7 Ways SASE Transforms Security for Digital Consultancies: A Practical Guide
How modern digital consultancies are using Secure Access Service Edge to protect client data, enable remote work, and scale globally without compromise
Digital consultancies face a unique security challenge: protecting the sensitive data of multiple clients while enabling distributed teams to work from anywhere. Traditional security approaches—built for single companies with fixed offices—simply don't work when you're managing Pfizer's pharmaceutical data in London, a government project in Vancouver, and financial services clients in Hong Kong simultaneously.
Enter SASE (Secure Access Service Edge): a cloud-native security framework that fundamentally changes how consultancies protect their operations. Here are seven ways SASE addresses the real-world challenges digital consultancies face every day.
1. Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Stop Client Data from Walking Out the Door
The Challenge: Your consultant in Toronto just downloaded a client's financial model to their personal laptop. Another team member accidentally uploaded proprietary code to their personal GitHub. A departing employee still has access to three clients' Salesforce instances.
How SASE DLP Works:
Content-aware inspection: Automatically identifies and classifies sensitive data (PII, financial records, source code, API keys) regardless of where it's stored or how it's being transmitted
Context-aware policies: Different rules for different scenarios—a senior architect might need to download source code, but a project manager shouldn't
Real-time prevention: Blocks unauthorized transfers before they happen, not after
Real-World Example: A 400-person consultancy implemented SASE DLP and discovered that 23% of their client data was being accessed from personal devices. They prevented 147 potential data breaches in the first month alone.
Quick Win: Begin by implementing DLP for your most sensitive clients, typically those in healthcare or financial services. Use these policy templates:
Block personal email uploads of files containing "confidential" or client names
Prevent code files (.js, .py, .java) from being uploaded to non-approved repositories
Alert when database exports are downloaded to unmanaged devices
2. Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Never Trust, Always Verify
The Challenge: Your developers need access to 15 different client environments. Traditional VPNs grant too much access once someone is "inside," and managing separate VPNs for each client is a nightmare.
How SASE ZTNA Works:
Micro-segmentation: Users only access the specific resources they need, not entire networks
Continuous verification: Every request is verified, not just at login
Identity-based access: Permissions follow the user, not the device or location
Real-World Example: After implementing ZTNA, a consultancy reduced its attack surface by 78% and cut access provisioning time from 3 days to 30 minutes.
Quick Win: Start with your highest-risk access scenario:
A map which consultants access which client environments
Implement ZTNA for your most sensitive client first
Create role-based templates (Developer, PM, Designer) for faster onboarding
3. Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB): See and Control Your Shadow IT
The Challenge: Your team utilizes over 200 cloud applications, but IT is only aware of approximately 50. Consultants share files through personal Dropbox accounts, communicate via unauthorized Slack workspaces, and test code on their personal AWS accounts.
How SASE CASB Works:
Discovery: Automatically identifies all cloud services being used
Risk assessment: Rates each service's security posture
Policy enforcement: Blocks high-risk services, monitors medium-risk, allows approved services
Real-World Example: A consultancy identified 127 previously unknown cloud services in use, including 31 file-sharing applications. They consolidated to 3 approved options, reducing their risk exposure by 84%.
Quick Win: Run a 1-week discovery to identify your shadow IT:
Install CASB monitoring on just 10% of devices
Review the discovered apps every morning
Create an "approved apps" list based on actual usage patterns
4. Secure Web Gateway (SWG): Your First Line of Defense
The Challenge: Consultants research on random websites, download tools from GitHub, and access client portals from coffee shops. One compromised download could infect multiple client environments.
How SASE SWG Works:
URL filtering: Blocks known malicious sites and categories
SSL inspection: Examines encrypted traffic for threats
Malware scanning: Real-time scanning of all downloads
Bandwidth optimization: Prioritizes business-critical applications
Real-World Example: A consultancy prevented 94% of malware infections after implementing SWG, and reduced non-work internet usage by 40%, improving productivity.
