VPN and what comes after: why ZTNA and SASE are the future of business security
VPN and what comes after: why ZTNA and SASE are the future of business security
VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) have been crucial for businesses, providing secure remote access to corporate networks. However, traditional VPNs are increasingly vulnerable to sophisticated cyberattacks and struggle with scalability in today’s dynamic work environment. Enter Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), the next-generation solutions reshaping business security.
ZTNA operates on a “never trust, always verify” model, granting access only to authenticated users, thereby significantly reducing the attack surface. SASE, on the other hand, combines networking and security into a single cloud-based service, offering enhanced flexibility, scalability, and performance. For businesses, ZTNA and SASE offer superior security, simplified management, and greater resilience against evolving threats, making them essential in the digital age.
No network overhaul required
So? Do you have to overhaul your infrastructure to adopt ZTNA, No! ZTNA doesn’t require extending the corporate network to remote users as VPN’s do. This simplifies management and can reduce operational and maintenance costs with a lower deployment complexity and the added benefits of application specific access models compared to full network access via traditional VPN’s.
ZTNA also takes some of the burden off your Infrastructure team. Majority of solutions are delivered as a service, meaning they’re managed and updated by the provider. This reduces the need for your infrastructure teams to maintain infrastructure like a dedicated VPN concentrators or worry about scaling hardware to handle remote user traffic.
Many ZTNA tools also come with pre-built integrations for identity providers, endpoint management tools, and cloud platforms, which means a lot of the heavy lifting is already done for you.
Where to start?
ZTNA is designed to be flexible and shaped around your environment whether you’re a large enterprise or a small organization. ZTNA can be implemented and rolled out in stages without the need to rip out your existing security infrastructure or measures, and while ZTNA is cloud centric it works just as well with legacy infrastructure whether that would be on-prem or hybrid.
So, adopting ZTNA may sound like a huge technical overhaul however with some good old planning and phased deployments the transition can be easier that you may think.
How does SASE tie in with ZTNA?
In a modern infrastructure complying with security controls, SASE and ZTNA works hand in hand to provide network connectivity with security in a cloud-based service providing simple and efficient access to resources, regardless of their location. ZTNA within SASE enforces the “never trust, always verify” principles ensuring both users and devices are authenticated and authorized before they access internal/external applications. Incorporating SASE with ZTNA provides organizations with the ability to apply zero trust policies across the network, cloud, on-prem and hybrid networks.
How does it work?
Imagine a user working from home who needs access to an internal cloud-based tool and an on-prem directory. SASE and ZTNA would work together to secure the user session:
ZTNA:
- User logs in verifying identity via MFA
- ZTNA Policy checks the device posture patching/encryption policies
- Access is granted based on required apps – not full network access
SASE:
- User traffic is routed through secure gateway away from dirty internet
- Cloud access security broker (CASB) monitors session to ensure compliance with group policy
Working hand in hand ZTNA will ensure the user can only access authorized applications while SASE handles security and session performance.
The future of business security
In summary, change can be scary, and the undertaking of new models and functions can be daunting, however in an ever-changing world we must adapt and although VPN’s have served us loyally and well, traditional VPNs can’t compete in a modern theatre. ZTNA and SASE are the future because they are built specifically for the modern challenges and for the modern network. Long gone are the days where we are required simply to just connect a user to a network. ZTNA and SASE secure every connection, protect all data and provide seamless scalability all while delivering a premium user experience.
Author: Harjinder Singh Harar, consultant at Orange Cyberdefense