Zero Trust Security in the AI Era and the Latest Trends in Next-Generation SASE

Macnica exhibited at "Interop Tokyo 2026," a showcase of the latest technologies held at Makuhari Messe from June 10th to 12th, 2026, and presented the latest developments of the Cato SASE Platform.

Interop is an exhibition that originated from the interoperability testing of network equipment and security products from different vendors. Its most distinctive feature is the demonstration using actual equipment connections within the integrated LAN "ShowNet," which spans 4 to 8 halls.

This year's theme was "The Next Chapter of AI and the Internet." The exhibition focused on the utilization and security of AI. Following last year's event, Macnica exhibited a booth in collaboration with Cato Networks, providing demonstrations and individual consultations.

Cato AI Security Starting from JR Kaihin-Makuhari Station

At JR Kaihin-Makuhari Station, the nearest station to the venue, we displayed banner advertisements promoting Cato Networks' AI security to welcome visitors. The aim of this transit advertising within the station was to raise awareness of the AI security features that were newly added this year.

People waiting at the station were heard saying things like, "This year, AI security measures are the focus," and "Cato is gaining momentum," which made me realize the high level of interest in security in the age of AI.

AI-Native SASE enables a next-generation security infrastructure.

All 100 Cato Points of Purchase (PoPs) worldwide are equipped with NVIDIA GPUs. AI attacks are countered with AI security.

Cato Networks has implemented NVIDIA GPUs in its Points of Presence (PoPs) operating in over 100 locations worldwide, building AI-Native SASE. At this exhibition, we explained the key functional categories of our newly added AI security, which can be contracted as a standalone service, and SASE, which can be added on a module-by-module basis, in both our booth and mini-theater.

The engineers who work on Cato gave presentations on each of its features.

At our booth and mini-theater, we explained the latest use cases for each functional area, including AI Security, ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) for SSL-VPN migration, CASB for shadow AI countermeasures, and SD-WAN for migrating from MPLS.

The growing demand for "de-SSL-VPN" and the shift to zero trust.

The popular consultation corner for migrating to the Cato SASE Platform.

In recent years, ransomware attacks have become a major social issue, leading to business disruption and business continuity risks. Cybercrime data released by the National Police Agency also shows that VPNs and RDPs are still frequently used as entry points for attacks.

The Universal ZTNA section allows you to finely configure VPN settings to enhance remote access.

Against this backdrop, an increasing number of companies are considering migrating from traditional perimeter-based networks to zero-trust architectures. We have prepared a booth to explain migration methods to SASE and ZTNA for such customers.

With over 1,000 companies using it domestically, Cato Networks is entering a mature phase.

Cato Networks has established a solid position as a leader in the SASE field in the Japanese market, with over 1,000 companies using its solutions domestically.

At this exhibition, we saw a large number of visitors not only from customers considering new implementations, but also from existing users. Existing users asked many questions about the newly added features and roadmap, which reaffirmed our understanding of the high expectations for the Cato platform.

The widespread use of AI and the high level of interest in AI Security

The AI security demo session was a great success, with attendees filling the aisles.

The use of generative AI is expanding rapidly, but this is also giving rise to new challenges, such as preventing data leaks, ensuring compliance, and visualizing AI usage.
One of the most talked-about themes during Interop was "Cato AI Security."
In addition to conventional countermeasures against shadow AI using CASB and DLP,

• Prompt injection countermeasures to detect attacks on AI
• Guardrail control to prevent inappropriate AI behavior
• Visualization of AI usage and risk management

Many visitors asked questions about advanced features such as behavioral control over AI.
For information systems departments, balancing the promotion of AI utilization with strengthening governance is a crucial issue. Cato Networks' AI Security has attracted considerable attention as a practical approach to this challenge.

Leading expert team in AI security

At this year's Interop, Matan Getz and Adeel Glass, VPs of AI Security at Cato Networks, came to Japan to give presentations on the latest trends in AI security.

Cato Networks' AI Security team is also known as the research team that first reported the zero-click AI vulnerability "EchoLeak (CVE-2025-32711)" in Microsoft 365 Copilot.

In addition to utilizing AI, we are also continuously researching new threats that target AI itself, and a major strength of our company is that we are incorporating the latest knowledge into our products.

In addition to monitoring and controlling users of shadow AI countermeasures, we have also implemented security governance functions for our proprietary AI and agent-based AI, and will continue to automatically enhance these functions as AI evolves.

The evolving SD-WAN appliance, "Cato Socket"

From left to right: the X1500 for small offices, the X1600LTE for offices, and a new addition: the wirelessly installable X1600 5G+WiFi.

This year, we were able to quickly obtain the newly released "Cato Socket X1600 5G/Wi-Fi" in Japan, making this the first time it has been exhibited domestically.
This product boasts a maximum communication speed of 1Gbps and integrates dual-SIM 5G communication and Wi-Fi 6 access point functionality in addition to conventional WAN connectivity.
As a result,

• Temporary office before the installation of the network lines.
• showroom
• Event venue
• Locations where fiber optic cable installation is difficult

Even in such environments, zero-trust networks can be easily deployed quickly and securely. Furthermore, the X1700C for data centers supports throughput of up to 20Gb, allowing you to confidently use SASE for high-bandwidth applications in the age of AI and web conferencing.
It was impressive to see so many customers eagerly examining the Cato Socket in person, checking its operability and ease of installation.

Zero-touch SD-WAN router Cato Socket

Macnica 's track record of implementations in over 600 companies and abundant user case studies

Cato Networks has been implemented through Macnica, with over 600 companies in Japan utilizing the system across a wide range of industries and business types.

This year, we created a case study collection for the first time, compiling all of these examples into one book. It provides a detailed summary of the background, challenges, and effects after implementation, and was picked up by many visitors, resulting in such a positive response that all copies were gone by the final day.

We received high praise for this valuable resource, which helps us understand why companies choose Cato SASE, how they use it, and what value they derive from it. We hope to continue sharing various ways in which our customers are utilizing Cato SASE with everyone.

Cato Networks User Cases

in conclusion

Since 2017, Macnica has been supporting Japanese companies in building secure network infrastructures as a primary distributor of Cato Networks in Japan. And this year, for the third consecutive year, we have been recognized as the top leader among domestic distributors.

With the acceleration of AI adoption, the importance of single-vendor SASE, which integrates AI security based on a SASE platform that integrates networking and security, is increasing more than ever.

Going forward, Macnica will continue to support our customers in realizing their AI zero-trust environments and maximizing the value of the Cato SASE Platform through our extensive implementation track record and advanced technical support.

Cato Networks is Macnica.

Macnica

Fujio Suzuki

In 1989, I was in charge of fiber optic products in the United States. Later, in the information systems department, I worked as a Macnica webmaster, building and managing websites. From 2005, I worked in cloud service sales, and from 2010, I was in charge of Splunk products, promoting CSIRT (Computer Security Incident Response Team) awareness. Since 2019, I have been in charge of product marketing for Cato Networks. I hold SASE Expert Level 2 and SSE Expert certifications. My recent hobby is creating music using AI.