Zero Trust Security Architecture
Zero Trust Tools Comparison: Platforms & Solutions
Zero trust tool categories: ZTNA (Zscaler Private Access, Cloudflare Access, Palo Alto Prisma Access — replace VPN with per-app access), Identity (Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, Google Cloud Identity — MFA, SSO, conditional access), Micro-segmentation (Illumio, Akamai Guardicore, VMware NSX — workload isolation), SASE (Zscaler, Netskope, Palo Alto — combined networking and security), and Cloud-Native (AWS Verified Access, Azure AD Conditional Access, GCP BeyondCorp — provider-specific zero trust).
Andreas Johansson · Chief Executive Officer
Senior IT management leader with 25 years of experience in Cloud, Security, and Datacenter infrastructure.
Zero Trust Is Multi-Tool
No single vendor delivers complete zero trust. The architecture spans identity, network, endpoint, application, and data — requiring tools from multiple categories working together. Understanding the tool landscape helps organizations build an effective, integrated zero trust architecture.
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
ZTNA tools replace VPN with identity-based, per-application access.
Zscaler Private Access (ZPA)
- Approach: Cloud-based ZTNA with application connectors. Users connect to Zscaler cloud, which brokers access to applications through lightweight connectors deployed near applications.
- Strengths: True zero trust (applications never exposed to internet), cloud-native scale, integration with Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) for complete SASE platform.
- Best for: Enterprises replacing VPN at scale, organizations with hybrid cloud environments.
Cloudflare Access
- Approach: Identity-aware proxy built on Cloudflare's global network. Applications are accessed through Cloudflare's edge, which authenticates and authorizes each request.
- Strengths: Global edge network for low latency, simple deployment, agentless for web applications, strong developer experience.
- Best for: Organizations with primarily web-based applications, developer-focused teams.
Palo Alto Prisma Access
- Approach: Cloud-delivered security platform combining ZTNA, firewall, and threat prevention.
- Strengths: Deep integration with Palo Alto security ecosystem, advanced threat prevention, consistent policy enforcement across remote and office users.
- Best for: Palo Alto customers wanting unified networking and security.
Cisco Secure Access
- Approach: ZTNA integrated with Cisco's networking and security portfolio.
- Strengths: Integration with Cisco networking infrastructure, SD-WAN integration, Duo identity platform integration.
- Best for: Cisco networking customers.
Identity and Access Platforms
Identity platforms are the foundation of zero trust — every access decision starts with identity verification.
Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD)
- Zero trust capabilities: Conditional Access policies (location, device, risk-based), Privileged Identity Management (JIT access), Identity Protection (risk-based authentication), and integration with Microsoft 365 and Azure.
- Strengths: Deep integration with Microsoft ecosystem, comprehensive conditional access, large app gallery for SSO.
- Best for: Microsoft-centric organizations.
Okta
- Zero trust capabilities: Adaptive MFA, conditional access, device trust, lifecycle management, universal directory for identity consolidation.
- Strengths: Best-of-breed identity platform, extensive integrations, strong customization capabilities.
- Best for: Multi-vendor environments, organizations wanting identity-first zero trust.
Google Cloud Identity / BeyondCorp Enterprise
- Zero trust capabilities: Context-aware access, endpoint verification, threat and data protection integrated with access decisions.
- Strengths: Based on Google's internal BeyondCorp implementation (the original zero trust). Deep integration with Google Workspace and GCP.
- Best for: Google Workspace organizations, GCP-centric environments.
Micro-Segmentation
Illumio
- Approach: Host-based micro-segmentation with application dependency mapping. Agents on workloads enforce segmentation policies.
- Strengths: Real-time application dependency mapping, policy simulation before enforcement, works across cloud and on-premises.
- Best for: Enterprises needing detailed application-level segmentation.
Akamai Guardicore
- Approach: Software-based micro-segmentation with deep visibility into application communication.
- Strengths: Process-level visibility, flexible policy enforcement, strong visualization.
- Best for: Organizations wanting detailed communication mapping and granular segmentation.
VMware NSX
- Approach: Network-based micro-segmentation through VMware's software-defined networking.
- Strengths: Deep integration with VMware infrastructure, distributed firewall at the hypervisor level, consistent policy across VMs and containers.
- Best for: VMware-centric data centers.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)
SASE combines networking and security in a cloud-delivered service — integrating ZTNA, secure web gateway, CASB, and firewall.
Zscaler (ZIA + ZPA)
ZTNA (ZPA) + secure internet access (ZIA) + CASB + DLP in a cloud platform.
Netskope
Cloud-native SASE with strong CASB and DLP capabilities, particularly for SaaS security.
Palo Alto Prisma SASE
SD-WAN + ZTNA + cloud firewall + CASB in a unified platform.
Cloud-Native Zero Trust
Each major cloud provider offers native zero trust tools:
AWS
- Verified Access — ZTNA for applications
- IAM Identity Center — centralized SSO/MFA
- Security Groups — micro-segmentation
- GuardDuty — threat detection
Azure
- Entra ID Conditional Access — context-aware access
- Private Link — private connectivity
- PIM — just-in-time privileged access
- Defender for Cloud — CSPM
GCP
- BeyondCorp Enterprise — context-aware access
- VPC Service Controls — data perimeter
- Binary Authorization — workload integrity
- Security Command Center — unified security
Choosing Tools
Selection Criteria
- Existing ecosystem. Tools that integrate with your current identity, network, and security infrastructure
- Coverage. Which zero trust pillars does the tool address?
- Deployment model. Cloud-delivered vs on-premises
- Application support. Web, thick client, SSH/RDP, API
- Maturity. Production-proven vs emerging
- Total cost. Licensing, deployment, operations, training
Integration Approach
Zero trust requires tools that work together:
- Identity platform as the foundation (IdP with MFA, SSO, conditional access)
- ZTNA for application access (replacing VPN)
- Micro-segmentation for workload isolation
- SIEM/monitoring for continuous verification
- CSPM for cloud posture assessment
How SeqOps fits
Zero trust starts with knowing where you're exposed. SeqOps gives you that view for your cloud accounts and servers: misconfigurations, excessive access and unpatched software, ranked by severity. It doesn't enforce access policies.