Intelligent Transparent Email Security as Security-as-a-Service from Cloud

In Security-as-a-service model the emphasis is on security being provided as a cloud service; i.e. security delivered through the cloud in place of any on-premise security implementations. In this paper we discuss Intelligent Transparent Email Security-as-a-service (IntEmailSec-aas) provided as a cloud service. The IntEmailSec-aas for email security mainly involves cleaning viruses, spam mails, phishing mails, and other types of malicious software included in email before it reaches a user’s organization network. The incoming email stream is cleaned and then delivered to the organization. The outgoing email is also scanned according to defined policies and then allowed on public network. The provision for sending encrypted attachment has also been made. The encryption is done in an intelligent manner based on users’ security need. The service also allows storage of emails in a central repository to be used for eDiscovery based on various parameters. The advantages of this approach are complete security management through use of multiple engines from various vendors, improved performance for client devices and no maintenance of hardware/software on the client organizations’ premises. Since the IntEmailSec-aas is provided as cloud service, the management is easy and efficient through Web-based console anywhere, anytime. The access to users is provided simply through web browser. The IntEmailSec-aaS implemented as a cloud service can benefit the user with all the advantages offered by Security-as-a-service (SECaaS). A proof-of-concept (POC) of IntEmailSec-aaS is implemented and evaluated. This POC is implemented in public cloud environment. The freshness in the approach is that this POC is integrated with other Security-as-a-service options to provide a portal through which various security services can be provided.