One of the announcements coming out of Zscaler Inc.’s Zenith Live 2024 event held in Vegas this past week that I was most excited about was an extended and formalized Zscaler-Google alliance.

This partnership aims to deliver enhanced secure application access, data protection and insights for enterprise customers using Chrome Enterprise, Google Workspace and Google Security Operations — without the need for virtual private networks and making embracing zero-trust security fast and simple. The collaboration builds upon Zscaler’s existing relationships with major cloud providers, including Microsoft Corp. and Amazon Web Services Inc.

The Zscaler-Google alliance comes at a time when there’s a measurable increase in Google-centric enterprise environments, making this partnership a natural extension of their partner ecosystem. This move is set to benefit organizations looking to improve their security posture while leveraging Google’s widespread enterprise presence.

A key focus of this alliance is the integration of Zscaler Private Access with Google’s technologies. ZPA is Zscaler’s innovative approach to secure access, which connects users directly to applications rather than placing them on the network. This method significantly reduces security risks and has proven successful in various use cases with hyperscalers.

Leveraging Google’s Chrome browser, extending ZPA directly through the browser

Legacy VPNs are yesterday’s news. They represent a gigantic attack surface, and one that is not only incredibly attractive to threat actors but also provides easy access to networks and corporate data.

While there are other browser-based security solutions on the market, the reality is that change is difficult — for users and information technology teams. Using Google Chrome Enterprise daily, but having to install and manage a completely separate browser adds a level of complexity that makes it difficult to sell internally. And a solution that’s not widely adopted is, well, not very valuable, is it?

Google Chrome is the most commonly used browser in enterprise settings and this integration addresses a critical challenge in today’s work environment: securing access for unmanaged devices and Bring Your Own Device or BYOD scenarios.

Traditionally, Zscaler’s solution required an agent installed on laptops for optimal security. However, in BYOD situations, installing agents isn’t always feasible. The new Zscaler-Google partnership allows for the extension of ZPA directly through the Chrome browser, eliminating the need for a separate agent on these devices.

This browser-based approach enables organizations to maintain a strong security posture even when dealing with unmanaged devices. By extending necessary security postures through the browser, companies can ensure safe access to applications and data without compromising on flexibility or user experience. It also means that employees can work securely from any location on any device, managed or unmanaged, without having to do anything different or access different tools/solutions than what they’re already accustomed to.

Protecting against data exfiltration

The Zscaler Google Workspace integration will extend data loss prevention capabilities providing greater control over the massive amounts of sensitive data stored in Workspace (think Gmail, Drive, Google Documents, Sheets, Slides, etc.). The solution provides varied levels of user access, providing a separation between work and personal data.

Integration of Zscaler’s security telemetry and Google security ops provides deeper threat-related insights

The Zscaler Google Security Operations integration essentially provides a zero-trust security solution delivered via Chrome Enterprise. No new tools, no new platforms, just seamless protection and insights coming from both Google and Zscaler.

Zscaler’s zero-trust security + Google’s massive browser/cloud footprint make beautiful music

The Zscaler-Google alliance represents a significant step forward in cloud security and access management. It combines Zscaler’s expertise in zero-trust security with Google’s zero-trust secure access capabilities and dominance in the browser market and cloud technologies. It provides zero-trust access to private web applications via managed or unmanaged endpoints with Chrome Enterprise Premium, ensuring users that the data they access from within managed Chrome browsers are fully protected.

As businesses continue to navigate the complexities of remote work and cloud-based operations, I see this Zscaler-Google partnership as offering a promising solution to enhance security without sacrificing productivity. It bodes well for enterprise customers and end users — and could potentially set new standards for secure access in the evolving landscape of enterprise IT.

It’s not yet clear when this release will be generally available, but if you complete this form, you’ll be notified when the solution is available and you can start experimenting.

Check out some of my other coverage here:

Zscaler Zenith Live 2024 Event Highlights

Unpacking Zscaler ThreatLabz 2024 AI Security Report with Deepen Desai (SecurityANGLE podcast)

SMBs and Cyber Risk Management: How to Up the Cyber Protection Game (SecurityANGLE podcast)

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