Definition

Web Security Service (WSS) is Broadcom / Symantec's cloud-delivered Secure Web Gateway. WSS is the historical product name; Cloud SWG is the current SSE-aligned marketing name. The product is the same: cloud-delivered SSL inspection, URL filtering, malware analysis, sandboxing integration, roaming user coverage via WSS Agent, branch coverage via IPsec / GRE tunnels, and tight integration with CloudSOC CASB and Symantec DLP. WSS is the cloud successor to the on-prem Blue Coat ProxySG appliance; the most common Symantec network engagement is migration from ProxySG to WSS / Cloud SWG. See our migration playbook.

Symantec products that implement this

  • Symantec Cloud Secure Web Gateway - Cloud-delivered web security with SSL inspection, URL filtering, sandboxing, content disarm, and CASB integration. The cloud successor to the ProxySG appliance.

Related terms

  • SWG (Secure Web Gateway) - Security service that inspects web traffic for malware, enforces URL policy, and applies content controls - historically on-prem, now cloud-delivered.
  • SSE (Security Service Edge) - The security half of SASE - cloud-delivered SWG, CASB, ZTNA, and DLP without the SD-WAN connectivity component.
  • CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) - Security layer between users and cloud apps; provides visibility, governance, and DLP for SaaS.
  • ProxySG - On-prem web proxy appliance (originally Blue Coat, acquired by Symantec, now Broadcom); being retired in favor of Cloud SWG.

Deep-dives on WSS