Zero Trust VPN (ZT-VPN): A Systematic Literature Review and Cybersecurity Framework for Hybrid and Remote Work

Modern organizations have migrated from localized physical offices to work-from-home environments. This surge in remote work culture has exponentially increased the demand for and usage of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which permit remote employees to access corporate offices effectively. However...

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Main Authors: Syed Muhammad Zohaib, Syed Muhammad Sajjad, Zafar Iqbal, Muhammad Yousaf, Muhammad Haseeb, Zia Muhammad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Information
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/15/11/734
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author Syed Muhammad Zohaib
Syed Muhammad Sajjad
Zafar Iqbal
Muhammad Yousaf
Muhammad Haseeb
Zia Muhammad
author_facet Syed Muhammad Zohaib
Syed Muhammad Sajjad
Zafar Iqbal
Muhammad Yousaf
Muhammad Haseeb
Zia Muhammad
author_sort Syed Muhammad Zohaib
collection DOAJ
description Modern organizations have migrated from localized physical offices to work-from-home environments. This surge in remote work culture has exponentially increased the demand for and usage of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which permit remote employees to access corporate offices effectively. However, the technology raises concerns, including security threats, latency, throughput, and scalability, among others. These newer-generation threats are more complex and frequent, which makes the legacy approach to security ineffective. This research paper gives an overview of contemporary technologies used across enterprises, including the VPNs, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), proxy servers, Secure Shell (SSH) tunnels, the software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). This paper also presents a comprehensive cybersecurity framework named Zero Trust VPN (ZT-VPN), which is a VPN solution based on Zero Trust principles. The proposed framework aims to enhance IT security and privacy for modern enterprises in remote work environments and address concerns of latency, throughput, scalability, and security. Finally, this paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed framework in various enterprise scenarios, highlighting its ability to prevent data leaks, manage access permissions, and provide seamless security transitions. The findings underscore the importance of adopting ZT-VPN to fortify cybersecurity frameworks, offering an effective protection tool against contemporary cyber threats. This research serves as a valuable reference for organizations aiming to enhance their security posture in an increasingly hostile threat landscape.
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spelling doaj-art-010ac02a41724e538835a68afbdd77e92024-11-26T18:06:45ZengMDPI AGInformation2078-24892024-11-01151173410.3390/info15110734Zero Trust VPN (ZT-VPN): A Systematic Literature Review and Cybersecurity Framework for Hybrid and Remote WorkSyed Muhammad Zohaib0Syed Muhammad Sajjad1Zafar Iqbal2Muhammad Yousaf3Muhammad Haseeb4Zia Muhammad5Department of Cyber Security, Air University, Islamabad 44230, PakistanDepartment of Computer Science and Cyber Security, Air University, Kharian 50090, PakistanDepartment of Cyber Security, National University of Computer & Emerging Sciences (NUCES), Islamabad 44230, PakistanDepartment of National CERT, Islamabad 44230, PakistanDepartment of Information Security, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad 44000, PakistanDepartment of Computer Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USAModern organizations have migrated from localized physical offices to work-from-home environments. This surge in remote work culture has exponentially increased the demand for and usage of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which permit remote employees to access corporate offices effectively. However, the technology raises concerns, including security threats, latency, throughput, and scalability, among others. These newer-generation threats are more complex and frequent, which makes the legacy approach to security ineffective. This research paper gives an overview of contemporary technologies used across enterprises, including the VPNs, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), proxy servers, Secure Shell (SSH) tunnels, the software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE). This paper also presents a comprehensive cybersecurity framework named Zero Trust VPN (ZT-VPN), which is a VPN solution based on Zero Trust principles. The proposed framework aims to enhance IT security and privacy for modern enterprises in remote work environments and address concerns of latency, throughput, scalability, and security. Finally, this paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed framework in various enterprise scenarios, highlighting its ability to prevent data leaks, manage access permissions, and provide seamless security transitions. The findings underscore the importance of adopting ZT-VPN to fortify cybersecurity frameworks, offering an effective protection tool against contemporary cyber threats. This research serves as a valuable reference for organizations aiming to enhance their security posture in an increasingly hostile threat landscape.https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/15/11/734zero trust architecture (ZTA)virtual private network (VPN)security and privacyenterprise securitysecurity servicessecure remote access
spellingShingle Syed Muhammad Zohaib
Syed Muhammad Sajjad
Zafar Iqbal
Muhammad Yousaf
Muhammad Haseeb
Zia Muhammad
Zero Trust VPN (ZT-VPN): A Systematic Literature Review and Cybersecurity Framework for Hybrid and Remote Work
Information
zero trust architecture (ZTA)
virtual private network (VPN)
security and privacy
enterprise security
security services
secure remote access
title Zero Trust VPN (ZT-VPN): A Systematic Literature Review and Cybersecurity Framework for Hybrid and Remote Work
title_full Zero Trust VPN (ZT-VPN): A Systematic Literature Review and Cybersecurity Framework for Hybrid and Remote Work
title_fullStr Zero Trust VPN (ZT-VPN): A Systematic Literature Review and Cybersecurity Framework for Hybrid and Remote Work
title_full_unstemmed Zero Trust VPN (ZT-VPN): A Systematic Literature Review and Cybersecurity Framework for Hybrid and Remote Work
title_short Zero Trust VPN (ZT-VPN): A Systematic Literature Review and Cybersecurity Framework for Hybrid and Remote Work
title_sort zero trust vpn zt vpn a systematic literature review and cybersecurity framework for hybrid and remote work
topic zero trust architecture (ZTA)
virtual private network (VPN)
security and privacy
enterprise security
security services
secure remote access
url https://www.mdpi.com/2078-2489/15/11/734
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