5 Ways FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition Benefits Your Business
In today’s interconnected world, remote work and mobile access have become integral parts of daily life.
66% of Americans work remotely at least one day a week.
75% of global workers consider work-location flexibility to be the new normal.
However, ensuring the security and privacy of your data while accessing networks that are outside your traditional boundaries is a constant challenge.
This is where FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition steps in, offering a comprehensive solution for secure and seamless connectivity.
With features and benefits that ensure online safety, FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition is an excellent choice for businesses and individuals alike.
Here’s what you need to know.
Understanding FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition
FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition is a robust security solution designed by Fortinet, a leading provider of network security appliances and services.
It combines the power of virtual private network (VPN) and zero trust network access (ZTNA) technologies to create a secure gateway for remote access and connectivity.
Users can establish encrypted connections to corporate networks or cloud applications, ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and accessibility.
1. Enhanced Security & Dynamic Security Fabric Connector
FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition prioritizes security as its core feature.
It employs strong encryption protocols, such as SSL/TLS and IPsec, to safeguard data transmission over public networks. This ensures that sensitive information remains protected from unauthorized access or interception. This is crucial for organizations that handle private data, such as law firms, schools, and medical offices.
FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition also integrates advanced threat intelligence capabilities, including antivirus, web filtering, and intrusion prevention, to detect and prevent malicious activities.
Using the Endpoint Management System (EMS), virtual groups are generated according to the security posture of endpoints. FortiGate retrieves these virtual groups and incorporates them into firewall policies to enable dynamic access control.
The utilization of dynamic groups streamlines and automates compliance with security policies, simplifying the overall process and enhancing network security.
2. Zero Trust Network Access
One of the key differentiators of FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition is its integration of zero trust network access (ZTNA) principles.
The Zero Trust Agent facilitates ZTNA tunnels, single sign-on (SSO), and device posture checks for secure access to the FortiOS access proxy.
This FortiClient edition focuses on verifying user identities and device trustworthiness before granting access to network resources.
According to the American Bar Association’s TechReport, 27% of survey participants say their law firm experienced a security breach at some point.
By adopting a zero-trust approach, this edition significantly reduces the attack surface and prevents lateral movement of threats within the network. It ensures that only authenticated and authorized users can access specific resources, regardless of their location.
3. Seamless User Experience
FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies the process of establishing secure connections.
Split-tunneling, available on both ZTNA and VPN tunnels, enhances the user experience by optimizing network traffic.
Whether users are working from home, on the go, or connecting to cloud applications, this edition provides a consistent experience across platforms and devices.
It supports various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, ensuring flexibility and compatibility for diverse user environments.
4. Centralized Management Via EMS Or FortiClient Cloud
For businesses with distributed networks and a large number of remote users, such as schools and other educational institutions, FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition provides centralized management capabilities.
The centralized FortiClient deployment and provisioning allows your administrators to remotely deploy endpoint software and perform controlled upgrades. Deploying FortiClient configuration to thousands of clients is as simple as the click of a button.
The vulnerability dashboard aids in overseeing an organization’s attack surface by swiftly identifying all susceptible endpoints, enabling prompt administrative intervention.
By integrating with Windows Active Directory (AD), the organization’s AD structure can be synchronized with EMS, allowing the utilization of the same organization units (OUs) for endpoint management. The Realtime Endpoint Status feature ensures up-to-date information on endpoint activity and security events is always available.
Logging and reporting are also centralized with this FortiClient edition, simplifying compliance reporting and security analysis with ForiSIEM (or other SIEM products).
Organizations can quickly deploy and manage multiple client instances, enforce security policies, and monitor network activity from a centralized console. This simplifies administrative tasks and enables efficient network management, even in complex environments.
5. Integration With Fortinet Security Fabric
FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition seamlessly integrates with the Fortinet Security Fabric ecosystem, leveraging its comprehensive suite of security solutions.
This integration enhances visibility, control, and coordination across various security components, creating a unified defense strategy. This means your organization can extend its network security beyond conventional limits and protect its resources from sophisticated threats.
Read more about how Fortinet Security Fabric and the VPN/ZTNA Edition work together here.
Who Can Use This FortiClient Edition?
The FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition offers several benefits and functionalities that are particularly advantageous for law firms, small businesses, and schools, to name a few areas where this edition is having a positive impact.
Law Firms
This edition of the FortiClient tool provides law firms with:
- Secure remote access.
