For years, businesses have used virtual private networks, commonly known as VPNs, to help employees connect securely to company systems when working remotely. VPNs remain useful, but the way organisations work has changed.
Employees now work from home, travel between offices, use cloud applications and access company resources from different devices. Some organisations also work with contractors and external partners who need access to specific systems without being given broad access to the company network.
This creates an important question: should a business continue relying on a traditional VPN, or consider a Zero Trust approach?
Cloudflare Zero Trust provides tools that can help organisations control access to internal applications, apply security policies and manage how employees connect to company resources. Rather than automatically trusting a user because they have connected to the company network, Zero Trust focuses on verifying access to the specific resources a person needs.
Understanding the difference can help businesses choose an approach that fits their security requirements, workforce and budget.
What Is a Traditional VPN?
A virtual private network creates an encrypted connection between a user’s device and another network or service. Businesses commonly use VPNs to allow remote employees to reach internal systems that would otherwise be inaccessible from the public internet.
For example, an employee working from home might connect to a company VPN before accessing an internal accounting application, file server or management system.
A VPN can protect traffic travelling across untrusted networks and provide a controlled route to company resources. It can also be an important part of a well-designed security architecture.
However, how much access a user receives depends on the VPN’s configuration and the controls surrounding it.
Some traditional deployments give authenticated users broad access to internal network resources. If an account is compromised or a connected device is unsafe, that access may create additional risk unless the organisation has implemented appropriate restrictions.
VPNs are not inherently insecure. The important consideration is whether the access model matches the organisation’s needs.
What Is Zero Trust Security?
Zero Trust is a security approach built around the principle that access should not be granted simply because a user or device is connected to a particular network.
Instead, access decisions are based on defined policies, identity verification and other relevant signals supported by the platform.
A business might allow its finance team to access an accounting application while restricting other employees from reaching it. A contractor may receive access to one project system without being given access to the company’s entire internal network.
Depending on the implementation, policies may consider identity, authentication strength, device posture, location and other contextual information.
Zero Trust does not mean that every request is automatically blocked. It means access is deliberately controlled according to the requirements of the application, the user and the organisation.
It is also not a single product. It is a security model that can be implemented using different technologies and policies.
How Cloudflare Zero Trust Works
Cloudflare offers Zero Trust capabilities that can help businesses control access to applications and protect internet traffic.
For internal web applications, an organisation can place an access policy in front of a resource and require users to authenticate before they can reach it. The policy can be configured to allow only approved users or groups.
For other network resources, Cloudflare provides additional connectivity and security capabilities, subject to the chosen configuration and plan.
This approach can reduce the need to expose internal applications directly to the public internet and can give administrators more precise control over who is permitted to reach them.
However, the implementation matters. Businesses still need to configure identity providers, application access policies, user permissions and device requirements appropriately. Zero Trust does not automatically secure every application or replace all endpoint and network security controls.
Zero Trust vs VPN: The Main Differences
The key difference is not that one technology encrypts traffic and the other does not. Both approaches can be part of a secure architecture. The distinction is how access is established and controlled.
Access to Company Resources
With a traditional VPN, a user connects to a network through an authorised VPN gateway. Depending on the configuration, the user may then be able to reach several internal resources.
With a Zero Trust application-access model, the business can grant access to particular applications based on defined policies. A user may be able to reach one approved system without being given general access to the surrounding network.
This can be useful when employees need different levels of access or when contractors should only reach a limited set of resources.
Managing Remote Employees
A VPN can be effective for remote access, especially when employees need to use legacy applications or systems that rely on network-level connectivity.
Zero Trust can provide another approach for applications that can be protected through identity-based access policies. Employees can authenticate to the specific resources they need without necessarily joining the broader company network.
The appropriate option depends on the applications involved. Some organisations will benefit from Zero Trust access, while others will still need VPN connectivity for particular systems.
Responding When Someone Leaves
When an employee leaves a company, their access should be removed promptly.
With either approach, administrators need a reliable offboarding process. A VPN account that remains active can create a security risk, just as an application-access account can.
Centralised identity management and clearly defined access policies can help simplify this process. The organisation must still ensure that accounts, sessions, credentials and permissions are revoked appropriately.
Controlling Access by Role
Both VPNs and Zero Trust solutions can support access restrictions, but the implementation differs.
