From VPN to Zero Trust: the future of secure remote access

Classic VPNs have long been the standard solution for providing secure remote access to employees and external partners. However, their model of implicit trust and broad exposure of the internal network makes them vulnerable to today’s threats. On top of that, VPNs often cause performance issues and add significant operational complexity.

To better meet our customers’ needs, we have integrated Netskope technology into our Security Edge and Security Edge Business solutions as a complete alternative to replace traditional VPNs through Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) Next 360.

Netskope ZTNA Next 360: the total replacement for classic VPNs

Unlike traditional VPNs, which provide broad access to the internal network once the user is authenticated, Netskope ZTNA Next 360 applies a Zero Trust approach, granting access only to the applications needed and isolating the rest of the infrastructure. This translates into:

• Greater security: Minimises the attack surface and prevents lateral movement of threats within the network.
• Improved performance: Connections are dynamically optimised, avoiding the latency and bottlenecks typical of VPNs.
• Operational simplification: No need to manage VPN tunnels, simplifying administration and deployment.
• Total VPN replacement: Unlike other ZTNA solutions, Netskope ZTNA Next 360 supports complex traffic flows, including those requiring server-to-client communications — expanding possibilities for critical enterprise applications.

Benefits of adopting Telefónica Tech Security Edge with Netskope

By adopting Security Edge with Netskope, organisations gain:

• Secure remote access: Based on granular access policies, with continuous authentication and contextual analysis.
• Better user experience: Faster, more stable connections without relying on traditional VPN tunnels.
• Traffic management flexibility: Full support for bidirectional flows, covering complex use cases where VPNs were still used out of necessity.
• Cost reduction: By removing dedicated VPN hardware and simplifying administration, IT resources are optimised while shifting to a highly scalable architecture.

Use case: Security Edge, Zero Trust remote access with Netskope

A major technology company with numerous external collaborators migrated from a VPN-based infrastructure to Netskope ZTNA Next 360 within Security Edge Business. Thanks to this transition:

• Security incidents and IT issues related to remote access were reduced by 60%.
• The company achieved a 45% improvement in enterprise application performance, eliminating VPN latency.
• Total visibility of network traffic was achieved, applying advanced security and threat prevention policies.

Replacing classic VPNs with Netskope ZTNA Next 360 through Telefónica Tech Security Edge represents a qualitative leap in both security and efficiency for businesses. It not only provides secure, controlled access to critical applications but also removes VPN limitations, enabling simpler management, lower operational cost, and stronger protection against modern threats.

■ Discover how Security Edge can transform your remote access security and take your organisation to the next level.