Granular application security without replacing your VPN
VPN is considered the defacto way of securing the IT perimeter, but most organizations are looking for more granular solutions. Can a company secure individual applications while keeping the VPN they have worked so hard to implement?
First of all, an application security solution that provides cloud access doesn’t require the VPN to be replaced. You can segment applications when security is more critical, such as apps that 3rd parties or vendors access.
When granting application access to 3rd parties and vendors, you can move the attack surface from your network to the cloud, without moving your application. The graphic below illustrates this and shows that communication through the firewall is one way, so access effectively takes place outside your firewall.
For added security, you can require multi-factor authentication where a code is sent to a cell phone and is required for login.
A second reason to implement a co-solution to VPN is when your employees and partners are reluctant to use the VPN, because they must interrupt their workflow or it’s cumbersome or slow. With cloud access application security, employees and trusted partners can get access to a single app with one click and no interruption to their workflow.
Thirdly, if you haven’t taken the time to granulize VPN access or you don’t have the expertise on your staff, a cloud access security solution is easy and quick to set up for mission-critical apps or less trusted users.
Find out more about CDNetworks’ application security cloud access solution – Secure Application Access here.
