Zero Trust and enforced isolation are at the heart of cloud security

Detect-and-remediate is a common approach to modern security. Everyone you talk to repeats that the attackers will get in, and the best defence is simply being prepared for when that happens.

Cloud Excellence Awards finalist Menlo Security takes a different approach.

"It's our belief that security should prevent, not react, that organisations shouldn't need to sacrifice productivity for security, and that perfect security is possible," says VP EMEA Mike East.

"We have reimagined the impervious approach to security to create one that's built on Zero Trust principles and that leverages isolation as a core architectural pillar. It's the only way to truly eliminate malware, secure work, and protect productivity - the stuff that matters most to the businesses we work with and their end users."

Isolation is at the core of Menlo's approach - or perhaps it's more accurate to say, at the core of its products. The company's Secure Web Gateway (SWG) with an Isolation Core assumes that all web content is potentially malicious, and rather than whitelisting with an ‘allow-or-block' approach, Menlo customers use ‘isolate-or-block' instead.

"Organisations can be assured that they are protected from web-based cyberthreats; granular access and security policies are enforced; web traffic is controlled, monitored, and protected; data leaks and credential theft are prevented; cloud apps are secure; and compliance is ensured across all devices and locations."

East points out that traditional security approaches rely on the user being inside a heavily protected environment like an office - "the castle walls" - which has meant that the shift to remote work created a huge IT headache. Merging remote working and security has been a major focus for security teams worldwide for more than a year now.

VPNs may have been a short-term fix, but with many people now choosing to make their house their main place of work, "it's time for a rethink on how to provide seamless, easy to use and secure means for users to connect to their company assets. This shift has expedited the shift to cloud delivered services, networks, and security."

But not all of the solutions are technical. Menlo Security is helping its customers to "embrace Zero Trust as a philosophy," and plans to expand on the back of its success this year:

"Over the coming months we will be growing the team, our channel partners and service providers across EMEA to meet the growing demand to move to the cloud and be more secure. As well as the introduction of our CASB and DLP solutions in recent months, we'll be launching our Zero Trust Private Access and Firewall as a Service offerings. We will also focus on further securing our customers and providing differentiated offerings for our channel partners. The year ahead for Menlo Security looks very promising and will provide a perfectly timed opportunity for growth."

Menlo is hoping that success in the Cloud Excellence Awards will propel it forward.

"Events like the Cloud Excellence Awards shine a light and showcase the great work being carried out in our industry to ensure that organisations and individuals are protected against cyberattacks, which have the potential to cause major disruption to society. These awards also help to drive up the standard of practice in the industry, highlighting the achievements of organisations, solutions, and individuals.

"It's great to see this year's event returning as an in-person event, which provides us with the opportunity to network with old and new colleagues and find out the latest industry news during this forced period of absence."

The Cloud Excellence Awards take place at the Montcalm London Marble Arch this Thursday, the 23rd September. Click here to book your place now.