A VPN can be configured to limit access to particular networks and services. A Zero Trust model can apply policies directly to individual applications and users, depending on the platform.
For example, finance staff may need an accounting system, while customer support staff need a customer management application. A business can define policies that reflect these differences instead of assuming every employee requires the same access.
Visibility and Administration
Both approaches require monitoring and administration.
A VPN deployment needs appropriate logging, account management, configuration updates and monitoring of connections. A Zero Trust deployment also needs administrators to manage policies, review access events and respond to suspicious activity.
Cloud-managed Zero Trust tools may simplify policy management across distributed teams, but they still require thoughtful configuration and ongoing administration.
The best choice is the one the organisation can manage properly, not simply the one with the newest terminology.
Is Zero Trust More Secure Than a VPN?
Zero Trust can reduce certain risks by limiting access to specific resources instead of relying on broad network access. It can be particularly useful when employees work from different locations or when an organisation needs detailed control over internal applications.
However, Zero Trust is not automatically more secure in every situation.
A poorly configured Zero Trust policy can allow unintended access. Weak passwords, compromised user accounts, insecure devices and vulnerable applications can still create problems.
Similarly, a well-configured VPN with strong authentication, restricted network access and appropriate monitoring can provide effective protection.
The real question is whether the organisation’s access controls match its risk. For some businesses, moving selected applications to a Zero Trust access model may improve security and simplify remote access. For others, a VPN may remain appropriate for legacy systems or particular network requirements.
Some organisations will use both approaches.
When Should a Business Consider Moving Beyond a Traditional VPN?
A business may benefit from evaluating Zero Trust if employees need access to different internal applications, contractors require limited permissions, or administrators find it difficult to maintain consistent access policies.
It may also be worth considering if the organisation relies on shared VPN credentials, has difficulty removing access when staff leave, or exposes more internal resources than users actually need.
Before making a change, document which applications employees use, how they currently connect and which resources each role requires. Identify legacy systems that depend on network-level access, and determine whether they can be supported by the proposed solution.
A migration should be planned and tested carefully. Changing remote-access systems without checking application dependencies can interrupt normal operations.
How Tremhost Armor Workforce Fits In
Tremhost offers Armor Workforce for businesses looking to manage staff access and apply security policies across their workforce.
The service is built on Cloudflare Zero Trust technology and is designed to help employees access approved internal systems without relying on a traditional VPN for every use case. It also includes web filtering, data-loss prevention capabilities and assistance with staff onboarding and offboarding, according to the advertised service.
This can be useful for organisations that want more control over what employees can access and how company information moves between systems.
Armor Workforce is not a replacement for every security product. It does not automatically protect a device’s local files against physical theft, replace endpoint antivirus or guarantee that all data loss will be prevented. Businesses should assess these requirements separately.
The advertised service has a minimum of ten people. Confirm current pricing, supported devices, application compatibility and deployment requirements before proceeding.
You can learn more about Tremhost Armor Workforce or explore the wider range of Tremhost Cloudflare security services.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Solution
Before selecting a VPN or Zero Trust service, consider which internal applications employees need to access, whether those applications support identity-based access, and how users will authenticate.
Determine whether employees need access to entire network segments or only specific applications. Review how access will be removed when a person leaves, how suspicious activity will be investigated and who will maintain the system.
Also consider device security. Access controls can reduce what a user is permitted to reach, but they do not replace operating-system updates, endpoint protection, encryption or appropriate device management.
Finally, compare the full operating cost. Include licensing, deployment, support, administration and any infrastructure that must remain in place. A solution that appears cheaper on a licence comparison may require more internal work to operate effectively.
Conclusion
Traditional VPNs remain useful for many organisations, particularly when employees need network-level access to existing systems. Cloudflare Zero Trust offers another approach, enabling businesses to control access to particular applications and resources through defined identity and security policies.
Neither option is automatically right for every business. The best choice depends on the applications being accessed, the level of control required and the organisation’s ability to configure and maintain the system.
For businesses with remote employees, contractors or several teams requiring different levels of access, Zero Trust is worth evaluating as part of a broader security strategy.
The objective is not simply to replace a VPN. It is to make sure every employee can reach what they need to do their job—and no more than they should.
