The Financial Services ( FS ) sector in particular serves as a perfect example , despite having been more averse to Digital Transformation efforts in years gone by .

It ’ s well known that the FS industry has historically had a reputation for holding back on adopting newer technologies . There are always reasons to forgive such behaviour of course , and many have held concerns when it comes to data security and the risks involved in modernising .

However , the rise of hybrid working and warnings from the Bank of England around the risks of ‘ cloud concentration ’ have forced the industry to move past these fears and face network security head-on . If financial firms and banks are to succeed in this hyper-competitive digital age , they must invest in a safety framework that delivers security and reliability , while keeping attackers at bay . These ingredients are critical , not just for securing data and systems , but for increasing customer loyalty through reliable systems .

The cloud is becoming the most important technology tool to secure , as traditional firms migrate data and applications en-masse to private and public cloud environments to better compete with today ’ s digitally native fintech challengers . It ’ s a trend that will only continue too . But the FS sector will need to ensure it respects the rules and makes secure networks its number one priority .

Secure Access Service Edge ( SASE ) is an additional security layer that many financial services businesses should consider for their cloud infrastructure as they become increasingly reliant on it to support remote workforces . SASE brings together security and networking , delivered via a cloud-based service model . It provides secure access to apps and data , as remote users increasingly require access to cloudbased , business-critical applications from anywhere in the world , usually via a SaaS model . While not necessarily new , it is becoming widely used as an essential defence for banks .

While the technology is not necessarily new , it is becoming more widely used , especially in the remote working age as it combines high-performance connectivity with a robust , centralised cybersecurity posture , providing control and visibility of the entire cloud infrastructure .

SASE is powerful because it incorporates the key features of multiple security services via Software-Defined Networking ( SD-WAN ), including DNS security and firewall policies . It integrates all of this with Zero Trust network security principles to create a single service that is delivered across every aspect of an organisation ’ s cloud infrastructure .

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