Making Zero Trust Segmentation Simple For Defenders And Complex For Attackers: Edgewise

Over the years, cybercriminals have perfected their techniques to invade any network or device. And to keep ourselves safe from that, a reliable firewall solution is a must — it is the first line of defense, shielding our networks and devices from the malware and viruses bombings.

The traditional and old-school firewalls had only two purposes: stop the bad guys and allowing the good guys. However, those days are gone. As cyber threat continues to intensify day by day, the next generation firewalls need to do a whole lot more.

Founded in 2016, Edgewise is the industry’s first zero trust platform that stops breaches in the data center and cloud. It prevents progression of network-borne threats by allowing only trusted applications to communicate over approved network paths. Using machine learning, Using machine learning, Edgewise recommends and prioritizes optimal policies to eliminate 98% of network attack surface and protect the rest. Gartner has recognized Edgewise as a 2018 Cool Vendor.

The Edgewise Technology

In a Zero Trust environment where the network is assumed to be insecure, Trusted Application Networking technology verifies the identity of application workloads before allowing them to communicate. This unique technology securely verifies the identities of applications, users, containers,and hosts, and automatically builds policies to enforce least-privilege access. Workload protection is stronger and simpler to manage.

Zero Trust Security

Edgewise’s Zero Trust networking model abandons the traditional security model of allowing application communications based on “trusted” addresses. Communications are approved based on the trustworthiness of communicating software, hosts,and users—for better security that extends beyond the network.

Trusted Application Networking

This revolutionary approach—Trusted Application Networking—implements Zero Trust security by allowing only trusted applications to communicate over approved network paths to stop compromise and attack progression of network-borne threats. This new technology, powered by machine learning, works by looking beyond network addresses and instead validates the secure identity of applications, users, containers and hosts controlling the addresses. Edgewise then uses these identities and builds policies that enforce the intended state of the environment. 

Machine Learning Driven Zero Trust Security: Zero Touch. Zero Trust.

Edgewise’s Zero Trust platform uses machine learning to maximize protection coverage, increase confidence in policies, and drive operational simplicity—while raising the cost and complexity for attackers. The machine learning system has three outcome-driven stages; the first reveals the risk of exposure, the second builds optimal policies, and the third protects workloads while continuously assessing their trustworthiness.

Faster Time To Value For The Business

Application owners, within hours, can understand the intended state of their environment and exposure risk. Edgewise automatically verifies the identities of workloads communicating by applying Zero Trust principles. Edgewise machine learning builds these secure identities by collecting and analyzing data from deep within the operating systems' kernel. Edgewise then maps the application topology based on communication pathways between workloads. Edgewise then measures exposure risk and analyzes attack paths to visualize overly exposed application pathways not required by the business.

More efficient DevOps

Edgewise builds Zero Trust policies that enforce least-privilege access to critical workloads and data. Because Zero Trust policies are based on secure identities of communicating workloads, they are more accurate and easily adapt to dynamic environments. Operations teams gain the broadest protection coverage with the fewest number of policies. The workload identity-based policies described in plain English enable application owners and DevOps to more effectively collaborate and protect business applications. One click is all it takes to apply the Zero Trust policies and receive proof of correctness.

Gap-Free Security Coverage

Edgewise’s Zero Trust platform ensures only verified software, users, containers, and hosts are allowed to communicate over approved network paths. The Zero Trust protection is enforced at the workload to ensure gap-free coverage when workloads move in hybrid environments. Edgewise machine learning continuously verifies the Zero Trust policies and alerts on deviations from the intended state.

Recognitions

Edgewise Networks Named MassTLC Leadership Award Winner

"Our congratulations to Edgewise Networks and to all of the 21st annual MassTLC Leadership Awards finalists. Each one is an example of the executive leadership, business acumen and technological innovation fueling Massachusetts’ economy and an example of the breadth and depth of talent in our region."

CSO: Moving to Central Network Security Policy Management for Hybrid Clouds

"Startups such as Edgewise Networks look at the world from the public cloud back into the data center. In other words, they are targeting the real action in the cloud today and are then poised to replace existing network security infrastructure already deployed in private clouds over time."

Meet the Chief

Peter Smith, Founder,and CEO:Peter Smith is a serial entrepreneur who built and deployed Harvard University’s first NAC system before it became a security category. Peter brings a security practitioner’s perspective to Edgewise with more than ten years of expertise as an infrastructure and security architect of data centers and customer-hosting environments for Harvard University, Endeca Technologies (Oracle), American Express, Fidelity UK, Bank of America, and Nike. Most recently, Peter was on the founding team at Infinio Systems where he led product and technology strategy.

“At Edgewise, we make zero trust segmentation simple for defenders and complex for attackers.”