Business remote access shifts from traditional VPNs to Zero Trust models

The landscape of business remote access is shifting from traditional Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) toward Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architectures. While traditional VPNs provide network-level access, they present security risks such as lateral movement if credentials are compromised. Modern alternatives focus on least-privilege access, granting users permission to specific applications rather than the entire network.

Key industry solutions include Twingate and Tailscale, which are noted for modern remote access and mesh networking. Established enterprise providers like Cisco Secure Client and Palo Alto GlobalProtect remain common in environments already utilizing their respective firewalls. For small businesses, NordLayer is identified as a simple, fixed-price option, while Zscaler and Cloudflare are cited as alternatives for organizations moving away from VPNs entirely.

WatchGuard’s FireCloud is a SASE solution that integrates Firewall as a Service (FWaaS), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), and ZTNA. Managed via the WatchGuard Cloud platform, it offers endpoint anti-malware, intrusion prevention, and application filtering. The service utilizes a globally distributed network of points of presence to improve performance for remote workers.