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A Comparison Between CASB and FWaaS

January 3rd, 2024 | 3 min. read

By Jordan Pioth

Business man working on computer at a desk

Are you looking for an updated network security solution to improve your organization’s security? If your organization has network vulnerabilities, it can lead to cyberattacks that can cost your organization hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair your network.

To prevent these cyberattacks, it is important that your network and data are secure. CASB and FWaaS are both network security solutions that may help you accomplish this objective.

However, it is important to understand the differences between the two solutions so you can determine which is the better alternative for your organization.

Coeo understands how important reliable network security is to an organization and has delivered thousands of security solutions to organizations to help them avoid cyberattacks.

By the end of this article you will know what CASB is, what FWaaS is, the differences between the two, and which one is a good fit for your organization.

What is CASB?

Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) is a Security Service Edge (SSE) solution that helps protect an organization’s network. CASB acts as an intermediary between on-premise infrastructure and cloud service providers.

CASB enforces security policies that protect data moving between your network infrastructure and the cloud service provider.

CASB provides your organization with better visibility and control of your network to ensure greater security and the safe adoption of cloud services.

CASB ensures that all users accessing cloud services and applications and data being stored, sent, and received in the cloud are secure.

What is FWaaS?

Firewall as a Service (FWaaS), also known as a cloud firewall, is a cloud-based firewall that provides network security functions to data traffic.

This solution enables your organization to deploy, manage, and scale firewall security without the need for expensive on-premise hardware and infrastructure.

FWaaS allows you to secure your network no matter where you are or what device is being accessed making it easier to protect your employees working remotely.

FWaaS delivers more capabilities than traditional firewall services providing more in-depth security. For example, FWaaS provides next-gen firewall capabilities such as intrusion prevention and detection, and URL filtering.

The differences between CASB and FWaaS

While CASB and FWaaS are both network security solutions that can help protect your organization’s network vulnerabilities, there are differences between the two.

It is important to understand these differences so you can determine which solution is most appropriate for your organization. The differences between CASB and FWaaS include:

Security focus

The first and maybe the biggest difference between CASB and FWaaS solutions is the way in which they provide security.

CASB solutions primarily focus on securing cloud applications, services, and users accessing the cloud while also providing visibility and control across the cloud.

Alternatively, FWaaS focuses on securing network traffic, connections, and infrastructure across remote locations and cloud services.

FWaaS provides more firewall capabilities as well as traffic filtering, access control, and threat prevention across all platforms.

In a nutshell, CASB primarily focuses on securing the cloud, applications, and users within the cloud while FWaaS secures your network holistically.

Deployment model

Another difference between CASB and FWaaS is the way each solution is deployed.

A CASB solution is cloud-based so it is typically deployed via the cloud while an FWaaS solution can be deployed through the cloud, as a virtual appliance, in a data center, or in branch offices.

Therefore, FWaaS is much more flexible and can be deployed in multiple ways while CASB is strictly deployed via the cloud.

Is CASB or FWaaS a better solution for your organization

Now you understand what CASB is, what FWaaS is, and the differences between the two solutions.

While both solutions can help secure your network and avoid cyberattacks, one solution may be a better fit for your organization’s needs and objectives.

For this reason, it is important to understand which solution is a better fit for your organization so you can determine which solution your organization should invest in.

If your organization already has a reliable, broader network security model that protects your entire network and you are only looking to secure cloud applications, services, and users within the cloud, a CASB solution may be the better choice.

However, if your organization does not have a reliable network security model, is dealing with network vulnerabilities, and looking for a network security solution that secures your entire network including network traffic, network connections, and the cloud, a FWaaS solution may be the right fit for your organization.

If both of these approaches include features that would be beneficial to your organization, a SASE solution can provide an all-inclusive solution to your organization that incorporates network connectivity and security.

If your organization is using a poor-performing network that is creating network vulnerabilities, a SASE solution can help you improve your network connectivity and security in a single solution.

Determining whether CASB or FWaaS is a better solution for your organization

Now you understand what CASB is, what FWaaS is, the differences between the two solutions, and which one is the better choice for your organization. This will help you determine which solution your organization should invest in.

Network vulnerabilities can lead to cyberattacks potentially costing organizations hundreds of thousands of dollars as well as other consequences that can be detrimental to your business.

For this reason, a reliable network security solution is critical to your business success. Understanding the differences between CASB and FWaaS will help you determine which is the better solution to help improve your organization’s network security.

Coeo understands how important reliable network security is to an organization and has delivered thousands of network security solutions to organizations to help improve their network security, solve network vulnerabilities, and avoid cyberattacks.

We want you to understand the differences between CASB and FWaaS so you can determine which solution is better for your organization.

If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about CASB, FWaaS, or other network security solutions, or ask any questions you may have you can schedule an appointment.TALK TO AN EXPERT

Now that you understand the differences between CASB and FWaaS, check out this article to learn more about the different SSE security services available:

Jordan Pioth

When he's not creating content for Coeo, Jordan loves to watch sports, hang out with friends and family, and anything sneaker-related.