnerable element within an organisation for numerous reasons and can be generalised into three personas:
· The first is the employee with a limited awareness of security in today’s threat landscape, and is therefore more likely to practice poor cyber hygiene (such as reusing credentials) and be at risk of being targeted with phishing attacks, social engineering, and credential compromise.
· The second persona is an individual who knowingly bypasses existing security controls and processes, for either less scrutiny or more operational freedom. Whatever the motivation, their actions can introduce malware into the business, expose credentials or sensitive data and reduce the effectiveness of existing security services by limiting visibility into business activity and data.
· The third persona can be classed as a disgruntled employee, whose motivation is malicious with an intent to disrupt or steal business data. The extent of the damage or data they can access will depend on the combination of the permissions associated with them and any other credentials they have access to.
SSE can help manage the risk for each scenario through its contribution to a Zero Trust framework, which encompasses a comprehensive security model with its ‘Never Trust, Always Verify’ approach. A Zero Trust approach to SSE delivery minimises the blast radius of identity-based attacks. It also checks every user’s access to resources through identity and contextual security posture checking to identify whether an approved user is behaving in an expected way, or whether they are compromised.
SSE User Experience and Adoption Challenges
SSE’s strict controls are essential for security, but they can create usability concerns. One of the biggest technical challenges in SSE adoption is SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) inspection. SSL encryption secures communications, preventing unauthorised access. However, SSE’s inbuilt firewalls don’t detect concealed threats because they cannot inspect encrypted traffic, meaning threat actors can share malicious payloads within a system.
SSL inspection enables organisations to analyse the encrypted packets to mitigate this – but the decryption, processing, and re-encryption process can be complicated and time-consuming. Within SSE, this process can be automated, however, it is essential to properly integrate the SSE solution to ensure its components work efficiently and do not impact the user experience.
A poorly implemented SSE solution can lead to poor security outcomes as user friction usually drives poor adoption, (SSL inspection is a common example). This can lead to significant friction for employees as access is denied, the system fails, and overall productivity is decreased. A natural reaction here is to simply deactivate the SSL inspection, as employees are measured on their productivity rather than their adherence to security solutions. This can leave the organisation vulnerable to attacks, and as such it is essential to strike a balance between security and user experience.
The Benefits of an Outcomes-Based Approach
To maximise the value of SSE, organisations should focus on strategic implementation rather than rushing the deployment. A structured, outcomes-based approach ensures both security efficacy and minimised employee friction. Organisations unfamiliar with SSE may benefit from working with an experienced, specialist, managed services provider.
In any case, before adoption, organisations should conduct a pilot phase and stagger the integration. This approach ensures that organisations can effectively monitor and troubleshoot the SSE implementation in stages and put robust support mechanisms in place. At the same time, employees can be familiarised with the system and receive training to support the adoption. By tackling the SSE solution’s components separately, rather than tackling the entirety of the SSE in one go, organisations can secure better business outcomes.
About the Author
Dave McGrail is Head of Business Consultancy at Xalient. Xalient is a global boutique specialising in the convergence of identity-driven security and secure networking. They help the world’s leading enterprises stay secure, connected, and ready for the future—bringing together deep technical expertise, business insight, and AI-powered innovation to solve the complex challenges of modern digital businesses.
Independent by design and driven by a passion for exceptional service, Xalient combines global reach with the agility and customer intimacy of a boutique provider. Thier advisory, professional, and managed services teams operate across the UK, US, EMEA and Asia —delivering fast, tangible outcomes and long-term impact.
