Zero Trust is one of those most critical terms that already live rent-free in IT managers’ heads. It’s way past the emerging buzzword stage — now, Zero Trust is a security model that dictates organizational cybersecurity strategies and general security approaches. 

But how influential is the Zero Trust model? What’s its role in the near future and its place in a broader picture of cybersecurity? Let’s take a look at what trends to expect in the Zero Trust department.

Password is dead; long live Zero Trust?!

The new cybersecurity era will likely be marked by another iconic moment in the digital age. Rumor has it that we will be done with the passwords in 2023. Hard to say if it’s true, but passwords as single-factor authentication are outdated in the context of the current cybersecurity landscape.

Lost or stolen credentials surge black markets imposing risk to data security. A glance at the high numbers of the latest data breaches of 2022:

• Slash Next reports 255 million phishing-related attacks in 6 months — a 61% increase compared to 2021.
• According to Verizon, weak or stolen passwords contributed to 81% of hacking-related data breaches. 82% of breaches were triggered by human error (including social engineering attacks).
• Nvidia suffered an attack and lost the credentials (email addresses and Windows password hashes) of 71,000 employees.

Keeping in mind that 73% of employees recycle the same personal passwords for work-related accounts – NordLayer’s research about bad cybersecurity habits concluded weak passwords as one of the top vulnerabilities of organization security – the number of leaked personal credentials is a huge red flag for organizations.

Despite education and targeted reminders of password hygiene, more than half (59%) of workers tend to reuse passwords while being familiar with existing risks.

The remaining high data breach statistics only confirm the insufficiency of current actions regarding securing credentials and company data accordingly.

The Zero Trust mindset to ‘trust none; verify all’ is a straightforward change for companies to dismiss careless passwords from their systems and elevate security levels effectively. 

A quick recap: ZT, ZTA, and ZTNA

Zero Trust (ZT) is a trust algorithm that ensures resources within specific networks can be accessed only by verified endpoints — devices or users. Yet when discussing cybersecurity, additional concepts of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) emerge — what’s the difference?

An easy way to differentiate Zero Trust, Zero Trust Architecture, and ZTNA is to define Zero Trust as the driving idea, model, or mindset that puts the theoretical foundation for the application of the method.

The Zero Trust principle turns attention to the main focus points:

• Make sure to check and verify every endpoint connection request to the network.
• Solely job-mandatory access rights must be granted to perform role objectives. 
• Plan for the maximum constraint of user movement in the network in case of a breach.

Zero Trust Architecture is a practical application of the Zero Trust approach when building security policies and IT infrastructure as if there was no traditional perimeter. ZTA combines and implements solutions for:

• Endpoint verification
• Network supervision. 

ZTNA is a segment of Zero Trust Architecture that provides a solution to trusted-only application access. ZTNA is integral to the SASE and SSE frameworks for establishing security in remote cloud environments.

What changes does Zero Trust employ: ZTNA’s focus

Instead of discussing Zero Trust at theoretical levels, it’s beneficial to investigate ZTNA to understand what changes it suggests and how companies apply them.

According to Statista, the most common solution organizations used to enable Zero Trust segmentation in 2021 was ZTNA. Identity, Credential, and Access Management followed it.

The popularity of ZTNA comes from its adoption as a more efficient identity- and context-supported solution for controlling increasing attack surfaces in hybrid environments.

As ZK Research indicates, VPN was a go-to solution to manage and protect companies’ IT perimeters. However, VPN performance and security fallbacks brought by backhauling network traffic and open network access make it refer to VPN as a remote work solution only as a temporary one.

Therefore, to secure and connect remote workers while managing distributed endpoint, user, and application networks under the organization’s scope, companies turned to secure network access (SaaS, cloud, and edge) solutions, including ZTNA.

Shrinking the attack surface – limiting the threat actor’s activity in the network by requesting additional authentication or assigned permits to access internal applications – is the key feature of the ZTNA solution.

Prospects of Zero Trust in cybersecurity

Cyberattacks continuously challenge everyone, from consumers to federal agencies, hitting the weakest link — passwords. Attacks are disrupting business operations from intelligence businesses to manufacturers — any company with internet-connected systems and networks is vulnerable.

