Modern businesses are operating in an increasingly distributed digital environment. Employees work from offices, homes, and different locations, while applications and business data are hosted across cloud platforms, private data centers, and hybrid environments. Companies may also need to provide controlled access to contractors, vendors, and other third-party users.
These changes have made traditional network security models more difficult to manage. A conventional VPN can provide secure remote connectivity, but it may also provide users with broader network access than they actually need.
Zero Trust Network Access, commonly known as ZTNA, offers a more granular approach to secure connectivity. Instead of automatically trusting a user after authentication, ZTNA evaluates identity, device security, and other access conditions before allowing access to specific applications or resources.
This approach follows the principle of least privilege and can help organizations reduce unnecessary network exposure. For businesses looking to modernize their security architecture, the following nine Zero Trust Network Access solutions are worth considering.
1. Zscaler Private Access
Zscaler Private Access is a cloud-based Zero Trust Network Access solution designed for organizations that want to move away from traditional VPN-based remote access.
The platform connects authorized users to specific private applications rather than placing them directly on a corporate network. This application-focused model can reduce unnecessary access and limit potential lateral movement if an account or device is compromised.
Zscaler Private Access is particularly suitable for large organizations with distributed employees, multiple locations, and complex application environments.
Security teams can manage access policies centrally and apply them across users, devices, and applications. This can make it easier to maintain consistent security controls as an organization grows.
Best for: Large enterprises looking for scalable application-level Zero Trust access.
2. Palo Alto Networks Prisma Access
Prisma Access is a cloud-delivered security platform that includes Zero Trust access capabilities as part of a broader security architecture.
The solution allows organizations to provide secure access to private applications for users working from offices, homes, branch locations, and other environments.
One of its major strengths is integration with the broader Palo Alto Networks security ecosystem. Organizations already using Palo Alto technologies may find it easier to incorporate Prisma Access into their existing security strategy.
Prisma Access can also support businesses moving toward a Secure Access Service Edge strategy. This allows organizations to combine networking and security capabilities within a cloud-based environment.
For enterprises with complex security requirements, centralized policy management can help maintain consistent access controls.
Best for: Enterprises looking for ZTNA as part of a broader SASE and security strategy.
3. Cloudflare Access
Cloudflare Access provides identity-based access to private applications and internal resources.
Instead of giving authenticated users broad access to a corporate network, organizations can create policies that determine which applications individual users are allowed to access.
This application-level approach supports least-privilege access and can reduce unnecessary exposure of internal resources.
Cloudflare Access can integrate with existing identity providers, allowing businesses to use their current authentication infrastructure when implementing Zero Trust policies.
The platform can also be useful for organizations with distributed teams because users can access approved applications without necessarily connecting to a traditional corporate network.
Best for: Businesses looking for flexible cloud-based application access and easy Zero Trust adoption.
4. Microsoft Entra Private Access
Microsoft Entra Private Access is an identity-driven access solution designed for organizations that rely heavily on Microsoft’s ecosystem.
The platform provides access to private applications based on identity and security policies rather than relying primarily on network location.
This can be particularly useful for businesses already using Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Entra ID. Existing identity infrastructure can become an important part of the organization’s Zero Trust security model.
Instead of connecting employees to an entire corporate network, organizations can provide access only to the applications and resources required for specific roles.
This approach can help businesses reduce unnecessary permissions while making identity a central component of their security architecture.
Best for: Organizations heavily invested in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft identity technologies.
5. Netskope One Private Access
Netskope One Private Access provides Zero Trust access to private applications as part of a broader cloud security platform.
The solution combines identity-aware application access with additional security capabilities, making it suitable for organizations that want to integrate ZTNA with data protection and cloud security.
Modern businesses often manage sensitive information across cloud applications, private systems, remote devices, and distributed environments. Protecting access alone may therefore not be enough.
Netskope’s broader security approach can help organizations connect application access with data security policies and other cloud security controls.
It can be particularly relevant to businesses pursuing a Security Service Edge strategy.
Best for: Enterprises with strong data protection requirements and broader cloud security initiatives.
6. Twingate
Twingate is a software-based secure access platform designed to provide an alternative to traditional VPN infrastructure.
Its approach focuses on granting users access to specific resources instead of automatically connecting them to an entire corporate network.
This can help businesses implement least-privilege access more effectively. Employees, contractors, and other authorized users can receive access only to the resources required for their responsibilities.
Twingate can also be useful for remote and distributed teams because organizations can provide secure access without relying on traditional VPN gateways.
Its relatively straightforward software-based architecture can make it attractive to businesses that want to modernize remote access without introducing excessive infrastructure complexity.
Best for: Small and mid-sized businesses looking for a straightforward VPN replacement.
7. Tailscale
Tailscale provides secure private networking based on identity-aware access controls and encrypted connections.
The platform is particularly useful for technical teams, developers, and organizations that need secure connectivity between users, devices, servers, and cloud environments.
Instead of depending entirely on traditional centralized VPN infrastructure, Tailscale can establish secure connections between authorized devices.
