For years, remote access meant a VPN that connected a laptop to the office network. That model is showing its age.

How a traditional VPN works

After signing in, the user’s device joins the internal network and can often reach many systems. If an attacker steals credentials or compromises the device, they may move freely inside.

What Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) does differently

ZTNA follows the principle “never trust, always verify.” Instead of joining the network, users get access to specific applications only, after checks on:

– Who the user is

– The health and compliance of the device

– Context such as location and risk

Key differences

	Traditional VPN	ZTNA
Access	Broad network access	App-by-app access
Verification	Mainly at login	Continuous and contextual
Attack spread	Easier lateral movement	Limited by design
User experience	Connect and disconnect	Often seamless
Cloud apps	Often routed awkwardly	Designed for them

When a VPN is still fine

Small environments with a few well-protected systems, site-to-site links, or access to legacy applications can still use a properly maintained VPN with MFA.

Moving toward Zero Trust

You don’t need to rip everything out. Start with:

1. MFA for every user

2. Conditional Access based on device compliance

3. Publishing key internal apps through an application proxy or ZTNA service

4. Reducing broad network access over time

Keep VPNs secure

Patch VPN appliances promptly (they are frequent targets), require MFA, and monitor logs.

DBR Soft can help you plan a practical move toward Zero Trust. Contact us for more information.