What Is Security Service Edge (SSE)? A Beginner's Guide

The short answer: Security Service Edge (SSE) is a cloud-delivered bundle of security services — typically secure web gateway (SWG), cloud access security broker (CASB), zero trust network access (ZTNA), and firewall as a service (FWaaS) — that protects users, devices, and data no matter where people work. Gartner coined the term in 2021 to describe the security half of SASE. For most teams, the ZTNA piece is the easiest, lowest-risk place to start.