Article summary: Traditional VPNs can create challenges for businesses that now rely on remote access every day. Internet-facing gateways can become targets for attackers, while slow connections, dropped sessions and repeated logins can frustrate employees. Zero Trust Network Access offers a more targeted alternative, giving users access only to the applications and resources they need while helping businesses improve both security and the remote working experience. Picture an employee working from a café, trying to log into three different systems before a client calls. They connect to the VPN and wait. Then they wait some more as the connection struggles with the café’s shared Wi-Fi. By the time everything finally loads, the client is already on the call, and the employee is still scrambling to get the information they need. For one employee, it is a frustrating start to a meeting. Across an entire team, however, those delays can quickly add up. It is one reason many Singapore SMEs are taking a closer look at how remote employees access company systems and whether security is coming at the expense of productivity.
Why Traditional VPNs Are Losing Ground
VPNs remain useful, but the way businesses use remote access has changed. Remote work, cloud applications and employees connecting from multiple devices can make traditional network-based VPN access cumbersome to manage. Two problems stand out.
VPN gateways are attractive targets
Remote-access VPN gateways must be reachable from the internet, making vulnerabilities in these systems valuable targets for attackers. The risk can be particularly serious when VPN access gives a user broad access to the company network rather than only the applications they need. Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency has previously warned about active exploitation of vulnerabilities in enterprise VPN products, highlighting the importance of patching, restricting access and preventing lateral movement. More recently, in June 2026, Check Point disclosed CVE-2026-50751, a critical flaw affecting certain VPN deployments using the deprecated IKEv1 protocol. Attackers had been exploiting the vulnerability since May, with at least one incident linked to a Qilin ransomware affiliate.
Traditional VPNs can slow employees down
Traditional VPN configurations can also create friction for employees who rely on remote access throughout the day. Routing traffic through a central gateway can add latency, particularly when employees are accessing cloud applications. Manual connections, repeated authentication and dropped sessions can add further frustration. When secure access becomes difficult to use, employees may look for shortcuts. And a security control that people regularly work around is not providing much security at all.
What Zero Trust Network Access Changes
Zero Trust Network Access, or ZTNA, takes a different approach. Instead of opening a tunnel into the company network, it gives employees access only to the applications they actually need. Before granting access, ZTNA can check who the user is, what device they are using and whether they meet the company’s security requirements. That means a compromised account is less likely to give an attacker free rein across the network. Businesses are taking notice. According to the Zscaler ThreatLabz 2025 VPN Risk Report, 81% of organisations surveyed were adopting or planning to adopt a Zero Trust strategy within the next year. We explain the concept in more detail in our guide to Zero Trust Architecture for Singapore SMEs. For a small business, the appeal is simple: employees get easier access to what they need without automatically getting access to everything else.
Getting the Migration Right
Moving from a traditional VPN to ZTNA does not mean switching everything overnight. A staged rollout can improve security without disrupting the working day.
Start with your highest-risk applications
Begin with systems that would cause the most damage if compromised, such as finance platforms or customer databases. Moving these to ZTNA first can reduce risk without changing how your entire team works at once.
Pilot with one team
Choose a team that already works remotely and let them test the new access method before rolling it out company-wide. Their feedback can uncover login problems, device compatibility issues or other frustrations while they are still relatively easy to fix.
Set clear device and identity checks
Decide what employees need to access company systems. An approved device, multi-factor authentication and an up-to-date operating system are sensible starting points. The goal is to make these checks happen quietly in the background whenever possible, rather than adding unnecessary steps for employees.
Retire the VPN gradually
Keep the VPN available as a fallback while applications and user groups move to ZTNA. Once everything has been tested and employees can reliably access what they need, the old VPN can be phased out. A gradual transition is usually much easier on both your employees and your IT support team.
Make remote access work better for your team
Secure remote access should not make it harder for employees to do their jobs. The right setup can give your team simple, reliable access to the tools they need while keeping the rest of your network protected. If slow VPN connections, repeated logins or security concerns are becoming a problem, it may be time to look at whether ZTNA is a better fit for your business. Call Managed IT Asia at +65 6814 0818 or contact our team online to discuss your current remote access setup and what a gradual move to ZTNA could look like.
Article FAQs
What is the difference between a VPN and ZTNA?
A traditional VPN connects a user to the company network, where they may have access to more resources than they actually need. ZTNA takes a more targeted approach, giving users access only to the applications and resources they are authorised to use.
Will switching to ZTNA slow down my team?
It should not. ZTNA can avoid some of the delays caused by routing traffic through a central VPN gateway, particularly when employees use cloud applications. The actual experience will depend on your network, applications and how the system is configured.
Do we have to replace our VPN all at once?
No. ZTNA can be introduced gradually, starting with particular applications or teams while the existing VPN remains available where needed. This gives you time to test the new setup and address any problems before expanding it across the business.
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