Secure Access Done Right
How SSE and ZTNA work together on the way to a zero-trust setup.
Why it is worth reading
Perimeter security alone no longer keeps networks safe: cloud, SaaS and hybrid work create traffic patterns that legacy architectures were never designed to handle, and fragmented point products leave blind spots. Security Service Edge (SSE) answers with a cloud-delivered, identity-centric model - and ZTNA is the critical entry point for Zero Trust adoption.
This white paper explains the SSE fundamentals and its core pillars - SWG, CASB and ZTNA, plus an optional cloud firewall - each with capabilities and concrete use cases. It then lays out a five-step migration plan from legacy VPN to universal Zero Trust enforcement, including a tiered maturity model, key success factors and the pitfalls to watch out for.
What is inside
- What SSE is and why it mattersThe cloud-delivered security component of SASE, and why fragmented point products cause blind spots and policy gaps.
- Core pillars: SWG, CASB, ZTNAWhat each pillar controls - web traffic, SaaS usage, application access - with capabilities and use cases per pillar.
- Use cases across industriesHybrid workforce security, third-party access and legacy VPN replacement, illustrated by an apartment-sharing analogy.
- The 5-step ZTNA migration planFrom identity and asset inventory through pilots and remote-user rollout to universal Zero Trust enforcement.
- Success factors and pitfallsIdentity hygiene, segmentation and phased rollouts on one side; TLS inspection complexity and shadow IT on the other.
VPN gives too much access simply because it's built on the wrong assumption - that being inside the perimeter equals trust.Who it is for
- Security architects planning a VPN-to-ZTNA migration
- CISOs mapping a pragmatic, phased Zero Trust roadmap
- IT leaders consolidating SWG, CASB and ZTNA on one SSE platform
Founded in Switzerland. Backed by Swiss Post.
Founded in Switzerland in 1990, Open Systems generates more than USD 100 million in annual revenue and supports global enterprise customers operating in more than 180 countries. Since 2024, the company has been part of Swiss Post, combining Swiss trust and stability with global reach. As a European alternative to US- and Israel-based cybersecurity providers, Open Systems is guided by strong principles around sovereignty requirements, regulatory alignment, transparency and shared responsibility - taking clear ownership for security, performance and operational outcomes, helping organizations maintain control in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Autonomous SASE. AI-powered. Human-backed.
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