Digital transformation has fundamentally changed the way companies work. Employees are increasingly accessing corporate resources from anywhere — whether working from home, on the go, or in hybrid working models. While this flexibility increases productivity, it also entails significant security risks.
The most important things in brief
- Modern alternative to VPNs: Global Secure Access replaces classic VPN solutions with a cloud-based zero-trust architecture — more secure, more flexible, and easier to manage.
- Secure, identity-based access: Only verified users and compliant devices have access to internal or external resources — regardless of location.
- Seamless integration into the Microsoft ecosystem: Global Secure Access works closely with Microsoft Defender, Entra, Intune and Sentinel — for a holistic security concept from a single source.
Modern zero-trust access for modern companies: We bring Global Secure Access into play for you — secure, high-performance and flexible.
1. What is Global Secure Access?
Traditional VPN solutions They were long considered the standard for secure remote access. But they are often difficult to scale, inefficient, and vulnerable to modern cyber threats. Attackers use compromised credentials to gain unauthorized access to networks, while IT departments struggle to manage complex infrastructure. Many companies see this as a significant security risk — according to Zscaler VPN Report Almost 90 percent of companies believe that VPNs could jeopardize the security of their IT environment.
Right here puts Global Secure Access (GSA) on. It combines Zero trust principles with modern cloud-based security mechanisms to give companies a secure, flexible, and scalable access to corporate resources to enable — without the weaknesses of traditional VPNs.
Global Secure Access (GSA) is a modern security solution that provides companies with secure, identity-based access to internal and external resources enables. Instead of relying on traditional VPNs or network-centric security models, GSA uses a Zero trust architectureto ensure that only authorized users and devices can access corporate data.
2. Core components of Global Secure Access
Global Secure Access (GSA) consists of two core modules that provide a comprehensive security solution for companies: Microsoft Entra Internet Access and Microsoft Entra Private Access. Both components work together to make access to both public and internal corporate resources secure.
Microsoft Entra Internet Access — protection for Internet and SaaS applications
In a modern IT environment, companies are using more and more cloud services and SaaS applications such as Microsoft 365, Salesforce or Google Workspace. These are essential for daily work, but at the same time represent a potential security risk. Microsoft Entra Internet Access provides a powerful layer of protection by securing access to Internet and SaaS applications and blocking threats at the source.
Instead of relying on classic web security gateways or firewalls, which are often operated locally or in data centers, Microsoft Entra Internet Access uses a cloud-based architecture. As a result, threats can be detected and prevented in real time — regardless of where a user logs on from.
The main features of this component include:
- Protection against Internet threats: Phishing websites, malware, and other cyber attacks are detected and blocked at an early stage.
- Securing SaaS Applications: Corporate data in cloud services is protected by only allowing authorized and verified access.
- Replacing traditional web security gateways: Companies save themselves the hassle of maintaining complex hardware solutions and instead rely on a scalable cloud security solution.
Thanks to these measures, Microsoft Entra Internet Access ensures secure Internet use in the company without restricting employee productivity.
Microsoft Entra Private Access — VPN-free access to internal resources
In addition to protecting external cloud services, companies also need a secure way to access internal applications and corporate networks. Traditional solutions mostly rely on VPNs, but these have several disadvantages: complicated administration, high latency times and a high security risk when stolen login data falls into the wrong hands.
Microsoft Entra Private Access replaces VPNs with a zero-trust-based solution that allows access to internal resources without establishing a permanent network connection. Instead of granting users blanket access to the entire corporate network, the system checks every access granularly — based on identity, device status, and context.
The core features of Microsoft Entra Private Access include:
- Secure access without a VPN: Companies no longer have to set up classic VPN tunnels, which often offer vulnerabilities for attackers.
- Fine-grained access controls: Access is not granted to entire networks, but only to specific applications or services — exactly as needed.
- Seamless integration with existing Microsoft security solutions: Companies that already use Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Sentinel or Intune can easily extend their security policies.
This zero-trust architecture ensures that attackers are unable to gain broad access to the corporate network, even if they were able to compromise an employee's credentials.
3. Core principles of Global Secure Access
Global Secure Access is based on modern security concepts that replace traditional, network-centric approaches. The focus is on two central principles: Zero trust security and identity-based access controls.
