CASB Pricing Explained

CASB pricing refers to the pricing and licensing models of a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), a software tool that acts as an intermediary between users and cloud services to secure cloud applications and deliver greater control of, protection for and visibility into cloud activities.

CASBs vary widely in pricing depending on the range of services offered by a CASB and the type of access being brokered. The most common CASB pricing structure offers annual licensing and per-user fees. The type of deployment may affect CASB pricing, with different pricing for on-premises deployments, dedicated services and shared SaaS implementations. 

For example, CASB pricing for a cloud multi-tenant service would likely be less than for a dedicated virtual appliance. Pricing may be based on the number of users, the number of applications secured and the number of endpoints managed.

A CASB is a software or hardware solution that is positioned between end-users and cloud applications or services. CASB software may be deployed on-premises, in the cloud or as a service offered by CASB providers.

CASBs monitor and regulate traffic and data moving to and from cloud services, enforcing security policies, mitigating threats and preventing data loss and leaks. CASBs can also provide identity and access management and ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks concerning data privacy.

CASBs have become essential to the security stack as organizations rapidly migrate data and applications to the cloud. In this process, IT and security teams lose some control and visibility over these assets, potentially increasing the likelihood for data breaches, malware attacks and compliance issues. A CASB helps to improve cloud app security by delivering a single platform that allows teams to centralize management and enforce security policy from a single location.

When evaluating CASB pricing and justifying costs, IT and security teams are wise to also calculate the value and savings that a CASB provides by mitigating attacks, streamlining management, improving compliance and preventing data loss and leaks. 

The cost of a CASB is inevitably quite small when compared to the cost of all the issues, threats and risks that CASBs address:

• Data breaches. When breaches result in damage to a brand and loss of customer confidence, the cost to the bottom line can be significant.
• Compliance violations. The cost of HIPAA violations, for example, can run into millions of dollars per year.
• Loss or leaks of business-critical data. From intellectual property and trade secrets to customer financial data, the loss of sensitive data or business-critical information can be extremely costly.

When deploying a CASB tool, organizations can expect to reduce operational costs in several ways.

• More efficient management. CASBs enable security teams to enforce security policies for all cloud services from a single platform, reducing the headcount required to manage cloud security.
• Increased agility. By enabling a business to move to the cloud securely, CASBs help organizations reap the financial savings of greater productivity for hybrid workforces, faster delivery of business applications, streamlined M&A activity and reduced technical debt.
• Greater automation. By automatically discovering cloud services, categorizing applications and data, enforcing policies and remediating violations, CASBs help security teams accomplish far more with fewer resources, minimizing the cost of managing cloud security.
• Eliminate redundant cloud applications. CASBs help discover all cloud applications operating within an organization’s IT environment. Eliminating redundant or unnecessary cloud apps can help to reduce the overall cost of cloud services.
• Increase efficiency of utilization.  With a comprehensive inventory of cloud services, IT teams can better understand what the organization is paying for and how efficiently cloud services are being used. Reducing underutilization can also help to reduce the cost of cloud services.

As a provider of market-leading solutions built to protect the modern enterprise, Forcepoint offers a CASB solution that extends best-in-class data security to all cloud applications. Forcepoint ONE CASB is part of Forcepoint ONE, an all-in-one, cloud-native platform that combines CASB technology with a Secure Web Gateway and Zero Trust Network Access.

With Forcepoint ONE CASB, organizations can:

• Block malware hidden in SaaS apps as well as malware in files in popular SaaS and IaaS storage.
• Uncover shadow IT, enabling IT teams to control use of unmanaged apps and coach users on better alternatives.
• Safeguard access to business apps from BYOD and unmanaged devices. Forcepoint implements Zero Trust access that allows users to safely access business-critical cloud apps from their managed or unmanaged devices.
• Reduce risk of data loss and leaks with CASB DLP capabilities that offer more control over how confidential data is shared on any device.

Forcepoint offers simple, transparent and flexible CASB pricing options. Request CASB pricing now.