COVID hit the retail and hospitality organizations especially hard, but as restrictions begin to ease, people remain eager to resume travel and to return to brick-and-mortar shopping. Because they’re often part of broader franchise operations, retail stores, hotels, and restaurant chains tend to be highly distributed organizations. And they require a flexible security framework.

How can highly distributed organizations, especially ones in which 24/7 operations are fundamental to business, implement a secure approach to access and data protection that keeps employees, customers and data safe from the constantly evolving, increasingly costly methods of attack?

That’s where Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architecture comes in.

SASE securely, efficiently connects people--whether it’s employees, hotel guests or restaurant patrons using free Wi-Fi--to the resources they need. An added benefit of a cloud-based, hybrid-enforced SASE architecture is its ability to enable Zero Trust, a set of best practices guidelines for security that requires explicit permission every time a user does something (e.g., copy a document, access a site or application, etc).

Sounds great, doesn’t it? Sure, but there’s a catch: not all SASE architectures are created equally. Yes, all SASEs protect access, but “infrastructure-first” SASE has inconsistent data policies, endpoint agent sprawl, complex static policies, and a lack of hybrid enforcement for sites. That’s why Forcepoint developed Data-First SASE—a way to supercharge your existing cybersecurity infrastructure so both an organization’s infrastructure and assets are protected.

In a recent webinar, Cybersecurity Simplified for Retail & Hospitality Jim Fulton, our Sr. Director of SASE and Zero Trust Solutions explores how this approach to cybersecurity uses four elements—unified data protection policies, unified agent, risk-adaptive policy enforcement, and hybrid deployment—to connect and protect your stores, hotels, and remote offices in a way that enables you to enforce policies everywhere, consistently.

I also discuss how Forcepoint’s Data-First SASE approach:

• Puts data protection at the core
• Automates behavior enforcement based on behavior and risk
• Delivers global coverage and a local user experience
• Makes operations simpler and more agile
• Accelerates business transformation

Tune in to the webcast to hear about the trends that are reshaping cybersecurity   how SASE can help highly distributed organizations keep hybrid workforces secure.

Forcepoint is the leading user and data protection cybersecurity company, entrusted to safeguard organizations while driving digital transformation and growth. Our solutions adapt in real-time to how people interact with data, providing secure access while enabling employees to create value.