Who Are the Best ZTNA Providers?

What is ZTNA?

ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) is a modern security framework that provides secure remote access to applications based on strict identity verification, device posture, and least-privilege principles, without ever automatically trusting users or devices, regardless of whether they’re inside or outside the network perimeter.

Core Principles of ZTNA

1. Never Trust, Always Verify: Every access request is treated as if it originates from an untrusted network. Authentication and authorization are continuously enforced.
2. Least Privilege Access: Users and devices get access only to the specific applications or resources they need-nothing more. Reduces lateral movement and limits the potential damage of a breach.
3. Micro-Segmentation: Breaks networks into small, isolated zones to further control and monitor traffic between them.
4. Continuous Validation: Access decisions are dynamically updated based on changes in user behavior, location, device status, and more.

How ZTNA Works

• User requests access to an application.
• ZTNA broker authenticates the user via identity provider (IdP) and evaluates device posture (e.g., OS version, security tools).
• If the request passes policy checks, access is granted just to that app-not the full network.
• If posture or behavior changes, access is revoked or adjusted.

ZTNA Use Cases

• Remote work: Securely connect remote employees to internal applications without exposing the full network.
• BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Grant access only to compliant devices, even if not corporately managed.
• Third-party access: Provide contractors/vendors access to only what they need.

What is the difference between VPN and ZTNA?

The difference between VPN (Virtual Private Network) and ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) lies in their security philosophy, access control, scalability, and user experience. While both are used to provide remote access to organizational resources, they operate very differently.

Key Differences Between VPN and ZTNA

Why Organizations Are Moving Toward ZTNA

• Reduces attack surface
• Better supports remote and hybrid work
• Easier to enforce compliance and regulatory controls
• More aligned with modern zero trust security models

Is ZTNA Worth it?

Why ZTNA Is Absolutely Worth It

1. Superior Security by Design
   1. ZTNA eliminates the outdated idea of trusting users and devices just because they’re “inside the network.” Instead, it:
      1. Enforces continuous identity verification
      2. Grants least privilege access to apps only (not the full network)
      3. Prevents lateral movement by segmenting access at the application level
   2. This means even if a bad actor gets in, they can’t go far-or anywhere at all.
2. Perfect for the Modern Workforce
   1. With remote and hybrid work, ZTNA provides a seamless and secure way for employees to access what they need from anywhere, on any (compliant) device, without opening up your entire network like a VPN does.
      1. ZTNA enables:
         1. Frictionless access using SSO and identity providers
         2. Device posture checks (Is it patched? Running antivirus?)
         3. Easy onboarding for contractors, partners, and third-party users
3. Simplifies IT Management
   1. Traditional VPNs require complex infrastructure and management.
      1. ZTNA simplifies:
         1. Deployment (especially with cloud-native ZTNA platforms)
         2. Access policies based on identity, not IP Visibility and control through a centralized console
      2. You get real-time insights into who accessed what, from where, and on what device-with built-in audit trails.
4. Reduces Risk and Compliance Burden
   1. ZTNA helps meet regulatory compliance (like NIST, HIPAA, PCI-DSS) by enforcing:
      1. Strong authentication
      2. Access minimization
      3. Secure remote access without exposing internal infrastructure
   2. It’s a major win for your risk posture and compliance checklists.
5. Future-Proof Security Investment
   1. ZTNA isn’t just a trend-it’s a cornerstone of zero trust architecture, which is now the gold standard endorsed by security leaders and frameworks (e.g., NIST 800-207). 

Who are the best ZTNA providers?

• Portnox – The Clear Choice for Cloud-Native ZTNA

Portnox Cloud delivers a ZTNA solution that goes beyond basic application-level access control-it brings deep visibility into device posture, risk assessment, and compliance.

Key Advantages:

• Agentless access control: Easily enforce ZTNA across all device types (corporate, BYOD, IoT) without heavy installs.
• Real-time posture checks: Ensure only trusted, compliant devices can connect-based on OS version, antivirus status, disk encryption, and more.
• Seamless SSO integrations: Works with your identity provider (Azure AD, Okta, etc.) to enforce user- and device-level trust.
• Granular policy enforcement: Limit access by user, group, device posture, location, time of day, and more.
• Cloud-native: No on-prem hardware, no VPN concentrators, no infrastructure headaches.
• NAC + ZTNA combined: Unique hybrid power to secure access on-prem, in the cloud, and everywhere in between.

Who It’s Best For:

• Organizations ready to adopt zero trust without complexity
• Teams seeking fast deployment with powerful policy control and real-time enforcement

Portnox isn’t just a ZTNA vendor-it’s a zero trust enabler across your entire network environment.

• Zscaler Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)

ZPA is a popular cloud-delivered ZTNA solution aimed at large enterprises. It provides secure access to private applications without exposing them to the internet. Good for large, globally distributed orgs Offers full inline traffic inspection and advanced analytics Higher complexity and cost; requires more extensive onboarding

• Palo Alto Networks (Prisma Access + ZTNA 2.0)

Palo Alto’s approach integrates ZTNA into a broader Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) framework. Ideal for organizations already using Palo Alto firewalls or Prisma Offers integrated threat prevention Requires significant upfront investment and long deployment cycles

• Cisco Duo + Secure Access

Cisco combines identity-driven access (via Duo) with Secure Access to create a ZTNA-like experience. Strong device trust and adaptive MFA Works well in Cisco-heavy environments Less flexible and more fragmented compared to fully integrated ZTNA offerings

• Cloudflare Zero Trust

Cloudflare offers a developer-friendly ZTNA model with lightweight access controls via their global edge network. Great performance via Cloudflare’s CDN infrastructure Simple for web apps; limited support for legacy or thick-client apps.

While Zscaler, Palo Alto, and Cloudflare have robust offerings, Portnox uniquely combines the power of ZTNA and NAC into one easy-to-deploy, cloud-native platform. For organizations seeking a frictionless, secure, and scalable approach to Zero Trust, Portnox is the clear front-runner.