Industry Insights

Why VPNs Are a Ransomware Risk: Switch to Zero Trust

If your organization still relies on VPNs to connect remote users and branch offices, you may be giving ransomware operators exactly what they want: a single, easy pathway into your corporate network.

VPNs were designed for a very different era of IT—when applications were hosted on-premises, users sat inside a trusted perimeter, and “remote access” meant dialing in from home occasionally. Fast forward to today: applications live everywhere (SaaS, IaaS, data centers), workforces are hybrid and mobile, and attackers are relentlessly targeting the weakest link. VPNs, with their all-or-nothing access model, have become an open door for ransomware.

The Hidden Dangers of VPNs

At first glance, VPNs seem secure. They encrypt traffic and authenticate users. But under the surface, the cracks are clear:

• Credential theft = network compromise. A stolen password doesn’t just unlock one application—it grants broad access across the entire network. For attackers, this is lateral movement made simple.
• Internet-facing concentrators are prime targets. Zero-day vulnerabilities in popular VPN appliances have been repeatedly exploited by ransomware groups. Even when patches are issued, the window between disclosure and deployment is enough for attackers to strike.
• Blind spots in visibility. VPN tunnels are opaque. Security teams see a monolithic stream of traffic, not which applications are being accessed or how data is moving. This lack of context makes it harder to detect malicious activity.
• Operational fragility. Anyone who has managed VPN appliances knows the headaches: constant patching, device driver conflicts, scaling bottlenecks, and user complaints about sluggish performance.

For ransomware operators, VPNs are a dream scenario: one credential, one vulnerability, one exposed concentrator—and the door is wide open

Enter Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

Zero Trust Network Access flips the VPN model on its head. Instead of giving users the keys to the whole network, ZTNA grants application-specific access—and only under the right conditions.

ZTNA enforces continuous verification of identity and device posture. Access decisions can factor in risk signals like geolocation, patch level, or endpoint security status. And if a device falls out of compliance mid-session—for example, if its antivirus agent is disabled—the session can be revoked immediately.

For ransomware defense, this is game-changing:

• No lateral movement. Credential theft doesn’t equal network compromise. At worst, an attacker might reach one app—not your entire environment.
• No exposed concentrators. Applications remain invisible to the internet, accessed only through outbound-initiated connections.
• Full visibility. Every session is logged at the application level, providing rich telemetry for SIEM/SOAR integration.

In short, ZTNA reduces the blast radius of attacks while giving security teams the visibility they need

Why Versa ZTNA is Different from Other Solutions

Not all ZTNA solutions are created equal. Some are cloud-only, forcing traffic through a handful of global Points of Presence—introducing latency and data residency issues. Others are appliance-based, recreating many of the same fragilities as VPNs.

Versa takes a different path. Versa ZTNA is embedded within its Unified SASE platform, not bolted on. That means the same policy framework governing your firewall, secure web gateway, CASB, and SD-WAN also governs Zero Trust access. For security leaders, this translates to consistent enforcement, fewer silos, and reduced administrative overhead.

Key Versa Advantages:

• Hybrid deployment flexibility. Deploy via Versa’s global cloud fabric, in your private data centers, or at branch locations—ideal for regulated industries and global enterprises.
• Granular control. Enforce not just per-app but also per-API segmentation, tied to device posture and risk context.
• Inline threat prevention. Unlike many ZTNA tools that stop at access control, Versa integrates IDS/IPS, DLP, and malware detection directly into the access path.
• Scalable performance. Versa’s distributed architecture terminates connections close to the user, eliminating VPN bottlenecks and latency.
• Deep visibility. Security teams gain detailed per-session logs, correlated natively with SIEM/SOAR platforms for faster detection and response.

With Versa, you’re not just swapping VPN for another siloed tool—you’re building a resilient, scalable Zero Trust architecture that supports both today’s hybrid workforce and tomorrow’s cloud-first strategies

Business Benefits of Moving Beyond VPNs

Security leaders face pressure on multiple fronts: rising ransomware incidents, tightening compliance mandates, and growing demands from boards and insurers to prove a strong security posture. VPNs can no longer check those boxes.

By contrast, adopting ZTNA with Versa delivers measurable business impact:

• Reduced risk exposure. No internet-facing gateways. No flat network access. Less lateral movement.
• Improved compliance alignment. Versa’s unified Zero Trust controls map directly to government and industry mandates.
• Operational efficiency. Fewer point products to manage. No emergency patch scrambles. Simplified policy management across thousands of users and apps.
• Lower long-term cost. A unified SASE stack consolidates vendors and licensing, reducing total cost of ownership.

These are not abstract benefits. They mean fewer sleepless nights for security teams, lower breach costs, and a stronger case to stakeholders that the company is prepared for evolving threats.

A Staged Journey: From VPN to ZTNA

Shifting from VPNs doesn’t mean flipping a switch overnight. A pragmatic path involves:

1. Discovery: Identify applications accessed via VPN today, prioritize by sensitivity.
2. Onboarding: Gradually migrate apps into Versa ZTNA while maintaining VPN for legacy workloads.
3. Expansion: Apply posture validation and segmentation across more applications.
4. Decommissioning: Retire VPN concentrators once ZTNA coverage reaches critical mass.

This staged approach allows enterprises to improve security posture immediately while avoiding business disruption

Summary

VPNs were built for a world that no longer exists. In today’s cloud-first, hybrid-work reality, they represent one of the most targeted—and most dangerous—attack surfaces. Zero Trust Network Access is the architectural correction, and Versa delivers it with the scale, integration, and inline security that modern enterprises demand.

Read the full white paper to see how Versa ZTNA is better suited than VPNs