Zscaler unveils new Zero Trust tools to protect cloud & IoT

Zscaler has introduced a new suite of solutions designed to support organisations in adopting Zero Trust across their users, applications, devices, cloud operations, and branch locations.

The company stated that these new offerings are updates to the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange platform, which address the ongoing challenges of distributed workforces, the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) and operational technology (OT), and growing multi-cloud deployments. Zscaler explained that its enhancements are intended to secure digital environments by making branches and clouds invisible to bad actors and preventing the lateral movement of threats, such as ransomware, within networks.

With the expanded capabilities, Zscaler is seeking to simplify security infrastructure and network management for businesses facing an increasingly complex threat landscape. The suite of solutions aims to support businesses in scaling their operations securely, particularly as organisations address expanding digital environments.

The newly launched Zero Trust solutions include four main components. The first, Unified Appliance for Zero Trust Branch, is positioned as a replacement for firewalls and legacy network access control in branches, campuses, and factories. The solution secures communication between these locations and also segments OT and IoT devices, including legacy systems, without downtime. It introduces disposable jumpboxes that allow contractors limited, time-bound access to critical systems. Zscaler indicated that this approach reduces the need for traditional technology such as VLAN configurations and virtual desktop infrastructure for remote access, cutting both complexity and costs while increasing operational security. The Unified Appliance for Zero Trust Branch is now generally available.

Another addition, the Zero Trust Gateway for Cloud Workloads, is a cloud-native service intended for deployment on Amazon Web Services. It secures communications both from workload to the internet and laterally between workloads and cloud resources, completing setup in under ten minutes without additional agents or virtual machines. Zscaler stated that this reduces the attack surface typically associated with firewalls and streamlines workload security in hybrid and multi-cloud environments. This solution is also generally available to customers.

The third solution, Zscaler Microsegmentation for Cloud Workloads, leverages artificial intelligence to provide host-based segmentation services. This tool enforces granular security policies at the process and host level across workloads on public clouds, including AWS and Azure, as well as on-premise data centres with bare metal workloads. The Zscaler Workload agent collects metrics and monitors traffic and device context, aiming to protect sensitive assets from lateral threats. Microsegmentation is now available.

The final addition is the Zero Trust Exchange for B2B, which introduces an application-sharing platform to facilitate secure collaboration between partner organisations. The company stated this platform removes the requirement for technologies such as MPLS circuits or VPNs, which can complicate connectivity and risk oversharing. Zero Trust Exchange for B2B is accessible for select use cases, with plans for extended functionality in future updates.

Zscaler's Executive Vice President, Product Strategy, Dhawal Sharma, commented: "Zscaler's latest innovations for the Zero Trust Exchange truly extends Zero Trust Everywhere beyond users and redefines the enterprise security and networking by seamlessly unifying operations, strengthening threat defenses, and enabling secure connectivity across users, devices, applications, branches, and clouds with better visibility and experience—no matter how complex or distributed the environment."

He added: "With this expanded Zero Trust Everywhere approach, organizations can accelerate security modernization, mitigate risks, and protect data everywhere business happens."

Zscaler emphasised that all announced solutions form part of a broader effort to assist businesses in modernising security infrastructure and scaling securely while facing the pressures of digital transformation and increasingly distributed operations.