The Zero Trust approach can mitigate hardly controllable external and internal factors that might lead to a breach. ZTNA enables IT administrators to monitor, manage and interact with connections between endpoints and ultimately conclude whether the connection should be approved or denied.

Driving factors of ZTNA adoption

The peak of ZTNA matched with hybrid and remote work developments globally introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although opinions tend to clash, remote work is here to stay, and ZTNA maintains its importance to business network security.

To securely return to old ways of working – the static office-contained perimeter, which is the least challenging to maintain and control – all of the workforce should come back to their corporate desks.

Migration to the cloud is gaining momentum as it offers more flexibility and reduces the complexity of traditional IT perimeter.

The password more often causes security issues than prevents it and needs to be reconsidered and redesigned to move to more sustainable solutions.

Evolved understanding of a workplace with WFA (Work From Anywhere) quickly showed the comforts of working from home or cafe, answering work emails from a personal phone, or watching TV series on a corporate laptop after working hours. Yet these blurred lines stretch the reach of unapproved applications and devices blending into the company network.

Although the digital landscape and new modern habits might be alarming, going backward seems unrealistic. Thus ZTNA helps manage current cybersecurity challenges in this technological evolution.

State of remote work 

There’s no denying that companies will have to accept the turned tables — employees now consider not how many days they will decide to work from home but how often they are willing to show up in the office.

If the workforce is not to return to the office full-time, ZTNA naturally cannot be discarded from the company’s cybersecurity strategy.

According to ZK Research 2022 Work-from-Anywhere Study, just one – or even less – out of 10 employees consider 100% work on-site, leaving most of the workforce a risk factor to data and application security.

How do companies adopt Zero Trust? 

Zero Trust is dominant in creating security strategies. Statista survey revealed that one-third of polled companies, as of January 2022, already had a formal strategy actively embracing a Zero Trust policy. Only 20 percent of respondents had no Zero Trust strategy as of 2022.

Statista also concluded that almost one-fifth of respondent organizations completely discard the Zero Trust model as a cloud security strategy while the vast majority (81%) fully or partially embrace Zero Trust model guidelines for building internal security policies.

It’s safe to say that Zero Trust has been assigned an important and influential role in shaping the security infrastructure face. The mindset combines Zero Trust backed practices of accountability, consistency, dependability, and transparency to activities and processes within the organization network.

How to transition to Zero Trust?

Benefits for businesses that adopt ZTNA to enhance the security of their network. Deploying Zero Trust-based features establishes secure cloud access and allows network segmentation for least privileged access to resources.

The model reduces insider threat by protecting internal applications and lowering the potential of account breach risk. Overall, ZTNA adoption supports the company’s journey to achieving compliance requirements.

Zero Trust Network Access is a predominant framework of any setup that deals with hybrid work as an alternative to VPN. NordLayer solution makes implementation of ZTNA easy and integrable despite the existing infrastructure in your company. Reach out to learn more about securing your business network with ZTNA within minutes.

Both technologies mask traffic and conceal your location. But there are significant differences between proxies and VPNs that users need to know. Let’s explore the VPN vs proxy contest in more detail and help you find the ideal privacy solution.

What is a VPN and how does it work?

VPNs are networks that route traffic through private servers before sending it to its destination. When users log onto their VPN client, the service uses special protocols to create a “tunnel” connecting data sources and destinations.

VPNs offer a couple of important security and privacy services:

• Anonymization. Traffic routed through Virtual Private Network servers is assigned a new IP address. This anonymizes the data source, making it hard for outsiders to track online activity. Outside observers may know you’re using a VPN connection, but your original IP address will be inaccessible.
• Encryption. VPNs encrypt data from the user device to the virtual private gateway. Any web traffic passing through a remote access VPN server is basically unreadable to outside observers while it is encrypted. Users can still browse the web or access streaming content. But their information and activity will remain private. This is very useful when dealing with financial data.

VPNs are usually paid services. A third-party VPN provider will maintain servers around the world and manage encryption. Users log on via clients, which can be integrated into web browsers if desired.