- Client-attorney privilege protection.
- Compliance with data privacy regulations.
- Seamless collaboration among lawyers, staff members, and clients.
- Enhanced network security.
- Centralized management of multiple offices and remote users.
By leveraging its substantial features, law firms can confidently embrace remote work, protect sensitive information, and maintain a high level of security in their digital operations.
Schools
FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition provides schools with:
- Security for remote learning.
- Protection of student data.
- Secure connectivity for staff.
- Content filtering.
- Centralized management of multiple campuses and various devices.
With all of these elements working together, school systems can ensure the privacy and security of their educational resources, facilitate remote learning, and create a safer online environment for students and staff alike.
Small Businesses
With FortiClient VPN/ZTNA, small businesses experience:
- Secure access to data, files, internal systems, and any other resources while working remotely.
- Protection of sensitive customer data that fulfills compliance requirements.
- Integration with cloud applications.
- Simplified network management.
- Affordability, ideal for small businesses with limited budgets.
Small businesses can ensure secure operations, protect sensitive data, and facilitate efficient collaboration regardless of employee location or device.
Law firms, schools, and small businesses are far from the only areas FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition can have a massively positive impact.
FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition In Action
Syneos Health
Syneos Health, a clinical research organization based in North Carolina, specializes in facilitating the transition of biopharmaceutical therapies from the laboratory to healthcare professionals and patients in need.
In an effort to enhance operational efficiency by adopting an applications-as-a-service approach, Syneos embarked on a rapid cloud migration journey. However, this transition revealed significant security vulnerabilities that needed to be addressed.
Fortunately, Syneos Health discovered a solution with Fortinet, which enabled the organization to address these vulnerabilities and streamline its security infrastructure across multiple data centers, over 80 branch offices, and the cloud.
Currently, Syneos Health is actively exploring the implementation of Fortinet’s Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) framework to ensure secure access for its remote users.
State Tollway Authority
Tollway authorities face a combination of cybersecurity concerns relating to personal identifiable information (PII), traffic control, and revenue collection.
To proactively safeguard the well-being of the residents they serve, one state agency has taken decisive action by accelerating its investment in cybersecurity technology.
To strengthen its security posture, the agency implemented FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs) integrated with FortiGuard Security Services, deployed FortiClient for endpoint protection, utilized FortiAnalyzer for post-incident analysis of cybersecurity events, and leveraged FortiNAC for enhanced network access control.
These comprehensive solutions form part of the Fortinet Security Fabric, offering deep visibility into the overall security landscape. As the agency gradually migrates more applications to the cloud, it ensures that business-critical information receives the same robust protection it once had in the traditional data center environment.
African Bank
In Africa, financial institutions are gradually shifting away from the traditional approach of maintaining dual-vendor security architectures. The associated costs, complexity, and vulnerabilities often outweigh the expected benefits.
Instead, one African bank made the decision to adopt an integrated solution provided by Fortinet. This solution ensures the security of both the bank’s branch-office network and its remote-access communications.
Built on a zero-trust access framework, the bank’s new solution not only enhances threat protection but also simplifies compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the requirements of the SWIFT interbank network.
By leveraging Fortinet’s integrated solution, the bank is achieving improved security measures while simultaneously meeting industry standards and regulations.
How FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition Compares To Competitors
Gartner looked into how FortiClient stacks up against alternatives and competitors, including:
- Zscaler Internet Access.
- Skyhigh Security Cloud–Native Application Protection Platform
- Forcepoint ONE
- Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
- Symantec CloudSOC Cloud Access Security Broker
- Netskope Security Cloud
- iboss Zero Trust Security Service Edge
- Trend Micro InterScan Web Security
During the evaluation process, prospective buyers assess competencies across various categories, including evaluation and contracting, integration and deployment, service, and support to make informed comparisons between different solutions.
In each of the categories, FortiClient VPN/ZTNA ranked the highest among the listed competitors and alternatives.
Put FortiClient VPN/ZTNA To Work For Your Organization
FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition is a powerful solution that prioritizes security, user experience, and scalability.
By combining VPN and zero-trust network access technologies, FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition provides a secure gateway to seamless connectivity, allowing organizations and individuals to work and access resources from anywhere while keeping their data protected.
With its advanced features and integration with the Fortinet Security Fabric, FortiClient VPN/ZTNA Edition stands as a reliable choice for businesses seeking comprehensive network security in the digital age.
Get in touch with us today for a free consultation!
