Teldat’s Zero Trust SD-WAN Technology FAQ’s

Q: What is Zero Trust SD-WAN?

Zero Trust SD-WAN is a cybersecurity solution that combines Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) capabilities with Zero Trust principles. While SD-WAN flexibly connects branches, sites, and data centers, Zero Trust removes implicit trust by continuously verifying every user, device, and application before granting access. This approach brings a new level of control and security to every connection.

Q: What is the fundamental security goal of Zero Trust SD-WAN?

The fundamental goal is to strengthen both security and business connectivity by eliminating implicit trust and enforcing the principle of least privilege. This ensures that users are granted access only to the specific resources they need, and nothing more.

Q: How does Zero Trust SD-WAN reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized movement?

It achieves this primarily through micro-segmentation. Micro-segmentation divides the network into secure zones, thereby limiting lateral movement (unauthorized movement within the network) and containing threats in the event of a breach.

Q: What role does Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) play in this solution?

ZTNA is often built into the Zero Trust SD-WAN solution. It secures access to cloud and private data center applications from any location. Integrated ZTNA allows for the application of unified access policies consistently to both internal and remote users.

Q: How is Zero Trust SD-WAN typically deployed?

The solution uses a hybrid architecture. It can be deployed in the cloud or on-premise in customer data centers. The architecture utilizes a Broker which serves as the central SD-WAN hub, receiving encrypted tunnel connections and enforcing authentication and granular access policies.

Q: What are Zero Trust connectors, and where are they deployed?

Zero Trust connectors are deployed close to applications, whether those applications reside in data centers or public cloud environments. These connectors are available as physical or virtual appliances and include built-in threat inspection features.

Q: How are users authenticated when connecting via Zero Trust SD-WAN?

Remote users typically connect using an agent installed on their device. On-site users are authenticated through seamless Active Directory integration. The system enables simple authentication and access control from any location.

Q: What advanced security capabilities are integrated into Zero Trust SD-WAN?

The solution integrates advanced traffic protection and threat prevention features. These capabilities include Embedded Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) Security, IDS/IPS, anti-malware, sandboxing, and Data Loss Prevention (DLP). These threat prevention profiles can be applied to any traffic flow.

Q: How does Zero Trust SD-WAN secure IoT devices, which often cannot run agents?

IoT devices are secured using granular access policies. Since they connect via physical appliances through encrypted tunnels to the SD-WAN service, their origin can be identified, and visibility and control policies can still be enforced even without an installed agent.

1. What is Zero Trust SD-WAN?

2. What is the fundamental security goal of Zero Trust SD-WAN?

3. How does Zero Trust SD-WAN reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized movement?

4. What role does Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) play in this solution?

5. How is Zero Trust SD-WAN typically deployed?

6. What are Zero Trust connectors, and where are they deployed?

7. How are users authenticated when connecting via Zero Trust SD-WAN?

8. What advanced security capabilities are integrated into Zero Trust SD-WAN?

9. How does the solution handle visibility and continuous monitoring?

10. How does Zero Trust SD-WAN secure IoT devices, which often cannot run agents?

11. How does the system ensure data protection while traffic is in transit?

12. How is the Zero Trust SD-WAN network managed?

13. What application controls are available within the Zero Trust SD-WAN environment?

14. What network technologies does SD-WAN support to ensure flexibility?

15. In which scenarios is Zero Trust SD-WAN particularly useful for financial institutions?

1. What is Zero Trust SD-WAN?

Zero Trust SD-WAN is a cybersecurity solution that combines Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) capabilities with Zero Trust principles. While SD-WAN flexibly connects branches, sites, and data centers, Zero Trust removes implicit trust by continuously verifying every user, device, and application before granting access. This approach brings a new level of control and security to every connection.

2. What is the fundamental security goal of Zero Trust SD-WAN?

The fundamental goal is to strengthen both security and business connectivity by eliminating implicit trust and enforcing the principle of least privilege. This ensures that users are granted access only to the specific resources they need, and nothing more.

3. How does Zero Trust SD-WAN reduce the attack surface and prevent unauthorized movement?

It achieves this primarily through micro-segmentation. Micro-segmentation divides the network into secure zones, thereby limiting lateral movement (unauthorized movement within the network) and containing threats in the event of a breach.

4. What role does Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) play in this solution?

ZTNA is often built into the Zero Trust SD-WAN solution. It secures access to cloud and private data center applications from any location. Integrated ZTNA allows for the application of unified access policies consistently to both internal and remote users.

5. How is Zero Trust SD-WAN typically deployed?

The solution uses a hybrid architecture. It can be deployed in the cloud or on-premise in customer data centers. The architecture utilizes a Broker which serves as the central SD-WAN hub, receiving encrypted tunnel connections and enforcing authentication and granular access policies.

6. What are Zero Trust connectors, and where are they deployed?

Zero Trust connectors are deployed close to applications, whether those applications reside in data centers or public cloud environments. These connectors are available as physical or virtual appliances and include built-in threat inspection features.

7. How are users authenticated when connecting via Zero Trust SD-WAN?

Remote users typically connect using an agent installed on their device. On-site users are authenticated through seamless Active Directory integration. The system enables simple authentication and access control from any location.

8. What advanced security capabilities are integrated into Zero Trust SD-WAN?

The solution integrates advanced traffic protection and threat prevention features. These capabilities include Embedded Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) Security, IDS/IPS, anti-malware, sandboxing, and Data Loss Prevention (DLP). These threat prevention profiles can be applied to any traffic flow.

9. How does the solution handle visibility and continuous monitoring?

Visibility and continuous monitoring are leveraged using advanced tools such as real-time traffic analysis, behavior analytics, and anomaly detection to uncover suspicious activity. Teldat’s be.Safe XDR, for example, offers a full dashboard showing user activity and communication status alongside real-time threat detection.

10. How does Zero Trust SD-WAN secure IoT devices, which often cannot run agents?

IoT devices are secured using granular access policies. Since they connect via physical appliances through encrypted tunnels to the SD-WAN service, their origin can be identified, and visibility and control policies can still be enforced even without an installed agent.

11. How does the system ensure data protection while traffic is in transit?

SD-WAN encrypts traffic using protocols such as IPsec, which ensures data is protected in transit and minimizes the risk of malicious interception.

12. How is the Zero Trust SD-WAN network managed?

The network and integrated security features are managed through a Unified Management Console. This centralized interface allows administrators to apply consistent policies across the entire SD-WAN network.

13. What application controls are available within the Zero Trust SD-WAN environment?

The system allows administrators to register applications by host, URL, IP address, or port. Combined with directory-based authorizations, this enables the creation of specific, profile-based access policies tailored to each user.

14. What network technologies does SD-WAN support to ensure flexibility?

SD-WAN offers flexibility and scalability. It seamlessly supports traditional MPLS connections as well as rapidly growing access technologies such as FTTH and 5G.

15. In which scenarios is Zero Trust SD-WAN particularly useful for financial institutions?

It is highly valuable for financial institutions that need to limit and isolate access from remote devices, such as ATMs, to internal applications. This isolation prevents lateral movement across the network and allows administrators to define exactly which applications are accessible from different device types (branches, mobile devices…).