Page 283 - Cyber Defense eMagazine Annual RSA Edition for 2024

ZTNA: Beyond the VPN - A Look at the

Future of Secure Access

By Jaye Tillson, Director of Strategy, Axis Security

The rise of remote and hybrid work models, coupled with the mass adoption of cloud-based applications
and services, has rendered our traditional perimeter-based security tools obsolete. Firewalls and secure
network zones, once the cornerstones of corporate network security, are struggling to keep pace with the
dynamic and distributed nature of the modern workplace. Imagine a sprawling medieval kingdom with
countless access points, far too many to effectively guard with a single, static castle wall.

ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) emerges as a powerful solution for this new reality. It addresses the
challenges of securing a dispersed workforce by employing a "least privilege" access model. This means
users and devices are only granted access to the specific resources they need, for the exact duration
required. No more granting blanket access to entire network segments. Each request is carefully
evaluated and authorized before a secure connection is established.

But what does the future hold for ZTNA? Let's delve into some exciting trends that are shaping the next
phase of secure access:

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