Akamai Security: A buyer’s guide for enterprise decision‑makers
Strengthen security and simplify operations with a platform that protects applications, data, users, and networks — from the edge to the core and across hybrid cloud. Akamai brings together WAAP, DDoS, Zero Trust access, microsegmentation, DNS security, and managed services on a globally distributed cloud.
Together, we help you:
- Reduce attack surface and stop lateral movement with Zero Trust microsegmentation
- Protect apps and APIs with leading WAAP and real-time threat intelligence
- Secure access for distributed workforces with ZTNA and browser security
- Meet compliance mandates faster with layered controls and audit-ready visibility
Key products:
- Zero Trust and lateral movement defense: Akamai Guardicore Segmentation
- ZTNA and browser security: Enterprise Application Access
- Secure web gateway and DNS: Secure Internet Access Enterprise, Edge DNS
- WAAP and API protection: App & API Protector, API Security
- Client-side data protection and PCI DSS v4.0: Client‑Side Protection & Compliance
- DDoS protection: Prolexic
- Managed detection and response for evasive threats: Akamai Hunt
How to select an enterprise security platform
Prioritize platforms that deliver measurable risk reduction, operational simplicity, and lower TCO across hybrid environments.
- Coverage across the kill chain
- WAAP with API discovery, bot defense, client-side protection, DDoS, DNS security, ZTNA, and microsegmentation
- East–west controls at process/Layer 7 to prevent lateral movement
- Zero Trust built‑in
- Identity- and context-aware access (ZTNA) and least‑privilege segmentation across data centers, clouds, and containers
- Unified visibility and policy
- One map and one policy engine for on‑prem, multicloud, VMs, containers, and connected devices
- Real-time and historical telemetry for forensics, compliance, and rapid policy iteration
- Cloud-scale performance and resilience
- Globally distributed enforcement close to users and apps to minimize latency
- Proven DDoS and DNS resilience for critical uptime
- Open integrations
- Native hooks to IdPs, SIEM/SOAR, EDRs, CMDB/orchestrators, and ticketing systems
- Compliance acceleration
- PCI DSS v4.0 script controls, strong audit trails, asset/in-scope labeling, and segmentation to reduce audit scope
- Time to value and TCO
- Software-defined controls (no hair‑pinning or appliance sprawl), agent and agentless options, managed services add‑ons
- Vendor viability and roadmap
- Demonstrated innovation in Zero Trust segmentation and SSE, with buyer’s guides and independent test results to validate efficacy
Managed application protection: key questions to ask
- What threats are covered out of the box (OWASP Top 10, API abuse, bot/Scraper, client-side/Magecart, DDoS, account takeover)?
- How are APIs discovered and classified, and can protections be enforced without code changes?
- How does the service minimize false positives and provide safe‑to‑deploy policy templates?
- What SLAs apply to monitoring, mitigation, and incident response, and is 24/7 support included?
- Can you provide real‑time attack visibility, forensics, and auditor-ready reporting?
- How are Zero Day and client-side script risks detected and mitigated in real user sessions?
- Can protections extend consistently across on‑prem, multicloud, and edge without re‑architecting?
- How do you integrate with my IdP, SIEM/SOAR, EDR, and ticketing systems?
- Do you offer managed threat hunting and hands‑on tuning for complex apps and APIs?
Explore Akamai options:
- WAAP and API protection: App & API Protector, API Security
- Client-side and PCI DSS v4.0: Client‑Side Protection & Compliance
- Managed services: Managed Security Service, Managed Service for API Security, Akamai Hunt
What is a secure enterprise browser — and why it matters now
A secure enterprise browser (SEB) applies fine‑grained, policy‑enforced controls directly in the user’s browser session to protect SaaS, web, and private apps. It can:
- Enforce least‑privilege per app and per action, tied to identity and device posture
- Control data egress (clipboard, download, print, screen capture), session recording, and watermarking
- Inspect and govern AI usage (prompt controls, data redaction, blocking sensitive paste/upload into gen‑AI tools)
- Extend protections to unmanaged devices without VPNs, reducing attack surface and lateral movement
Akamai delivers secure browser outcomes as part of an SSE‑aligned approach that pairs ZTNA with browser security. Learn more in the Secure Enterprise Browser solution brief and Enterprise Application Access.
Akamai vs. Imperva: what to consider
Note: Always validate current vendor roadmaps and packaging.
Secure enterprise browser control for SaaS and web
- What to evaluate
- Native ZTNA + browser security integration, unmanaged device support, device posture, per‑action DLP, and AI usage controls
- Performance at scale (local PoP, edge transport), ease of deployment, and user experience
- Akamai
- Provides ZTNA with browser security for SSE outcomes via Enterprise Application Access, with identity/context policies, device posture, and edge performance
- Complements with Secure Internet Access Enterprise for secure web access and Akamai MFA for phish‑proof auth
- Imperva
- Portfolio centers on app and data security (e.g., WAAP, bot, DDoS, data security). For secure browser and ZTNA use cases, buyers often pair with third‑party ZTNA/SEB solutions. Confirm current capabilities and integrations.
Platform consolidation and TCO across app and network security
- What to evaluate
- Ability to replace internal firewalls with microsegmentation, unify WAAP/API/bot/DDoS/DNS, and consolidate ZTNA + SWG
- Software‑defined enforcement (lower CapEx/OpEx), single policy/telemetry plane, and managed services availability
- Akamai
- Consolidates Zero Trust segmentation, ZTNA/SWG, WAAP/API, bot, DDoS, and DNS on a globally distributed platform
- Software‑based microsegmentation reduces hardware spend and speeds rollout while simplifying audits and recovery
- Imperva
- Strong in WAAP/API/bot/DDoS and data‑centric controls. For Zero Trust access, DNS, and microsegmentation, buyers typically integrate additional vendors. Model the integration and licensing impacts on TCO.
Map your use cases to Akamai capabilities
- Reduce attack surface and stop lateral movement
- Akamai Guardicore Segmentation: process‑level, Layer 7 policies; real‑time and historical visibility; works across physical, VM, cloud, and containers
- ZTNA for hybrid work and third parties
- Enterprise Application Access: identity/context‑based access, device posture, local PoP for on‑prem apps; pairs with browser security for SSE
- Secure web access and resilient DNS
- Secure Internet Access Enterprise and Edge DNS: block malware/phishing/exfiltration and ensure DNS availability
- Protect apps, APIs, and client‑side data
- App & API Protector, API Security, and Client‑Side Protection & Compliance to address OWASP, API abuse, bots, and PCI DSS v4.0 script mandates
- DDoS resilience for networks and apps
- Prolexic scrubs large‑scale attacks before they reach your infrastructure
- Managed coverage and threat hunting
- Managed Security Service, Managed Service for API Security, and Akamai Hunt
Proof points and resources for your team
Next steps
Looking for deeper technical guidance? Point your SMEs to Akamai TechDocs and the product briefs linked above.