MEF 3.0 Certifications for SASE Technologies

Delivering confidence to the enterprise using SASE & cybersecurity solutions.

Certifying Cybersecurity Technologies

Enterprises individually face the third largest economy of the world after those of the US and China—the cybercrime economy that is growing 15% each year. It was a $3 trillion industry in 2015 and will grow to a $10.5 trillion industry by 2025. The cybercrime economy already costs the real and productive global economy a trillion dollars in damages annually.

Enterprises also face a bewildering range of cybersecurity technology solutions that tackle different layers and areas of the cyberthreat landscape, as well as increasing demands for compliance from regulators, shareholders, and insurance companies.

In response to these major challenges for enterprises worldwide, leading cybersecurity technology solution providers have helped MEF to develop and publish industry standards and drive a new, modular MEF 3.0 SASE Certification program underpinned by those standards. Together, these standards and certification program help enterprises protect themselves in the constantly evolving worlds of cybercrime and cybersecurity.

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MEF 3.0 SASE Certification

SASE Certification = SD-WAN Certification + SSE Certification + Zero Trust Certification

SASE Certification = SD-WAN Certification + SSE Certification + Zero Trust Certification

MEF’s SASE certification is an aggregate of the certification of the underlying components of one or more of the following:

  • SD-WAN certification.
  • SSE certification.
  • Zero Trust certification.

MEF’s approach to cybersecurity certification of technology solution providers is modular.

Under the unifying umbrella of SASE (Secure Access Service Edge), solution providers can certify their solutions’ effectiveness in the following scorecard categories:

  • WAN impairments.
  • Scale performance.
  • Classification verification.
  • Threat protection.
  • TLS/SSL functionality.
  • Zero trust network access.
  • Conformance to MEF standards.

Based on the score achieved, the certifying company achieves a badge displayed on the MEF website.

MEF SASE Certification Workflow for Technology Providers

  1. Initial informational engagement with MEF, signed contract, introduction to MEF’s SASE Certification Partner, CyberRatings.org.
  2. Technology Provider meets with CyberRatings.org for a Certification Plan to finalize testing environment and configurations under test.
  3. Technology Provider equipment shipped to CyberRatings.org.
  4. CyberRatings.org executes up to three preparatory certification tests. Review results and troubleshoot.
  5. CyberRatings.org runs certification test and achieves 100% success.
  6. CyberRatings.org informs MEF of successful certification for publication on the MEF Technology Certification Registry, with approval of the Technology Provider.

For more details about the SASE Certification process, see the MEF SASE Certification Specification Sheet for Technology Providers.

MEF’s SASE Certification Partner

CyberRatings.org is a nonprofit organization formed by former executives from NSS Labs to provide transparency through testing.

NSS Labs was an independent analysis and testing company recognized around the world for its fact-based cybersecurity guidance. Vikram Phatak, founder of CyberRatings.org, was CEO of NSS Labs from 2007–2018.

Launched in December 2020, CyberRatings acquired the assets of NSS Labs to jump start its testing program. Initial testing began in a dedicated data center followed by a physical lab now running in Austin, Texas.

CyberRatings proprietary ratings system (similar to Moody’s) provides guidance on products and services capabilities in a language understood by all.

What Can I Achieve with MEF 3.0 Cybersecurity Certification?

MEF 3.0 Cybersecurity certifications for technologies enables technology suppliers to establish a standards-compliant presence within a federation of automated networks.

Cybersecurity Certification advantages:

  • Validated performance excellence.
  • Competitive differentiation.

Explore MEF SASE Certifications for Technologies

Certifications for SD-WAN Technologies

Explore MEF 3.0 Certifications for SD-WAN Technologies

Certifications for SSE Technologies

Explore MEF 3.0 Certifications for SSE Technologies

Certifications for Zero Trust Technologies

Explore MEF 3.0 Certifications for Zero Trust Technologies

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