Secure Web Gateway

Also known as:

What problem does it target?

Web Proxy and Secure Web Gateway (SWG) solutions provide secure access to the internet by filtering web traffic, blocking malicious sites, and enforcing organizational policies. They address risks from web-based threats, shadow IT, and data exfiltration.

What does this solution do?

SWG platforms:

Filter and categorize URLs
Inspect SSL/TLS traffic for threats
Block malware and phishing sites
Enforce acceptable use and DLP policies

Who is this for?

Organizations with internet-facing users
Security teams needing web threat protection
Companies enforcing compliance or usage policies

Who might not benefit from this?

Teams with no internet access
Environments with all apps hosted internally

Pitfalls and remedies

Pitfall	Remedy
SSL inspection performance issues	Use hardware acceleration or selective inspection
Overblocking legitimate sites	Regularly review and tune URL categories
Gaps in cloud app visibility	Integrate SWG with CASB or SASE platforms

Sample products

Zscaler
Symantec SWG (Broadcom)
Cisco Umbrella
Forcepoint SWG
Netskope