Replacing traditional, perimeter-based network security with a Zero Trust Architecture powered by Zscaler. Reducing attack surface, eliminating lateral movement, and securing the hybrid workforce.
VPNs place users directly onto the corporate network. Once inside the perimeter, users have excessive visibility into internal routing and resources.
Compromised end-user devices or stolen credentials allow attackers to easily pivot and move laterally across data centers and cloud environments.
Backhauling all traffic through central VPN concentrators creates network choke points, resulting in high latency and expensive hardware scaling.
Context: A global enterprise with 10,000+ employees recently transitioned to a "work-from-anywhere" model. Employees require seamless access to a hybrid environment: SaaS apps (M365, Salesforce) and private, custom internal applications hosted on-premises and in AWS.
The legacy VPN is suffering from bandwidth exhaustion, latency complaints, and a recent security audit flagged an unacceptable level of internal lateral movement risk.
Moving from perimeter-based security to Identity and Context-based security via Zscaler.
Replaces the inbound VPN. ZPA brokers inside-out connections between users and specific internal applications (micro-segmentation). No inbound firewall ports are opened; the network remains "dark" to the internet.
A Secure Web Gateway (SWG) that protects users connecting to the internet and SaaS applications. Ensures continuous threat protection and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) without backhauling traffic.
| Feature | Legacy VPN Architecture | Zscaler Zero Trust Architecture |
|---|---|---|
| Trust Model | Trust by location (inside perimeter) | Never trust, always verify (Identity & Context) |
| Access Level | Network-level access (broad visibility) | Application-level access (micro-segmentation) |
| Visibility | VPN gateways are publicly visible | Internal apps are invisible (Dark to the Internet) |
| Traffic Routing | Backhauled through the data center | Direct-to-app routing via closest cloud edge node |
| Lateral Movement | High risk (users can scan network subnets) | Eliminated (users never touch the underlying network) |