Administrators can use access control policies to determine which users and devices can communicate with specific resources.
This makes the platform useful for distributed development environments, cloud infrastructure, remote teams, and organizations managing multiple devices and systems.
Its developer-friendly approach can also make it easier for technical teams to establish secure private connectivity without managing complex traditional VPN infrastructure.
Best for: Development teams, DevOps environments, and technical organizations with distributed infrastructure.
8. Appgate SDP
Appgate SDP uses a software-defined perimeter approach to provide granular access to applications and resources.
Instead of allowing users to discover or access internal resources simply because they are connected to a corporate network, the platform can evaluate identity, device information, and other security conditions before granting access.
This approach can help organizations create stronger segmentation and reduce unnecessary network visibility.
Appgate SDP can be particularly relevant for businesses with advanced security requirements. Security teams can create detailed policies for different users, applications, and environments.
Organizations looking to move away from broad network access may find this approach useful for implementing more precise application-level authorization.
Best for: Organizations with advanced security requirements and a need for granular access policies.
9. Akamai Enterprise Application Access
Akamai Enterprise Application Access is designed to provide secure access to private applications while supporting organizations with distributed users and complex environments.
The platform uses identity and access policies to determine whether users should be allowed to access specific applications. This can help businesses reduce reliance on traditional network-level remote access.
Akamai’s global infrastructure can also be valuable for organizations with users distributed across multiple geographic regions.
For large businesses, application-level access combined with centralized policy management can help create a more consistent security model.
The solution can be particularly relevant for enterprises that already rely on Akamai technologies and want to extend their security strategy into Zero Trust application access.
Best for: Global enterprises looking for secure application access across distributed environments.
Why Businesses Are Adopting ZTNA
The traditional corporate network perimeter is becoming less meaningful as organizations adopt cloud services, remote work, and hybrid infrastructure.
Employees may access business resources from different locations and devices, while applications may operate across private data centers and multiple cloud platforms.
In this environment, simply authenticating a user is not enough. Organizations also need to determine which resources that user should be able to access.
ZTNA provides a more granular model by connecting verified users to specific applications and resources. This can reduce unnecessary permissions and make it harder for attackers to move between systems after compromising an account.
The approach also supports the principle of least privilege, which is an important part of modern cybersecurity strategies.
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Key Features to Look for in a ZTNA Solution
Identity-Based Access
Identity should play a central role in access decisions. Businesses should be able to integrate their ZTNA platform with existing identity providers and authentication systems.
Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication adds another layer of security by requiring users to provide additional verification beyond a password.
Device Posture Assessment
A strong ZTNA platform should be able to evaluate whether a device meets the organization’s security requirements before allowing access to sensitive resources.
Least-Privilege Access
Users should receive only the permissions necessary to perform their responsibilities. This helps reduce unnecessary exposure.
Application-Level Segmentation
ZTNA should provide access to specific applications rather than automatically connecting users to an entire corporate network.
Centralized Policy Management
Businesses need centralized tools for creating and managing access policies across users, devices, applications, and locations.
Monitoring and Reporting
Security teams should have visibility into authentication events, access requests, devices, and policy decisions. This information can help identify unusual activity and support investigations.
How to Choose the Right ZTNA Solution
Choosing the right ZTNA platform depends on an organization’s size, infrastructure, security requirements, and long-term goals.
Large enterprises may prioritize scalability, centralized management, and advanced security capabilities. Zscaler Private Access and Prisma Access can be strong choices for these environments.
Businesses already using Microsoft technologies may find Microsoft Entra Private Access easier to integrate into their existing identity infrastructure.
Cloudflare Access can be attractive for organizations looking for flexible cloud-based application access, while Netskope One Private Access may be more suitable for businesses with strong data security requirements.
Twingate can provide a straightforward approach to replacing traditional VPNs, while Tailscale may be particularly useful for technical teams and distributed infrastructure.
Organizations with advanced security requirements may consider Appgate SDP, while global enterprises may find Akamai Enterprise Application Access relevant to their distributed environments.
Before making a decision, businesses should evaluate identity integration, device security, application compatibility, scalability, policy management, monitoring capabilities, compliance requirements, and implementation complexity.
Final Thoughts
Zero Trust Network Access is becoming an important part of modern cybersecurity as businesses move beyond traditional network boundaries.
Zscaler Private Access, Prisma Access, Cloudflare Access, Microsoft Entra Private Access, Netskope One Private Access, Twingate, Tailscale, Appgate SDP, and Akamai Enterprise Application Access each provide different approaches to secure application access.
The right solution depends on the organization’s specific requirements. Some businesses may prioritize enterprise scalability, while others may focus on identity integration, data protection, simple deployment, developer-friendly networking, or global application access.
Ultimately, ZTNA should not be viewed simply as a replacement for a traditional VPN. A successful Zero Trust strategy should verify identities, evaluate devices, enforce least-privilege access, segment applications, and continuously monitor access activity.
By choosing an appropriate ZTNA solution and combining it with strong security policies, modern businesses can provide secure access to essential resources while reducing unnecessary exposure across their IT environments.