VPNs also work at the operating system level. This means they cover all traffic leaving or entering a network. They are not restricted to single apps.

What is a proxy and how does it work?

Proxies also use external servers. These proxy servers route traffic from user devices and give each data packet a new IP address. As far as outsiders are concerned, user traffic comes from the proxy’s remote server. This is a major benefit when accessing geo-restricted web content.

On the downside, proxies do not feature data encryption. They can anonymize the identity of a user but not the data they send. Sensitive data remains exposed to attackers, making proxies unsuitable for a business internet connection.

Proxies also tend to be associated with individual applications. They process traffic from web browsers or streaming games. But proxies do not provide all-around privacy at an operating system level.

Understanding the main proxy types

There are various different types of proxy servers, and each has its own use cases:

• HTTP proxies. Designed to work with web pages and browsers. You can configure Chrome or Edge to route all HTTP traffic through a proxy, or just assign proxy routing to specific websites.
• SOCKS5 proxies. SOCKS proxies work on the application level and route traffic from specific apps. For example, a SOCKS5 proxy could be assigned to route Skype conversations securely. SOCKS5 proxies are flexible but tend to be slower than HTTP versions.
• Transparent proxies. Generally invisible to network users. A transparent proxy can filter web traffic and monitor activity. This makes them useful in settings like schools and libraries. Parents could also use them to filter the content available to children.
• Private proxies. Private proxies provide a dedicated IP address for each user. This does not provide as much privacy as VPNs. However, it can help unblock geo-restricted websites and improve proxy speeds.

Key differences between proxy and VPN

We now know the main features of proxies and VPNs. But here’s the all-important question. How do VPNs and proxies differ, and which one should you choose?

1. VPNs provide encryption

Encryption is the most important difference between VPNs and proxies and probably the key consideration for business users. When you use a VPN, all of your internet traffic is encrypted.

The best paid providers use AES-256 encryption that has no known weaknesses. Encrypted data will be off-limits to thieves, limiting the risk of leaking commercial data. A remote work VPN will also lock down connections between home workers and central offices. So you can establish a secure connection between workloads and user devices.

Proxies never encrypt traffic. All they do is re-route packets and provide IP address anonymization. That can be useful when accessing blocked web pages. But data security will be relatively weak.

2. VPNs handle all traffic, proxies work with individual apps

VPNs function at the operating system layer. They apply encryption and anonymization to all data passing across network boundaries. Businesses do not have to install software on individual apps or configure settings for each service. Privacy controls apply over-the-top – a more convenient solution.

Because they work on the application level, proxies are used with specific software or services. They won’t cover all network connections, potentially leaving security gaps.

3. Proxies may be faster

Proxies don’t need to encrypt data as they route it worldwide. VPNs do. This imposes extra bandwidth overheads. VPNs may be slower, as a result, sometimes making them unworkable for streaming tasks.

However, the best VPNs match proxies in terms of speed. Free proxies generally use cheaper, less extensive infrastructure. So while they use more basic technology, they may be slower than VPN alternatives.

4. You’ll usually pay for VPNs

Proxies have low maintenance costs for providers and are usually free for users. At least, they are free at the point of use. As with most free services, proxy customers are the product. Expect your data to be stored and sold to third parties for marketing purposes.

There are free VPNs as well. However, paid services are recommended for business customers. Paid VPNs charge small fees and provide higher-quality encryption, speed, reliability, and anonymization. They also have stricter anti-logging policies. Your data should remain private and won’t be resold.

Unlike most proxies, good VPNs combine these services with customer support. All-in-all, they deliver much better online privacy for high-end users.

5. VPNs are more reliable

As a general rule, VPNs are more reliable. Your connection will drop less frequently. Speeds will be more regular. A host server around the world should be available at all times.

Proxies can be very reliable but do not have such a strong reputation. Expect connections to drop every now and then, especially when using free proxy services.

VPNs also offer more reliable DNS leak protection. Poor-quality proxies will likely leak DNS information to your internet service provider or the websites you visit. This completely compromises the privacy service.

