Zscaler is making another move to enhance its security services edge (SSE) by introducing an artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) powered data classification and discovery engine to protect data across all channels and simplify operations through automated workflows.

The vendor earlier this year named a leader in Gartner's first Magic Quadrant for SSE. But the analysis firm cautioned that the security vendor’s data security capabilities lagged behind other vendors including advanced AI support.

Zscaler targeted this “weakness” with the rollout of its AI-powered data protection services while addressing the complex issues that traditional data loss protection (DLP) has during pre- and post-deployment and management.

Its auto-classification and discovery engine is based on its cloud-delivered security platform that inspects about 170 million files and sees 250 billion Internet transactions per day, Moinul Khan, VP and GM of data protection platform at Zscaler, told SDxCentral.

“Whenever we see a piece of the data on the wire we will automatically classify them and then we will bring this visibility up front,” Khan explained.

Zscaler’s existing DLP services cover web, Software-as-a-Service, Infrastructure-as-a-Service, platform-as-a-service (PaaS), and private apps, and now it adds the endpoint and email data protection capabilities. Khan claims this consolidation helps customers avoid using several different DLP engines for on-premises, endpoint, and cloud traffic.

Additionally, the vendor provides workflow automation services built on its ShiftRight acquisition. Zscaler bought the closed-loop security workflow automation provider in September, and planned to integrate the platform into its Zero Trust Exchange cloud security platform.

“After we got that company we basically integrated that technology with our data protection and Cloud Access Security Broker [cloud access security brokers],” Khan said. “What customers are essentially benefiting from is that with a single click of a button you can start assigning all your data protection violations to various stakeholders in the organization.”

ShiftRight was the security vendor’s latest purchase to bolster its SSE and zero-trust platform. It nabbed Trustdome, a cloud infrastructure entitlement management company, and deception technology provider Smokescreen last year.

The vendor also recently improved its CASB services, though it does not have plans to offer standalone CASB or DLP products. Khan said it plans to integrate those platforms into its SSE portfolio.

“People are just tired of another security tool, so what we did is we built that entire stack as part of our fully-consolidated SSE platform,” he said.

A single integrated platform like SSE consolidates CASB, DLP, secure web gateways (SWG), and zero-trust capabilities, Khan added. “You don't have to chase five or six different vendors doing different things.”