---
title: "Locke vs CASB and Secure Service Edge Platforms"
description: "CASB and SSE platforms inspect AI traffic at the network layer. They cannot act before the data leaves the device, and often cannot reach personal or BYOD devices. Locke operates at the device layer — before any prompt is transmitted."
url: "https://sonomos.ai/compare/sonomos-vs-casb-sse/"
source: "https://sonomos.ai/compare/sonomos-vs-casb-sse/"
---

# Locke vs CASB and Secure Service Edge Platforms

CASB and SSE platforms such as Netskope, Zscaler and Palo Alto Prisma SASE govern outbound traffic at the network layer. Every major vendor now ships AI-specific modules: detecting traffic to known AI services, logging or blocking requests and, in some deployments, inspecting prompt content via TLS interception. They give compliance teams the centralised, auditable record they need. But they work server-side, after data has left the device. Without TLS interception deployed they can't inspect anything on endpoints, which usually rules out personal devices and creates friction even on managed ones.

## When CASB and Secure Service Edge platforms fits

- You need centralised visibility and a full audit log of all AI service traffic across the corporate network or managed endpoints.
- You need to block access to unsanctioned AI tools at the network layer for an entire fleet of managed devices.
- Your existing CASB or SSE investment already covers your device estate and you need to extend policy to AI destinations.

## When Locke fits

- You want detection to happen before data leaves the device, without the on-the-wire exposure that even CASB inspection involves.
- Your workforce includes personal or BYOD devices where TLS interception is not deployed and CASB content inspection cannot reach.
- You need a zero-knowledge control: the privacy layer itself never sees prompt content, unlike CASB inspection which reads the full prompt.

## Side-by-side

| Dimension | Locke | CASB and SSE platforms |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Where inspection runs | On the device, inside the browser, before any network call. | At the network layer, after data has left the endpoint. |
| Coverage of personal and BYOD devices | Same controls regardless of device type. Runs in the browser. | Requires TLS interception or endpoint agent; often not deployed on personal devices. |
| Does sensitive data cross the network? | No. Masked before any network call is made. | Yes. Data leaves the endpoint and passes through the CASB inspection point. |
| Prompt visibility to the inspection vendor | Zero. Sonomos never sees prompt content. | The CASB operator can read full prompt content for policy evaluation. |
| Deployment effort | Per-user, on-device Locke Early Access install: days to weeks. | Network proxy, endpoint agent or identity integration: weeks to months. |

## Bottom line

CASB and SSE give you the centralised, network-layer governance regulated enterprises need: audit logs, policy enforcement and AI destination controls. Locke covers what they can't reach, such as the prompt that never hits the proxy or the personal device with no TLS interception.

[Download Locke](https://sonomos.ai/downloads/)[See the Locke demo](https://sonomos.ai/locke/#demo)[See pricing](https://sonomos.ai/pricing/)[Talk to the team](https://sonomos.ai/contact/)

## Related comparisons

- [Locke vs Cloud-Based Data Loss Prevention](https://sonomos.ai/compare/sonomos-vs-cloud-dlp/)
- [Locke vs Enterprise Privacy Platforms](https://sonomos.ai/compare/sonomos-vs-enterprise-privacy/)
- [Locke vs AI API Gateways and Proxies](https://sonomos.ai/compare/sonomos-vs-ai-gateway/)

[View all comparisons](https://sonomos.ai/compare/)

## Further reading

- [The Best AI Privacy Tools for ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini (2026)](https://sonomos.ai/blog/best-ai-privacy-tools-chatgpt-claude-gemini-2026/)
- [AI Data Leakage: 7 Ways Sensitive Information Escapes to LLMs (and How to Stop It)](https://sonomos.ai/blog/ai-data-leakage-7-ways-sensitive-info-escapes-to-llms/)
- [What Is PII Redaction? A Plain-English Guide for AI Users](https://sonomos.ai/blog/what-is-pii-redaction-ai/)