Zscaler Introduces Industry’s first Zero Trust SASE, Built on Zero Trust AI
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Insights
The announcement by Zscaler, Inc. of its Zscaler Zero Trust SASE, which integrates Zero Trust AI with SD-WAN, represents a significant shift in the cybersecurity landscape. The traditional security model, which relies heavily on perimeter defenses like firewalls and VPNs, is becoming increasingly ineffective against modern cyber threats, including ransomware. Zero Trust architecture operates on the principle of 'never trust, always verify,' which mitigates the risk of lateral threat movement within networks.
For businesses, the implementation of a Zero Trust SD-WAN solution can lead to a substantial reduction in attack surface and improve security posture. By eliminating the need for multiple point solutions, organizations can streamline their network security infrastructure, thereby reducing both capital and operational expenses. The potential for reduced complexity is not only a cost-saving measure but also reduces the workload on IT teams, which can be critical in a time when skilled cybersecurity professionals are in high demand.
Furthermore, the integration of AI to assess risks and adapt security measures in real-time is a forward-thinking approach that can provide a competitive advantage. The AI engine's ability to incorporate telemetry from a vast number of daily signals enhances its predictive capabilities, making it a robust solution against evolving threats. However, the efficacy of such AI-driven security measures would need to be evaluated over time to confirm their impact on threat detection and response.
Zscaler's move to combine its SSE platform with a Zero Trust SD-WAN offering is indicative of the broader industry trend towards SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) solutions. SASE represents the convergence of network and security services into a unified cloud-native platform. This evolution is driven by the need for secure remote access to applications and data, a demand that has grown exponentially with the rise of the hybrid workforce.
According to research by IDC, there is a significant interest and adoption of SASE in the enterprise sector. Zscaler's introduction of a single-vendor SASE solution could position them favorably in the market, especially for organizations looking to simplify their security and network operations. The move may also drive competitors to accelerate their own SASE offerings, potentially leading to an increase in mergers and acquisitions as companies seek to consolidate capabilities and deliver comprehensive solutions.
From an investment perspective, Zscaler's strategic direction could impact its market valuation and stock performance. Investors typically favor companies that are well-aligned with market trends and demonstrate innovation. However, the long-term success of this strategy will depend on customer adoption rates and the ability of Zscaler to effectively execute on its SASE vision.
The technical implications of Zscaler's Zero Trust SD-WAN and SASE solutions are substantial for enterprise IT infrastructure. The shift from hardware-centric, on-premises solutions to cloud-native services aligns with the industry's move towards greater agility and scalability. Plug-and-play appliances and virtual appliances offer flexibility for different deployment scenarios, which is particularly beneficial for organizations with diverse branch office needs.
Centralized cloud-based management is a key feature, as it simplifies policy management and provides comprehensive visibility across users, devices and application traffic. This can lead to improved monitoring and faster response to security incidents. The AI-powered IoT device discovery and classification is another notable feature that addresses the growing security challenges associated with the proliferation of IoT devices in enterprise environments.
While the benefits are clear, the transition to a SASE architecture may present challenges for organizations with existing legacy infrastructure. Compatibility, integration and the potential need for staff retraining are considerations that IT departments must address. Additionally, the reliance on a single vendor for such a critical component of IT infrastructure could raise concerns around vendor lock-in and the associated risks.
Zscaler SASE Solution Built with Zero Trust SD-WAN Eliminates Security Risks and Complexity of Traditional SD-WAN
SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zscaler, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZS), the leader in cloud security, announced Zscaler Zero Trust SASE, an industry first, single-vendor SASE solution built utilizing Zscaler Zero Trust AI to help organizations reduce cost and complexity while implementing Zero Trust security across users, devices, and workloads. Additionally, Zscaler announced general availability for its Zero Trust SD-WAN solution and portfolio of plug-and-play appliances to help customers modernize secure connectivity for branch offices, factories, and data centers while also eliminating the need for ineffective firewalls and VPNs.
