Zero Trust Network Access

What is Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)?

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is a cyber security solution designed to securely manage and control access to applications and network resources, especially for remote and distributed workforces. ZTNA ensures secure access for remote users by creating a set of conditionals for user access. It follows the Zero Trust security model, which emphasises ‘never trust, always verify.’ Instead of assuming users or devices inside the network are trusted, ZTNA continually authenticates users based on predefined criteria. This model focuses on strict endpoint activity verification, ensuring access is granted based on user identity, device security posture, location, and time.

ZTNA also provides threat intelligence by tracking and logging user interactions, allowing organisations to detect potential risks proactively. Each access request is scrutinised, minimising the attack surface by enforcing least-privilege access—users can only access what is necessary for their roles.

What Does Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) Do?

ZTNA solutions create secure, encrypted connections between users and the resources they need, whilst obscuring unnecessary parts of the network. Unlike traditional VPNs, which provide broad access, ZTNA grants access based on strict authentication and context, significantly limiting what each user can see or interact with. By doing this, ZTNA ensures that, even in the event of an attack, only part of the network is exposed. This reduces the overall risk and potential damage. By removing data and other assets from public view, ZTNA minimises the extent to which an attacker can access and cause damage to an organisation’s system. With ZTNA, users can only see the resources they are authorised for, hiding the rest of the network from view. Granular access controls limit exposure and prevent lateral movement in the event of a breach.

ZTNA continuously monitors endpoint activity, using threat intelligence to detect and respond to anomalous or malicious behaviours in real-time. Additionally, many organisations now use a ZTNA service to outsource the implementation and support of their ZTNA infrastructure. These cyber security services can provide 24/7 security monitoring, incident response, and ensure that all policies and configurations remain up-to-date, providing peace of mind for organisations without extensive internal security teams.

Why Do You Need Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)?

ZTNA is increasingly vital in today’s cyber security landscape as organisations make the security conscious decision to transition away from legacy technologies like VPNs. VPNs, while useful, allow broad access to network resources, which increases risk if compromised. ZTNA, on the other hand, is more flexible and precise in its functions. It can be customised to specific network demands, and grants users only the permissions they need and nothing more, reducing the potential attack surface.

Some key reasons why ZTNA is essential include:

• Enhanced security posture: By continuously monitoring endpoint activity and using advanced authentication methods, ZTNA ensures only verified users and devices can access the network. This reduces the risk of unauthorised access.
• Limit exposure in case of an attack: Unlike VPNs, which provide wide-reaching access, ZTNA restricts access to specific applications, limiting the impact of any potential breach. If one endpoint is compromised, the attacker won’t gain full network visibility.
• Simplified management: ZTNA solutions can be customised to specific organisational needs, providing more flexibility than traditional solutions. ZTNA services also allow organisations to offload the day-to-day support of their security, ensuring the system remains optimised without stretching internal resources.
• Improved compliance: ZTNA helps businesses meet cyber security compliance requirements by providing strict access controls and visibility into user activity. This is especially critical for industries handling sensitive data and ensures eligibility for cyber insurance policies.
• Optimised for remote work: As more organisations solidify hybrid and remote work practices, ZTNA provides secure access to cloud and network resources, making it ideal for today’s distributed workforces. Users can connect to what they need without exposing the entire network.

ZTNA’s seamless integration with cloud environments and ability to scale according to company needs makes it an adaptable and future-proof solution for securing modern business infrastructures.

With remote work on the rise, businesses must upgrade their cyber security strategies. VPNs, once the standard for secure remote access, now expose networks to risks due to their implicit trust model, granting users broad access once authenticated. This allows attackers to move laterally within the network, to access everything that is stored there.

Instead, ZTNA enhances security by preventing unauthorised lateral movement and reducing attack surfaces. ZTNA solutions can also integrate seamlessly with modern cloud environments and security tools. VPNs often suffer from performance issues due to centralised gateways, which cause slow speeds and frustrate users. ZTNA optimises access by directly connecting users to applications, improving speed and reliability. Additionally, if VPN credentials are compromised, attackers gain full network access, whereas ZTNA enforces least-privilege access, limiting potential damage. As cyber threats evolve, VPNs can no longer provide sufficient security. ZTNA offers a more scalable, efficient, and secure solution, ensuring businesses can protect sensitive data while maintaining productivity in an increasingly remote workforce.

Zero Trust Access Network (ZTNA) in the current cyber landscape

The rise of hybrid and remote work has introduced new security challenges, driving increased investment in solutions like VPNs, SASE, and Zero Trust. These tools are critical for providing secure, flexible access across varied work settings, supporting a ‘work from anywhere’ culture while safeguarding sensitive data. As cloud adoption grows, Zero Trust is becoming central to modern Security Operations Centres (SOCs), helping mitigate remote access and insider threats. Strategies like micro-segmentation limit attack impact by isolating network segments. Zero Trust Network Access further enhances secure remote access, making Zero Trust the foundation of adaptive cyber security.

Supply chain security

As businesses become more digitally intertwined within their supply chains, the frequency of supply chain cyber breaches has increased significantly. As businesses expand and outsource, they often lack comprehensive monitoring and understanding of all third-party connections, leaving these entry points vulnerable. As large enterprises strengthen their defences, attackers are targeting smaller suppliers to infiltrate broader networks. This has led to stricter security demands from large businesses to the rest of their supply chain. With software supply chain attacks set to increase, strong cyber security practices are crucial, making security controls such as ZTNA more important than ever. Employing ZTNA enhances the security posture of your company and is increasingly required to qualify for and remain compliant with many supply chains, industry-wide regulations and cyber insurance policies.

How does ZTNA reduce third party risk?

ZNTA enforces strict access controls and minimises the attack surface, consequently reducing third party risk. Third parties are only granted access to specific applications or resources, rather than the full access to a network, therefore reducing risk of lateral movement should an attacker enter the network. Additionally, it employs continuous identify verification, ensuring strong authorisation to gain access. Trust is not granted, it is earnt, and all users need to be repeatedly verified. These measures significantly reduce the risk of third-party breaches, data leaks and unauthorised access.