Retail Resilience in the Digital Age: Conquering Cyber Challenges with SASE
Technological advances along with changing customer expectations are fuelling the largest transformation the retail industry has seen since the introduction of online sales. Customers now demand a seamless digital experience across multiple touch points from in-store wifi to mobile gateway payments. Users expect rapid and personalised shopping experiences, all at the touch of a button.
Retailers are tasked with integrating online and offline services seamlessly, calling for robust, around-the-clock application performance and heightened security across channels and devices. Leveraging technologies such as cloud applications, big data analytics, and IoT, retail businesses need to enhance the user experience while managing costs and expanding their global reach. The onus lies on modernising network infrastructure to meet growing user demands and facilitate a vibrant retail experience.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), emerges as a pivotal solution to the Australian retail sector's evolving challenges. By converging network security functions with wide-area networking (WAN) capabilities into a single cloud-native service, it facilitates seamless and secure connectivity, irrespective of the users' locations or the devices they are using.
What is Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)?
Secure Access Service Edge or SASE (pronounced 'sassy'), is an enterprise networking and security category. First envisioned by Gartner in 2019, and further highlighted in Gartner SASE insights, companies like Cato Networks have utilised these principles to enhance remote access security management. SASE combines the powers of software-defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) architecture and decentralised Security Service Edge (SSE) functions such as:
- Zero-trust network access (ZTNA)
- Firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS)
- Secure web gateway (SWG); and
- Cloud access security brokers (CASBs)
By converging virtualised network access and security capabilities into a single cloud-native SASE architecture, the network security perimeter is decentralised, moving from a traditional centralised model to points of presence (POPs) at the edge, closer to individual users. This not only provides low latency for improved user experience but also enhances cybersecurity by directly protecting the points of access.
Future-Proofing your retail organisation with SASE
As retailers digitise their environments to meet the needs of increasingly savvy consumers, expanding infrastructure comes with new security challenges. Threats are increasing, both internally and externally. From phishing attacks to ransomware and malware, retailers need end-to-end security. When it comes to defending the retail environment, a secure network is key. While in the past many cybersecurity solutions were delivered in silos, retailers now need holistic solutions that combine the powers of SD-WAN, cloud security and visibility. Enter SASE, the transformative shield encompassing SD-WAN, cloud security, and unrivalled visibility, fortifying retailers with the all-encompassing defence needed to thwart the evolving landscape of cyber threats.
Retail and Cybersecurity: Challenges and Solutions
Challenge: Secure Payment Transactions
The Australian retail industry handles a significant volume of payment transactions, with transaction volumes in Q1 2023 totalling a staggering $1.35b. Australian retailers must adhere to PCI Data Security Standards to protect customer cardholder data. Ensuring the safety of customer payment data and preventing unauthorised access is crucial.
SASE Solution: Encryption and Threat Protection
Cato's SASE platform provides robust security measures, such as encryption and threat prevention, ensuring the safety of customer payment data and preventing unauthorised access.
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Challenge : Geographical Diversity
Retail chains in Australia often have several, and sometimes hundreds, branch locations spread across vast geographical distances. Each store has to grapple with its own network infrastructure and connectivity challenges. As retail organisations scale, this diversity can lead to inconsistent security measures and difficulties in maintaining a cohesive cybersecurity strategy across the board.
SASE Solution: Reliable Branch Connectivity
Cato's SASE technology addresses the challenge of geographical diversity by providing a reliable and optimised network connection between all branch and remote locations. Through Cato's global network of Points of Presence (PoPs), retail locations can access a secure and high-performance network, regardless of their physical location. This guarantees consistent connectivity and enables efficient data sharing, real-time updates, and unified security policies across all branches.
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Challenge: Secure Guest Wi-Fi
Retail stores often offer guest Wi-Fi to enhance the customer experience. Cato's SASE platform provides secure isolation between guest networks and internal systems, preventing unauthorised access to sensitive data and protecting the store's network.
SASE Solution: Zero Trust
Using SASE's Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) component, a more refined, identity-driven security layer is introduced. Unlike traditional methods where access was mostly unrestricted post-perimeter, ZTNA ensures application-specific access based on user identities. This ensures that while customers access Wi-Fi, the store's internal systems remain protected and isolated from any unauthorised access.
Empowering Retail Excellence: Navigating Cybersecurity Challenges in the Digital Era with Cythera and Cato Networks
Providing a seamless experience and ensuring robust cybersecurity, in line with Gartner MQ SASE recommendations, are paramount across the Australian retail landscape. SASE, as presented by Cythera and Cato Networks, offers a next-generation solution. Retailers can not only meet consumer demands efficiently but also robustly safeguard every transaction and touchpoint. Embrace SASE, fortify your digital retail frontier, and elevate customer trust.
