In today’s rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, traditional VPNs are increasingly scrutinized for their inability to meet modern security demands. While VPNs have long been the standard solution for secure remote access, they are fundamentally flawed when viewed through the lens of Zero Trust principles. This article explores the limitations of conventional VPNs and highlights the need for more secure alternatives like NetFoundry’s Zero Trust connectivity based on the Ziti Platform and AppNets.
Why VPNs Can Be Attractive
Traditional VPNs start with the assumption that once a user is authenticated, they can be trusted with access to the entire network. This makes VPNs particularly attractive for organizations looking to get started quickly and improve their security posture. The ease of initial setup and the perception of enhanced security make VPNs an appealing choice for many.
Some proponents argue that VPNs can be configured to support core Zero Trust principles: reducing lateral movement through network segmentation, limiting access to specific IPs and ports using Access Control Lists (ACLs), and auditing access through detailed logging. However, while these configurations are possible, they often introduce significant complexity and management overhead.
The Problem with Traditional VPNs
Traditional VPNs operate under a “trust but verify” model, where once a user is authenticated, they are granted broad access to the network. This approach contradicts the core philosophy of Zero Trust, which advocates for continuous verification of every user and device, regardless of their location or network.
Over-Privileged Access: VPNs typically grant users broad access to an organization’s network. Once inside, users can potentially move laterally across the network, increasing the risk of data breaches if their credentials are compromised.
Lack of Granular Control: Traditional VPNs often lack the capability to enforce strict access controls on a per-application or per-user basis, making it difficult to apply the principle of least privilege.
Centralized Points of Failure: VPNs rely on centralized gateways, which can become bottlenecks and single points of failure. If these gateways are compromised, the entire network is at risk.
Performance Issues: As remote work becomes the norm, the performance limitations of traditional VPNs are becoming more apparent. VPNs can introduce latency, especially when handling large-scale, distributed environments.
Managing VPN Pitfalls is a Nightmare
While it’s true that some common VPN pitfalls can be mitigated by highly knowledgeable operators or architects, the reality is far more challenging. VPNs are often the most common network access solution because they are heavily marketed, familiar to users, and perceived as “good enough.” However, a “good enough” mentality won’t lead you to a secure Zero Trust environment.
Configuring a VPN to mitigate its inherent issues quickly becomes expensive and unwieldy. For instance, managing a VPN per customer or use case, particularly in complex environments like connected products or remote support, quickly spirals into an administrative nightmare.
A real-world example illustrates this point: a company providing remote service and support for connected products initially used multiple VPNs to address connectivity. Before long, the number of support tickets relating to VPN issues dramatically outpaced those for their actual products. This situation is far too common and highlights the need for a more sustainable and secure approach—like NetFoundry’s AppNets.
Why Even Zero Trust VPNs May Not Be Enough
A Zero Trust VPN is a virtual private network that enforces continuous verification of every user and device, ensuring that no implicit trust is granted and that network access is restricted to only the necessary resources, aligning with Zero Trust principles. While Zero Trust VPNs are a significant improvement over traditional VPNs, they may still fall short in protecting against today’s sophisticated cyber threats. By design, VPNs create a tunnel that often provides access to broader network segments than is ideal in a Zero Trust environment. This can still expose organizations to risks such as lateral movement and network-wide vulnerabilities.
Residual Risk of Over-Privileged Access: Even with Zero Trust principles applied, VPNs can inadvertently provide more access than necessary, leading to potential exploitation.
VPNs and Microsegmentation Challenges: Microsegmentation is difficult to achieve with VPNs, as they are not inherently designed to limit access to specific applications or services, which is critical for minimizing attack surfaces.
Dependence on Network Perimeters: VPNs, by their nature, still depend on a network perimeter that, once breached, can expose the entire connected environment.
A Better Approach: NetFoundry’s Ziti AppNets with Microsegmentation
For organizations seeking a more secure and robust solution, NetFoundry’s Ziti Platform offers a superior alternative. Unlike VPNs, the Ziti platform is designed from the ground up with Zero Trust and microsegmentation at its core.
Granular Access Control with Microsegmentation: The Ziti platform allows for precise, application-specific access control, ensuring that users can only access the exact resources they need, with no ability to move laterally across the network.
No Dependence on Network Perimeters: By embedding Zero Trust directly into applications (networking-as-code), Ziti eliminates the need for traditional network perimeters, significantly reducing the attack surface.
Enhanced Security through End-to-End Encryption: Ziti ensures that all data is encrypted end-to-end, and no traffic is ever in the clear, providing unmatched security even in the face of sophisticated threats.
AppNets: Revolutionizing Connectivity
AppNets take this a step further by eliminating traditional network connections altogether. Instead of securing network connections, AppNets focus on securing specific sessions, drastically reducing the attack surface and eliminating the risks associated with traditional VPNs.
Conclusion: The Future of Secure Connectivity
As cyber threats continue to evolve, so too must the tools we use to defend against them. While traditional VPNs, and even some Zero Trust VPNs, offer a degree of security, they fall short in providing the granular control and security needed in today’s environment. NetFoundry’s Ziti platform, with its focus on microsegmentation and networking-as-code, and the innovative AppNets, represent the future of secure connectivity. These technologies enable organizations to build networks that are truly secure, resilient, and aligned with Zero Trust principles, moving beyond the limitations of VPNs and toward a more secure digital future.