Zero Trust Approach: Principles and Implementation
The Zero trust approach Based on the basic assumption that no user or device is automatically trustworthy — even if it is within the corporate network. Instead, access is based on the following principles:
- Explicit authentication: Each access is verified based on identity, device status, location, and risk assessment.
- Least Privilege: Users only receive the minimum necessary rights to do their work.
- Continuous review: Requests are reviewed not only once, but continuously — suspicious activity results in immediate blocking or reauthentication.
Identity-based security models
Instead of on Network limits To set, uses Global Secure Access Identity and context informationto increase safety. This is done by:
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Only users with additional authentication (such as Microsoft Authenticator) have access.
- Conditional access policies: Access is granted or denied depending on factors such as device compliance, location, or risk analysis.
- Integrate with Endpoint Security: Solutions such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoint monitor device status and prevent access to compromised devices.
Through this identity-centered security strategy is it ensured that company data protected, flexibly accessible and at the same time provided with high performance become.
4. Features and benefits of Global Secure Access
Global Secure Access offers companies a modern, flexible and secure solutionto control access to corporate resources. In doing so, it combines several security mechanisms that are specifically designed for today Cloud and remote working environment were developed.
Secure access to Internet and SaaS applications
One of the key functions is protected access to cloud services such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Salesforce. Companies receive centralized control of all SaaS applications, with role-based access controls ensuring that only authorized users have access. This significantly reduces the risk of data leaks and unauthorized access.
Effective protection against Internet threats
Another key benefit is protection against phishing, malware, and unsafe content. Global Secure Access automatically blocks dangerous websites and downloads before they can do harm. At the same time, Microsoft's AI-based threat analysis detects suspicious activity in real time and initiates appropriate countermeasures.
Seamless integration with existing security solutions
Global Secure Access is fully integrated with existing Microsoft security solutions, allowing companies to efficiently manage their IT security. Thanks to the direct connection to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint devices are continuously monitored for threats. In addition, the platform supports Microsoft Sentinel and other SIEM/SOAR systems to provide comprehensive threat detection and defense.
A replacement for traditional VPN and proxy solutions
Instead of using outdated VPN or proxy servers, Global Secure Access uses a direct, secure cloud connection. This significantly reduces latency times, while at the same time eliminating the security risks of classic VPN tunnels or vulnerable proxies. This not only significantly improves security but also network performance.
More security, better performance, and easy management
Global Secure Access's zero-trust architecture prevents unauthorized access and minimizes security risks. At the same time, companies benefit from higher performance, as slow VPN connections are no bottleneck. Thanks to the cloud-based approach, the solution can be easily managed via a central dashboard and flexibly adapted to business requirements. Employees have secure access to all relevant resources — whether they work from home, on the go, or in the office.
With these features and benefits, Global Secure Access creates a scalable and secure solution for modern companies. The combination of zero trust principles, AI-powered threat detection, and seamless cloud integration makes it one of the most advanced security solutions on the market. Companies that rely on Global Secure Access benefit from maximum security, optimal performance and easy administration — without the restrictions and risks of traditional VPN systems.
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5. Conclusion and outlook
Hybrid work, cloud services and mobile devices have become the norm — it is therefore no longer enough to simply secure networks via VPN. Global Secure Access (GSA) offers companies a modern, flexible, and secure alternative to managing access to internal and external resources — regardless of location or device. As a result of the growing shift of IT services to the cloud, the need for zero trust solutions such as Global Secure Access continues to rise.
In the future, this trend will intensify as companies increasingly rely on AI-based security monitoring to identify and defend against threats in real time. At the same time, automated policy adjustments based on dynamic threat analyses and continuously optimize security measures are becoming increasingly important. Integration with IoT and OT security solutions is also becoming increasingly relevant, particularly in production environments where connected devices must be secured and protected against potential attacks.
Companies that already rely on zero-trust strategies benefit in the long term from a future-proof IT security architecture that can successfully overcome not only current but also upcoming cybersecurity challenges.
Since 2011, Thore has focused exclusively on endpoint management and endpoint security topics. Initially focused on software packaging and software distribution with Microsoft MECM/SCCM and Ivanti DSM, he is now a sought-after interlocutor when it comes to unified endpoint management, system hardening, patch management and endpoint protection. The focus is in particular on the Microsoft technologies Intune, Configuration Manager, Entra and Defender. Thore is co-founder of the “Endpoint Management” expert group at IAMCP e.V.
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