Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
ZTNADefinition
A security framework that eliminates implicit trust and requires continuous verification of every user and device attempting to access network resources, regardless of their location inside or outside the network perimeter. ZTNA operates on the principle of 'never trust, always verify' and grants least-privilege access based on identity, context, and policy compliance.
التعريف بالعربية
إطار أمني يلغي الثقة الضمنية ويتطلب التحقق المستمر من كل مستخدم وجهاز يحاول الوصول إلى موارد الشبكة، بغض النظر عن موقعهم داخل أو خارج محيط الشبكة. يعمل ZTNA على مبدأ 'عدم الثقة مطلقاً، التحقق دائماً' ويمنح وصولاً بأقل الصلاحيات بناءً على الهوية والسياق والامتثال للسياسات.
Practical Example
A Saudi financial institution implements ZTNA in compliance with SAMA CSF cybersecurity controls (particularly domain 1-1 on access control) to secure remote access for employees. Instead of traditional VPN that grants broad network access, ZTNA authenticates users through multi-factor authentication, verifies device security posture, and grants access only to specific applications needed for their role, creating micro-segments that align with NCA ECC requirements for network segmentation and access management.