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What is Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

by | Aug 9, 2021 | Business, Computer Virus, Internet | 0 comments

Zero Trust Network Access

What is Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)?

When you see the letters ZTNA, you may not immediately think of cyber security, but you should. Zero trust network access (ZTNA), is an IT security solution that provides secure remote access to a business’s applications, data, and services based on clearly defined access control policies.

Zero Trust Network Access ZTNA is an adaptive, context-based way to offer remote-worker access. ZTNA has three key ideas:

  • Act as if you’ve been breached already

  • Verify explicitly

  • Limit user access to just enough access and just-in-time access

If you assume everything is a potential threat, you will verify each access attempt. ZTNA doesn’t have to replace VPN completely, but it often will, especially as ZTNA addresses hardware and bandwidth limitations of traditional VPN access.

What are the Benefits of ZTNA?

Zero Trust Network Access ZTNA offers a number of added benefits that make it a much more attractive solution:

  • More Granular Control:  ZTNA allows more granular control over who can access applications and data.

  • Better Security:  ZTNA removes suggested trust and incorporates device status and health in access policies that further enhances security.

  • Easier to Enroll Staff:  ZTNA is much easier to roll-out and enroll new employees, especially if they are working remotely.

  • Transparent to Users:  ZTNA offers “just works” transparency to users with friction less connection management.

Worldwide, work environments are re-opening to employees. Yet remote work is here to stay. That probably means a shift at your business, too. One obvious change is the need to provide remote access to systems and software. You may have provided employees with business laptops for use away from the office. Perhaps you added a virtual private network (VPN) to secure application access. Many businesses turned to cloud-based solutions as another answer.

Yet all this digital business transformation increases business cyber security risk. Remote workers want access from anywhere, anytime, from any device. While this supports convenient connections and collaborations online, the attack surface also grows.

Why ZTNA for Remote Work?

Remote workers connect via unsecured public networks or inadequately protected home networks. They use personal devices. So, Zero Trust Network Access ZTNA makes absolute sense.

Zero Trust Network Access ZTNA grants access based on the identity of the humans and their devices, but that’s not all. ZTNA considers conditions clues (such as time, date, location, and device posture).

Adding Multi-Factor Authentication moves the verification of trust beyond a single factor. For example, a hacker with stolen access credentials might get past a single-factor check, but with Multi-Factor Authentication, the hacker would also need to have access to the individual’s physical device.

A strong zero-trust strategy verifies identities across all devices and users. No individual or device earns trust simply because it is within the network. The ZTNA approach gains visibility of all devices trying to access the network. This wariness also helps the business discover malicious applications or inappropriate user actions.

ZTNA uses the least-privilege-access principle. That means people access only what they need to do their work, no more. Plus, communications are encrypted, too.

All this makes the business system more flexible. Remote workers and partners enjoy a more flexible, responsive way of gaining access. Meanwhile, the business reduces its surface attack area. Only what is needed at that moment by that particular person is exposed to the internet, and the underlying network remains protected. Hackers are prevented from being able to move through the systems and wreak more havoc.

Starting with Zero-Trust Security

To get started with ZTNA, partner with our “Abuzz Technologies” experts to put this method in place at your business. Contact us today at 215-600-0349. Abuzz Technologies is providing IT Support for Businesses in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties for over 15 years.