The End of VPNs: Why Zero Trust Is the Future of Remote Access
The virtual private network (VPN) has been the default way to connect remote employees to company resources for over two decades. In its time, the VPN was a breakthrough ‒ creating encrypted tunnels back to the corporate network and giving road warriors a way in.
But today's workplace looks very different. Employees access SaaS applications directly from the Internet. Teams are distributed around the world. Sensitive data lives across private data centers, public cloud environments, and hybrid systems. The VPN's "all-or-nothing" approach is no longer good enough in this landscape.
VPNs are also one of the most targeted technologies in cybersecurity. Attackers exploit flaws in VPN software, steal credentials through phishing, and abuse misconfigurations to gain a foothold inside corporate networks. Once inside, a compromised VPN connection can provide broad, flat access, making lateral movement easy. For organizations relying on VPNs to secure hybrid and remote workforces, the risks are mounting, and the consequences of compromise can be devastating.
The Problem with VPNs
- Flat network access: Once a VPN is connected, users often have broad visibility into the network, creating unnecessary exposure if an account is compromised.
- User frustration: VPNs are notorious for slow speeds, dropped sessions, and clunky login processes that frustrate employees.
- Operational overhead: IT teams must maintain concentrators, patch appliances, and constantly monitor capacity.
- Security Gaps: VPNs were not designed for a SaaS-first world. They are inherently insecure, providing access but lacking inline protection against phishing, malware, or web-based threats.
Simply put: VPNs connect too much, too broadly, and too often at the expense of security and user experience.
Zero Trust: A Modern Alternative
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) flips the VPN model on its head. Instead of granting network-wide access, it connects users only to the specific applications and resources they are authorized to use.
- Identity-driven: Access decisions are based on user identity, device posture, and contextual signals ‒ not just a network connection.
- Per-app access: Users are granted access to a single application, not the entire network, reducing lateral movement risk.
- Continuous verification: Trust is never assumed. Each session is evaluated, and policies are enforced in real time.
- Inline protection: By integrating with security services, ZTNA ensures that malware, phishing, and other threats are blocked before reaching users or apps.
This approach aligns with the way modern businesses operate ‒ distributed, cloud-first, and highly mobile.
Why the Shift Is Accelerating
Several trends are making the shift from VPN to zero trust urgent:
- Remote and hybrid work has become permanent, expanding the attack surface.
- SaaS adoption means employees often work outside the corporate network perimeter.
- Cyber insurance and compliance increasingly demand zero trust controls.
- Attackers exploit VPNs as a common entry point, with vulnerabilities regularly targeted by ransomware groups.
Organizations that continue to rely on VPNs are left managing complexity while attackers search for weaknesses.
A Practical Path Forward
The good news: replacing VPNs doesn't mean ripping out everything overnight. Modern solutions like FireCloud Total Access give organizations a practical path to zero trust, starting with securing remote users against Internet-based attacks, then layering in identity-based access to private and SaaS applications.
The Future of Remote Access
VPNs were built for a different era. Today, zero trust is the future of remote access ‒ reducing risk, simplifying management, and improving the user experience. Organizations that modernize now will be better protected, more compliant, and more productive in the hybrid work world.
Ready to learn more? Explore how FireCloud Total Access can help you retire VPN headaches and embrace a zero trust approach to secure connectivity.