Quick Win: Implement these policies immediately:
Block newly registered domains (favorite for phishing)
Scan all executable downloads
Create exceptions for known development tools to avoid blocking legitimate work
5. Firewall as a Service (FWaaS): Protection That Moves with Your Team
The Challenge: Your consultants work from offices, homes, client sites, and coffee shops across 15 countries. Traditional firewalls protect offices, not people.
How SASE FWaaS Works:
Cloud-delivered protection: Firewall capabilities follow users everywhere
Unified policy: One set of rules applies globally
Automatic scaling: Handles traffic spikes without hardware upgrades
Geo-based policies: Different rules for different regions/compliance requirements
Real-World Example: A consultancy replaced 15 office firewalls with FWaaS, resulting in a 60% reduction in costs while enhancing security posture and user experience.
Quick Win: Start with your remote workers:
Deploy FWaaS to your fully remote team first
Monitor for 2 weeks to baseline "normal" behavior
Gradually tighten policies based on actual usage patterns
6. Remote Browser Isolation (RBI): Browse Safely, Work Confidently
The Challenge: Consultants need to research competitors, access client portals, and review unfamiliar websites. One compromised site could lead to credential theft or malware infection.
How SASE RBI Works:
Isolated execution: Web content runs in a secure cloud container
Pixel streaming: Only safe visual data reaches the user's device
Seamless experience: Users browse normally while protected
Selective isolation: High-risk sites are isolated, trusted sites have direct access
Real-World Example: After implementing RBI for high-risk browsing, a consultancy eliminated web-based infections entirely and reduced security alerts by 73%.
Quick Win: Implement RBI for these scenarios first:
Accessing new client portals for the first time
Researching on non-mainstream websites
Reviewing suspicious emails or links
Accessing personal webmail from work devices
7. SD-WAN Integration: Optimized, Secure Connectivity
The Challenge: Your London office is experiencing delays in accessing Vancouver servers. Hong Kong can't reliably connect to client systems in New York. VPN performance is killing productivity.
How SASE SD-WAN Works:
Intelligent routing: Traffic takes the fastest, most reliable path
Application prioritization: Client video calls get priority over software updates
Built-in security: Encryption and security policies are built into the network fabric
Cloud on-ramps: Direct, secure connections to AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
Real-World Example: A global consultancy reduced application latency by 67% and improved video call quality by 89% after implementing SD-WAN.
Quick Win: Focus on your most significant pain point:
Map your top 3 performance complaints
Implement SD-WAN between your two most problematic locations
Measure improvement and expand based on results
Implementation Roadmap for Digital Consultancies
Phase 1: Protect Your Crown Jewels (Weeks 1-4)
Implement DLP for your most sensitive client
Deploy ZTNA for high-risk access scenarios
Enable SWG for all remote workers
Phase 2: Gain Visibility (Weeks 5-8)
Deploy CASB to discover shadow IT
Implement FWaaS for remote workers
Start the RBI for high-risk browsing
Phase 3: Optimize and Scale (Weeks 9-12)
Roll out SD-WAN between offices
Expand policies based on learned behavior
Integrate all components for unified security
The SafeMesh Advantage for Digital Consultancies
At SafeMesh, we understand that digital consultancies need security that's as agile as they are. Our SASE solutions are explicitly built for multi-client environments, with:
Client isolation: Automatic segregation of different clients' data and access
Rapid deployment: Full SASE implementation in days, not months
Consultancy-specific templates: Pre-built policies for common consultancy scenarios
24/7 support: Because your consultants work around the clock, so do we
Ready to Transform Your Security?
SASE isn't just another security tool—it's a fundamental shift in how digital consultancies protect their operations. By consolidating security functions into a cloud-native platform, you can:
Reduce security costs by 40-60%
Improve user experience and productivity
Enable secure work from anywhere
Simplify compliance across multiple frameworks
Scale security as you grow
Next Steps:
Assess your current security gaps using our free consultancy security assessment
Start with a pilot program for one client or team
Expand based on proven results
SafeMesh specializes in SASE implementations. With expertise in Palo Alto Prisma SASE, Netskope, Fortinet, and Cato Networks, we help companies protect client data while enabling business agility.
Contact us at hi@SafeMesh.ca or visit safemesh.ca to learn how SASE can transform your security posture.