The Edge Security Boom Is Here – And It’s Getting Complicated

According to CRN, the 2025 Edge Computing 100 highlights 25 security vendors specifically focused on protecting users and data across IT, OT and IoT environments. As edge AI becomes more predominant, organizations face a major expansion of their attack surface over the coming years. This shift away from controlled, centralized environments like cloud servers creates entirely new targets for threat actors. Meanwhile, leading cybersecurity vendors are doubling down on SASE and SSE platforms that combine zero-trust network access, cloud security brokers, and secure web gateways. These platforms enable secure access for remote and hybrid workforces while unifying security capabilities with SD-WAN technology.

<h2 id="edge-security-complexity”>The Edge Security Puzzle Just Got Harder

Here’s the thing about edge security – it’s basically taking all the complexity of traditional cybersecurity and scattering it across thousands of locations. And now with AI in the mix? That’s a whole new level of headache. When you deploy AI at the edge, you’re not just moving data processing – you’re moving decision-making capabilities to places that might not have robust security controls. Think about it: an AI model making real-time decisions in a factory, a retail store, or even a vehicle. If that gets compromised, the consequences could be immediate and physical, not just digital.

The SASE Platform Wars Heat Up

So what are the big players doing about this? They’re going all-in on SASE and SSE platforms. We’re talking about Fortinet joining the “leaders” club with Palo Alto Networks, Netskope, and Cato according to Gartner’s Magic Quadrant. But here’s the real story: these platforms aren’t just about remote work anymore. They’re becoming the foundational security layer for everything edge-related. Zero-trust network access, cloud security brokers, web gateways – it’s all getting bundled together because frankly, nobody wants to manage 25 different security products for their edge deployments.

Why 2025 Changes Everything

Look, we’ve been talking about edge security for years, but 2025 feels different. The combination of AI proliferation, hybrid work becoming permanent, and IoT devices multiplying like rabbits creates a perfect storm. These 25 vendors CRN highlighted aren’t just selling point solutions anymore – they’re building ecosystems. And the companies that can provide integrated protection across IT, operational technology, AND IoT? They’re positioning themselves to dominate the next decade of cybersecurity. The question isn’t whether edge security matters – it’s whether any organization can afford to treat it as an afterthought anymore.