The Role of ZTNA and Microsegmentation in Cybersecurity

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and microsegmentation are two of the most popular tools shaping next-generation cybersecurity.

However, organizations typically treat these as two separate initiatives to be implemented and managed by two separate security teams. For example: ZTNA is viewed as a replacement for a VPN and is owned by the access team. At the same time, microsegmentation is considered an alternative to managing network security with firewalls, virtual local area networks (VLANs), and access control lists (ACLs) and is typically owned by the network security team. When two separate teams exist, the two programs become siloed, and opportunities to amplify their benefits are left on the table.

The truth is that Zero Trust isn’t just about ZTNA or microsegmentation. In fact, NIST SP 800-207 Zero Trust Architecture requires a combination of the two approaches; this is the key to unlocking the strength, continuous protection, and resilience that organizations need to mitigate threats when their networks are already breached.

Keep reading to learn how, together, these security approaches can provide a robust defense against today’s most sophisticated cyberthreats.

ZTNA and Microsegmentation: What You Need to Know

ZTNA and microsegmentation are foundational to the Zero Trust model, which operates under the principle of “never trust, always verify.”

ZTNA is a security framework designed to ensure that users and devices can only access the specific applications they need—nothing more. Unlike VPNs that offer broad access to a network, ZTNA applies identity-based access control and continuously verifies user behavior to minimize the risk of unauthorized access.

Microsegmentation, on the other hand, is a network security technique that converts larger internal networks into small, secure segments. Each segment is isolated and governed by its own policies, minimizing the risk that a breach in one area can spread to others.

Together, ZTNA and microsegmentation offer a multi-layered defense that can:

• Ensure access to network resources and applications is limited to authorized users and devices.
• Reduce a network's attack surface by segmenting, verifying, and securing traffic.
• Limit the ability of malware to propagate and restrict unauthorized lateral movement.
• Strengthen the execution of the Zero Trust model without hindering operations.

ZTNA and Microsegmentation in Practice: Real-World Applications

Hybrid Work Environments

In today’s hybrid work model, employees need secure access to corporate resources no matter when and where they work or what devices they use.

• Unlike VPNs, ZTNA allows remote users to access the resources and applications they need without exposing the entire corporate network.
• Microsegmentation restricts what these remote users can access by enforcing granular application and network-level access controls.

Cloud Environments

As businesses utilize the cloud, security must be adaptable enough to span both on-premises and cloud infrastructures.

• ZTNA ensures that only verified users and services can access cloud-based applications.
• Microsegmentation isolates cloud resources and applies access policies that limit interactions unless explicitly allowed.

How Siloed Security Approaches Fall Short

Security gaps and inefficiencies can appear when organizations implement ZTNA or microsegmentation in isolation. For example:

• Replacing a VPN with ZTNA for remote users may control their network access, but what about users already inside the network? If local users are automatically trusted, they become a potential internal threat.
• If a network is segmented effectively, but remote access is managed separately through ZTNA gateways, organizations may require two sets of access policies.

This disjointed implementation can lead to poor policy enforcement, more administrative overhead, and blind spots that adversaries can exploit.

The Ideal Approach: ZTNA and Microsegmentation Integration

Unifying ZTNA and microsegmentation eliminates these gaps and administrative inefficiencies, providing security teams with more end-to-end visibility and control.

Here's how:

• Access is governed by a single entitlement policy regardless of whether the user is remote or on-premises.
• Security orchestration ensures consistent enforcement across cloud, hybrid, or on-prem environments.
• Organizations can simplify policy complexity and strengthen compliance with Zero Trust principles.

ZTNA and Microsegmentation: Better Together

ZTNA and microsegmentation aren't an either-or proposition—they are complementary pillars of the Zero Trust model. While ZTNA controls who can access a system, microsegmentation controls how systems communicate once access is granted.

Together, they allow security teams to create a robust, adaptive security framework to mitigate sophisticated threats, reduce a network's attack surface, and prevent the spread of breaches. Organizations should avoid treating these tools in isolation and instead leverage their unique strengths to build a unified, policy-driven security architecture.

Want to learn more about implementing a Zero Trust Architecture with ZTNA and microsegmentation? Check out our complete guide on ZTNA: