Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps + Global Secure Access
Native CASB for the Microsoft estate with Entra Global Secure Access adding ZTNA and SWG — bundled in M365 E5 and Entra Suite
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps (MCAS) is the native CASB for the Microsoft ecosystem, with the deepest integration into Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams. 31,000+ apps are risk-rated and Conditional Access App Control delivers session-level policy. Entra Global Secure Access (GSA) extends the stack into ZTNA and SWG for Microsoft-centric estates. Bundled in M365 E5 and Entra Suite, the platform delivers strong CASB + emerging SSE coverage at zero or near-zero incremental licence cost for E5 customers. Most regulated buyers pair MCAS + GSA with Sophos or Check Point when full SASE convergence is in scope.
Bundling
MCAS + GSA bundled in M365 E5 / Entra Suite
M365 integration
Native into Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams
App coverage
31,000+ apps risk-rated
Best fit
Microsoft-centric estates already on E5
Why it wins
What makes Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps + Global Secure Access a serious option
Zero or near-zero incremental licence cost
If you are already on Microsoft 365 E5 or Entra Suite, MCAS and Global Secure Access are bundled. No additional vendor relationship to procure, no separate SKU, no parallel infrastructure to operate.
Deepest CASB for the Microsoft estate
MCAS is built on Microsoft's own visibility into Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams. API depth and policy granularity into the M365 surface is structurally deeper than any third-party CASB can be.
Conditional Access App Control for session policy
Conditional Access App Control delivers reverse-proxy session policy — control upload, download, copy, paste at the SaaS-tenant level based on user, device posture and risk. Strong for high-risk SaaS access scenarios.
Entra Global Secure Access adds ZTNA and SWG
Global Secure Access extends the Microsoft SSE stack with Entra-Private Access (ZTNA) and Entra-Internet Access (SWG). Bundled in Entra Suite and natively integrated with Conditional Access — the same identity policy engine drives both.
31,000+ apps with cloud-risk scoring
MCAS Cloud App Catalog risk-rates 31,000+ apps across compliance, security and legal dimensions. Useful for Shadow IT discovery and SaaS sanctioning workflows in regulated UAE estates.
Same identity policy engine across CASB, ZTNA and SWG
MCAS, Global Secure Access and Conditional Access all share Entra's identity model. One policy authoring layer covers identity, ZTNA, SWG and CASB session control — unique consolidation depth in the Microsoft-centric scenario.
Who should put Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps + Global Secure Access on the shortlist
UAE customers already on Microsoft 365 E5 or Entra Suite contracts
Microsoft-centric estates (M365, Azure, Dynamics) with limited non-Microsoft SaaS scope
Organisations needing the deepest CASB into Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams
Buyers pairing MCAS + GSA with Sophos or Check Point for full SASE convergence
SME and mid-market customers wanting bundled CASB + ZTNA + SWG at zero incremental cost
Government and educational institutions standardised on the Microsoft stack
Customers needing Conditional Access App Control for high-risk SaaS sessions
Product portfolio
Modules we deploy and manage
Picking the right SKU is as important as picking the right vendor. We size by user count, SaaS surface, deployment mode and SASE feature mix, not by brochure tier.
What to consider
The honest watch-outs
Every platform has trade-offs. We would rather raise these now than have you discover them three months into a deployment.
Best when the buyer is fully Microsoft-centric
MCAS depth is unmatched inside the Microsoft estate. For multi-SaaS estates with significant non-Microsoft scope (Salesforce, Box, ServiceNow, multi-cloud), Netskope CASB typically delivers broader depth across the wider SaaS footprint.
Limited RBI, no SD-WAN
Microsoft's Remote Browser Isolation story is less mature than Palo Alto or Netskope. GSA does not include SD-WAN. For full SASE convergence including SD-WAN and RBI, pair MCAS + GSA with Sophos or Check Point.
GSA newer than dedicated SSE specialists
Global Secure Access is newer than dedicated SSE platforms (Netskope, Prisma Access) and continues to mature. Validate current feature parity against your specific SSE requirements during evaluation.
Requires Entra ID P2 / E5 prerequisites
Full MCAS and GSA capability depends on Entra ID P2 (bundled in M365 E5 / Entra Suite). E3 customers must upgrade or add the Entra Suite licence to unlock the full stack.
Why Artiflex IT
Delivering Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps + Global Secure Access across the UAE
Artiflex IT delivers Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps and Entra Global Secure Access for UAE customers already on M365 E5 or Entra Suite. Our team covers MCAS policy design, Conditional Access App Control rollouts, GSA architecture and Purview / Defender XDR integration. We are equally honest about scope: for full SASE convergence with SD-WAN and the deepest non-Microsoft CASB scope, we recommend pairing MCAS + GSA with Sophos Workspace Protection, Check Point Harmony SASE or Netskope.
Frequently asked
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps + Global Secure Access questions we hear from UAE buyers
For Microsoft-centric SME and mid-market estates without significant non-Microsoft SaaS scope or SD-WAN requirements — often yes, especially when M365 E5 is already on contract. For regulated UAE banks, ministries and enterprises with broad multi-cloud / multi-SaaS scope and SASE convergence requirements, MCAS + GSA is typically paired with Sophos or Check Point.
Yes for full capability. Entra ID P2 is bundled in M365 E5 and Entra Suite. E3 / Business Premium customers must upgrade or add Entra ID P2 separately to unlock MCAS Conditional Access App Control and Global Secure Access.
GSA's strength is Entra-native identity policy unification — the same engine drives CASB, ZTNA and SWG. For Microsoft-centric estates this is structurally deep. For broader SSE feature depth (RBI, advanced cloud DLP, SaaS-app coverage beyond Microsoft), dedicated SSE specialists (Netskope, Palo Alto) typically lead.
Yes — MCAS runs standalone as a CASB even without Global Secure Access deployment. Many UAE customers start with MCAS for the M365-native CASB scope and add GSA later as the ZTNA + SWG layer matures inside the estate.
Ready to evaluate Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps + Global Secure Access?
Free Workspace Protection assessment, vendor-neutral sizing, and a written recommendation. We will tell you when another vendor is the better fit.