Cisco Systems Inc. is fusing the best of its security software offerings with its software-defined wide area network tools announced today, in a bid to help secure modern applications no matter where they’re accessed from.

Cisco’s SD-WAN platform is used to connect enterprise networks such as branch offices and data centers over large geographic distances. Back in the day, WAN connections often required special proprietary hardware. But the SD-WAN movement does away with this hardware as it moves network control into the cloud using a software approach.

The advantages of using an SD-WAN are plenty. They’re said to improve internet connectivity and more importantly for some enterprises, they also mean there’s no need to shell out heaps of cash on expensive routing hardware, as connectivity and services can all be provisioned in the cloud. SD-WAN can also be more flexible, as connectivity can be controlled through cloud software. That means customers can scale up or “burst” connectivity during times of peak demand.

One downside with SD-WAN is that it’s considered a little less secure than traditional WAN. The problem is that companies must rely on the internet to connect their users to critical business applications, and those users can often be found in insecure places such as public coffee shops and airport lounges. Adding to the risk is that many organizations host their applications and data in multiple public and private clouds. It all adds up to a much larger attack surface.

To compensate, Cisco is bolstering its SD-WAN platform by tacking on its most powerful security tools and services. They include its application-aware enterprise firewall, intrusion prevention software and URL filtering tools. The company is also making it easier to deploy cloud security tools through an integration with Cisco Umbrella, a secure internet gateway service that blocks access to malicious destinations on the web before a connection can be established.

The security updates are just one of the few features being added to Cisco’s SD-WAN tools. Others include a tighter integration with Microsoft Corp.’s Office 365 platform. The idea is to enhance the user experience for Office 365 users by monitoring all available paths to Office URLs in real time, providing the fastest and most reliable connection every time.

“Today, every WAN device must become software-defined and secure,” Scott Harrell, Cisco’s senior vice president and general manager of Enterprise Networking, said in a statement. “Cisco’s SD-WAN makes it easy for customers to get the very best of networking and security. We are building a bridge to a new business world that speeds our customers’ ability to unlock the power of the cloud — faster with less risk.”

Cisco said its integrated SD-WAN and security offerings will be available in the fourth quarter and can be purchased through a single-license model and managed through a single interface.

Cisco is also throwing in some new hardware that customers and cloud providers can use to power its SD-WAN. These include the new Cisco ISR 1111X-8P and ISR 4461 platforms, both of which are available now.

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