The new Zscaler solutions are built on a Zero Trust architecture, where business policies determine user and device access. Legacy network and firewall architectures introduce risk and complexity, and enable lateral threat movement which is often exploited by ransomware attacks. Zero Trust SD-WAN provides secure inbound and outbound connectivity while reducing business risk and network complexity.
By connecting users, locations and applications through the Zero Trust Exchange™ Platform, this solution extends zero trust beyond users and protects device and server traffic at branches, warehouses and factories. Zscaler is also employing its adaptive AI engine to continuously assess risk for users, devices, destinations, and content, incorporating telemetry from 500 trillion daily signals with third-party risk intelligence.
“Users and organizations want a café-like branch experience to empower hybrid work,” said Naresh Kumar, VP, Product Management, Zscaler. “Employees expect the same seamless and secure access they would have in an office setting, whether they are at home or on the go, without having to access their applications over a slow, cumbersome VPN. Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN will connect and secure users, devices, sites, and workloads using our single-vendor SASE platform, without the cyber risks of traditional SD-WAN.”
With this new approach, Zscaler is delivering Zero Trust SASE, bringing together its industry-leading AI-powered SSE platform and its new Zero Trust SD-WAN solution to enable a hybrid workforce spanning all locations as well as an organization’s remote users. Zero Trust SD-WAN secures inbound and outbound Zero Trust connectivity in a single device. This approach requires no overlay routing complexity, no additional firewalls, and no separate policies for sites and users.
“By adopting Zero Trust SASE, we’ve successfully implemented a comprehensive Zero Trust security framework that spans across our branches, data centers, and the cloud,” said Mike Gemza, CTO, Cornerstone Brands. “The implementation of Zero Trust SD-WAN has empowered us to protect our business against increasing cyberthreats by reducing attack surface, preventing lateral threat movement, and enhancing application performance with a non-routable WAN.”
“We continue to see strong interest and significant adoption of SASE among enterprises, along with a move to simplify, consolidate, and reduce costs,” said Christopher Rodriguez, Research Director, Security & Trust at IDC. “With a strong emphasis on its Zero Trust heritage, Zscaler has made a bold move to introduce a solution that combines its popular SSE platform with a new Zero Trust SD-WAN offering that can help these enterprises on their SASE journey.”
With Zscaler, organizations can connect its users and devices to apps through a proxy and benefit from integrated AI-powered cyberthreat and data protection capabilities including FWaaS, SWG, CASB, and DLP. This comprehensive platform eliminates point products, reduces cost and complexity, and provides simpler management for IT teams. IT teams will be able to push granular forwarding policies for Internet, SaaS, and private applications; gain centralized visibility and management; and access AI-powered IoT device discovery and classification, bolstering their security posture for users while eliminating the need for additional firewalls and edge routers at branch locations.
Zscaler’s Zero Trust SD-WAN solution features:
- Plug-and-play appliances: In addition to the virtual appliance already available, Plug-and-Play appliances deliver zero touch provisioning and integrated gateway capabilities to eliminate the needs for additional routers or firewalls at branches.
- Integrated SSE: Zero Trust AI cyberthreat and data protection capabilities, including integrated FWaaS, SWG, CASB, and DLP services
- Centralized management: Cloud-based management console with integrated policy management across users, locations, and clouds.
To learn more about the new Zero Trust SASE solution, please visit - https://www.zscaler.com/capabilities/secure-access-service-edge.
About Zscaler
Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange™ platform protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across more than 150 data centers globally, the SSE-based Zero Trust Exchange™ is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.
Zscaler™ and the other trademarks listed at https://www.zscaler.com/legal/trademarks are either (i) registered trademarks or service marks or (ii) trademarks or service marks of Zscaler, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Any other trademarks are the properties of their respective owners.
Media Contact:
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5b5cef19-ad28-480b-8ce9-24c6693bdefc
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