Section.io new edge security option highlights value to CenturyLink

The new module “accepts user-defined security policies for browsers to determine which origins to accept content from,” according to Section.io.

The module, the company says, makes it easier for system administrators to configure, enforce and track activity to make sure browsers fetch or execute resources from only valid sources. Company executives say this helps deflect cross-site scripting attacks and other data injection threats.

Web apps use resources from external sources, including analytics and resources from content delivery networks that demand more than the built-in measures found in the same-origin policy, the company says.

More security is needed, or browsers could misidentify legitimate sources resulting in malign sources injecting malicious code into the web apps.

Section.io, founded in Australia in 2012, moved to the United States in 2016. It is backed by venture capital funds including Foundry Group and Techstars Ventures.

Growing security options using a modular approach

The new module provides a policy-based approach to site security, but web application firewalls (WAFs) provide another layer of security to complement CSP-based approaches. Section.io’s platform architecture has enabled the company to offer a number of different security modules, including WAFs from Templarbit, SignalSciences, Threat X as well as the open-source ModSecurity WAF.

Analysis

Section.io’s modular architecture was built on Kubernetes, the container orchestration platform that is a key technology in many developers’ plans for edge computing applications. The ability to easily integrate new partners for security and other functionality is one of the reasons that the company has had some wins with big customers against other CDN vendors.

Continuing to build on those wins isn’t easy – building out more infrastructure and building out sales and marketing teams to support customers is expensive and time-consuming. That’s why the company’s partnership with CenturyLink is key.

CenturyLink is already one of the top CDNs in terms of revenue; the ability to offer its customers new security functionality was one of the drivers of the partnership initially. CenturyLink has ambitious plans to provide edge computing services using their fiber network and central office and POP facilities. Executives have a goal of serving 98% of the US market from within 5ms. CenturyLink has the physical assets, but Section.io’s edge PaaS provides that infrastructure a greater degree of programmability.

Jim Davis, Principal Analyst, Edge Research Group

Article Topics

CenturyLink  |  edge PaaS  |  edge security  |  Section  |  Section.io  |  WAF