Zero Trust Network Access is a security system meticulously designed to enhance network security by transitioning away from the traditional perimeter-based security approach towards a more decentralized and identity-focused paradigm. With Zero Trust Network Access, it addresses the shortcomings of traditional network security systems by operating under the assumption that threats can emanate from both within and outside the network. Consequently, the practice of granting network trust by default is entirely eschewed.
Zero Trust Network Access stands in stark contrast to Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which afford users complete access to the local network (LAN). Instead, Zero Trust Network Access steadfastly adheres to the principle of default denial, allowing access solely to services explicitly authorized for each individual user. It is paramount to comprehend the security vulnerabilities and advantages that Zero Trust Network Access solutions bring to organizations, particularly as an increasing number of remote users join the network.
In Zero Trust Network Access, user access is established after the user has been authenticated to the Zero Trust Network Access service. The Zero Trust Network Access service will then provide access to applications on behalf of the user through a secure and encrypted tunnel. This provides an additional layer of protection for corporate applications and services by safeguarding the actual IP addresses that should remain hidden from the public view. Zero Trust Network Access leverages the concept of a "dark cloud," which means it prevents users from seeing any applications and services for which they do not have permission to access.
Why Zero Trust Network Access?
1. Zero Trust
Zero Trust Network Access is founded on the principle of zero trust or "trust nothing", verify everything". This can provides significantly better security and micro-segmentation by effectively treating each user and device like their own perimeter and constantly assessing and verifying identity and health to obtain access to corporate applications and data.
2. Device Health
Zero Trust Network Access integrates device compliance and health into access policies, giving us the option to exclude non-compliant, infected or compromised systems from accessing corporate applications and data and eliminating and important threat vector and reducing risk of data.
3. More Transparent
Zero Trust Network Access provides a frictionless, seamless and user experience by automatically secure connections on demand behind the scenes as they are needed.
4. Better Visibility
Zero Trust Network Access can offer increased visibility into application activity that can be important for monitoring application status, capacity planning and licensing management and auditing.
5. Easier Administration
Zero Trust Network Access solutions are often much leaner, cleaner and therefore easier to deploy and manage.