Similarities between proxies and VPNs

As you can see, there are plenty of divergences between VPNs and proxies. But it’s important to remember the similarities as well.

• Both proxies and VPNs allow anonymous web browsing. Customers use them to change their IP address. This enables access to previously blocked online services.
• VPNs and proxies use third-party routers. While you can set up an in-house VPN server or proxy, both services are generally sourced from external partners.
• Both can be used to control network access. Proxies are often used to block access for employees to certain websites. VPNs can also blacklist websites.
• Neither represents a complete privacy solution. VPNs are more effective when anonymizing network traffic but are not completely watertight. Both proxies and VPNs can have technical flaws that expose your location. They may collect data to share with commercial partners or governments.

When should you use VPN and when proxy?

A basic rule is that VPNs should be used wherever users need security and privacy. VPNs combine reliable IP anonymization with encryption. This means company data will be protected twice as it passes over the internet. Proxies provide very little protection at all.

VPN connections can be used to enable secure remote work. Employees can install VPN clients on work devices at home and use an encrypted tunnel to join the central company network. Without VPN protection, any data sent from workers to the network will be exposed to attackers.

Site-to-Site VPNs can connect different work locations securely. They extend the main network to other sites, allowing every department or branch to access data safely.

VPNs are also used to transfer sensitive financial data. Companies can use them to make transactions or discuss commercial arrangements. Without encryption, using proxies for these tasks is extremely risky.

Proxies can play a role in some situations. Transparent proxies are often used to prevent access to undesirable websites. Companies could use HTTP proxies to wall off social media during working hours.

A proxy server may also be handy for researching content worldwide, assuming security concerns are secondary. You can use a proxy server to pose as a buyer from different countries and see how prices vary. Or you might access videos and bypass content restrictions.

VPN vs proxy: which is better for your business?

By now, you probably have an idea of which privacy solution to choose. Most businesses should opt for virtual private networks over proxies. A proxy server offers minimal security features. The service may be free of charge and fast, but data sent via a proxy server is always vulnerable.

By contrast, VPNs encrypt data – usually at levels that protect information from attackers. The best VPNs use military-grade encryption. Some offer add-ons like Double VPN protection that makes it hard to tell whether users are even employing a VPN.

VPNs come in business-friendly forms. You can set them up for remote workers, link departments, and integrate VPNs with cloud computing. If you choose a reliable provider, you can talk to support staff and optimize security and privacy. This just isn’t available with any proxies.

How can NordLayer help?

NordLayer can help you implement a secure, fast, and business-friendly VPN solution. Our software-based products include VPN services powered by the NordLynx protocol. This combines speed and cutting-edge encryption.

Create site-to-site setups to cover every workstation. Cater for remote workers, and implement Single Sign On that extends protection to all network assets. To find out more, get in touch with the NordLayer team today.

FAQ

Is a proxy server the same as a VPN?

No. Proxy and VPN servers both route internet traffic and assign anonymous IP addresses. VPNs add encryption to data transfers. They act at OSI layers 3 or 4, while proxies operate at layers 5 to 7.

Do you need a proxy server if you have a VPN?

Probably not. VPNs deliver the same services as proxy servers, with better security, performance, and support. In some cases, you could use a VPN to work around a transparent proxy if you use one to regulate internet activity. But this is relatively rare.

Are proxy servers safe?

Maybe, but how can you be sure? Free proxy services are notorious for leaking and selling data. Users should assume that someone is tracking their activity. A proxy server should never be used to send sensitive data.

Which is faster, VPN or proxy?

Proxies are often faster than VPNs as they do not require encryption. However, speeds also depend on the number of proxy server users, available servers, and the quality of those servers. In many cases, a well-managed VPN will be faster than a cheap, poorly run proxy.

Is Tor a VPN or a proxy server?

Neither. Tor is a network of nodes located around the world. These nodes are free to access. They act as a relay, bouncing traffic between nodes until it reaches its destination. It has some VPN features, such as encryption. However, Tor traffic can often be seen by volunteers, and its exit nodes are often blacklisted. Tor speeds also tend to be slower than proxies and VPNs.