ENTERPRISE SECURITY IN THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC ERA: How to support remote work while securing the distributed enterprise through the Zero Trust security model

• Insider Intelligence publishes thousands of research reports, charts, and forecasts on the Connectivity & Tech industry. You can learn more about becoming a client here.
• The following is a preview of one Connectivity & Tech report, the Enterprise Security in the Coronavirus Pandemic Era Report. You can purchase this report here.

A staggering number of employees have moved to a new mode of remote work in 2020, kicking off a significant andlasting transformation of the workplace-one that will require a different approach to enterprise security. 

Starting in February, the first outbreaks of the coronavirus pandemic resulted in China shutting down, followed by other countries from March onward. Companies had to quickly pivot to enabling remote work where possible and crafting new work-from-home (WFH) policies, many of which will remain in effect into 2021 and beyond.  

Hackers have rapidly moved to target remote workers and adjusted their tactics to take advantage of the move to WFH. IT departments are reacting to the rapid move to WFH by adding network, virtual private networks (VPNs), and firewall capacity to keep up with user demand-but the road has been bumpy.  These technologies have been around for years, and will still be in use for years to come, but they have many shortcomings in terms of cost and performance that will require the use of newer, cloud-based technologies.   

Ultimately, securing the workplace amid its ongoing digital transformation will require enterprises to shift toward a Zero Trust model of security.  The Zero Trust model is different from traditional security models because it requires verifying a user’s identity and role in the organization before giving them access to only the applications they need for their function. Security vendors have responded to market needs by offering Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) services, which are a combination of technologies that an enterprise uses to implement the Zero Trust architecture. 

In this report, Insider Intelligence will explain the Zero Trust concept, how it leverages user identity along with policy enforcement mechanisms, and why it is gaining traction with enterprises in the post-pandemic era.  First, we will explore pandemic-driven trends in remote work and cybercrime, and highlight enterprises’ challenges in responding, with a particular focus on VPN technology.

Then, we will explain Zero Trust and how ZTNA services can help solve these challenges. We will provide an overview of the rapidly evolving ZTNA market landscape to help buyers understand who some of the key incumbent and startup vendors are. Finally, we will provide recommendations for starting to implement ZTNA services.  

The companies mentioned in this report are: Akamai Technologies, Ananda Networks, Axis Security, Broadcom, Cato Networks, Checkpoint Software, CrowdStrike, Cisco (Duo), Citrix, Cloudflare, Elisity, Fortinet, Okta, NetFoundry, Netskope, Perimeter 81, Palo Alto Networks, VMware, Zero Networks, and Zscaler. 

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report: 

• The coronavirus pandemic has forced companies to quickly pivot to enable remote work where possible and craft new WFH policies. But this has also provided hackers with more targets to attack. 
• The Zero Trust model can help chief information security officers (CISOs) and IT security professionals face the security challenges of this new era.  The model requires verifying a user’s identity and role in the organization before giving them access to only the applications they need for their function.   
• ZTNA services offer significant benefits in terms of security and performance compared with traditional security measures such as VPNs. ZTNA services-a combination of technologies that enable an enterprise to implement the Zero Trust architecture-can be put in place via an easy-to-deploy cloud-based model and allow more fine-grained control of user access policies than do VPNs.   
• Understanding how the market for cloud-based Zero Trust solutions is evolving will help CISOs and other IT buyers identify the vendors best suited for their enterprise’s particular needs.  The report covers how vendors are acquiring technology for their product portfolios while others are more tightly integrating their existing networking and security services for easier deployment.  
• Adopting the Zero Trust model and implementing ZTNA services requires planning and preparation among human employees, fine-tuning technology systems, and carefully vetting potential vendors.  

In full, the report: 

• Explores the pandemic-driven trends in remote work and cybercrime, and highlights enterprises’ challenges in responding, with a particular focus on VPN technology. 
• Explains the Zero Trust concept, how it leverages user identity along with policy enforcement mechanisms, and why it’s gaining traction with enterprises in the post-pandemic era.  
• Explains how cloud-based ZTNA services can help solve challenges with security technologies such as VPNs. 
• Provides an overview of the rapidly evolving ZTNA market landscape to help buyers understand who some of the key incumbent and startup vendors are.  
• Offers recommendations for starting to implement ZTNA services. 

Interested in getting the full report? Here’s how you can gain access:

1. Join other Insider Intelligence clients who receive this report, along with thousands of other Connectivity & Tech forecasts, briefings, charts, and research reports to their inboxes. >> Become a Client
2. Purchase the individual report from our store. >> Buy The Report Here

Are you a current Insider Intelligence client? Log in and read the report here.