Market Overview for Security Service Edge by Gartner®
Market Overview for Security Service Edge by Gartner®
What does Gartner say about the SSE market?
A clear market definition is the starting point for any SSE evaluation. In our view, this Gartner® report sets out how Gartner defines the market, which features it treats as mandatory and optional, and how the market is evolving.
The report describes “a mature market that consolidates multiple access-related security point offerings into a single cloud-centric, converged platform driven by hybrid work and cloud adoption. Buyers are shifting evaluations to focus more on price and availability of adjacent features beyond the core capabilities.”
Our key highlights from the Gartner report:
- SSE is a mature market that brings multiple access-related security tools into one cloud-centric platform, driven by hybrid work and cloud adoption.
- Buyers are weighing price and adjacent features, such as SD-WAN, digital experience monitoring, GenAI security and data loss prevention, as core capabilities converge across vendors.
- Vendors are building more specific GenAI controls, such as prompt analysis, and customers report gaps in secure AI use from their existing SSE providers.
- Platform expansion into adjacent security markets can make vendors harder to compare and can leave teams with overlapping tools to rationalize.
- Attackers are targeting perimeter infrastructure such as VPN appliances and firewalls, which positions SSE with ZTNA as an alternative access method.
Download the Gartner® report for the full market overview, including how Gartner defines mandatory and optional SSE features. The highlights above are Absolute’s summary of the report and are not Gartner’s wording.
Gartner, Market Overview for Security Service Edge, John Watts, Jonathan Forest, Thomas Lintemuth, Theo de Feligonde, 27 March 2026.
GARTNER is a trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates.
Market Overview for Security Service Edge by Gartner®
Planning an SSE evaluation? Read the Gartner® Market Overview for Security Service Edge (SSE), including its market definition, architecture, mandatory and optional features, and market evolution.
What does Gartner say about the SSE market?
A clear market definition is the starting point for any SSE evaluation. In our view, this Gartner® report sets out how Gartner defines the market, which features it treats as mandatory and optional, and how the market is evolving.
The report describes “a mature market that consolidates multiple access-related security point offerings into a single cloud-centric, converged platform driven by hybrid work and cloud adoption. Buyers are shifting evaluations to focus more on price and availability of adjacent features beyond the core capabilities.”
Our key highlights from the Gartner report:
- SSE is a mature market that brings multiple access-related security tools into one cloud-centric platform, driven by hybrid work and cloud adoption.
- Buyers are weighing price and adjacent features, such as SD-WAN, digital experience monitoring, GenAI security and data loss prevention, as core capabilities converge across vendors.
- Vendors are building more specific GenAI controls, such as prompt analysis, and customers report gaps in secure AI use from their existing SSE providers.
- Platform expansion into adjacent security markets can make vendors harder to compare and can leave teams with overlapping tools to rationalize.
- Attackers are targeting perimeter infrastructure such as VPN appliances and firewalls, which positions SSE with ZTNA as an alternative access method.
Download the Gartner® report for the full market overview, including how Gartner defines mandatory and optional SSE features. The highlights above are Absolute’s summary of the report and are not Gartner’s wording.
Gartner, Market Overview for Security Service Edge, John Watts, Jonathan Forest, Thomas Lintemuth, Theo de Feligonde, 27 March 2026.
GARTNER is a trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates.