Network Security
Flat, unsegmented networks remain one of the most significant amplifiers of breach damage. Once an attacker gains a foothold, lateral movement across an unprotected network is trivial. Zero Trust network principles require that network access be treated with the same explicit verification logic as identity access — no device, segment, or workload should be implicitly trusted based on network location alone.
VSS deploys Microsoft's network security stack — including Entra Internet Access, Entra Private Access (ZTNA), Azure Firewall, Azure Bastion, and Defender for IoT — to replace legacy perimeter-based approaches with identity-aware, application-specific, continuously verified network access controls.
Modern network security architecture with Zero Trust principles.
Beyond the traditional perimeter
Legacy VPNs grant broad network access once authenticated, creating significant lateral movement risk. VSS replaces this model with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) using Microsoft Entra Private Access.
Our approach ensures every network connection is verified against identity, device compliance, and application context — eliminating the concept of a trusted network zone.
From encrypted communications to micro-segmented cloud workloads, VSS builds network architectures that assume breach and limit blast radius.
Our network security services include:
Entra Internet Access for outbound traffic filtering and threat protection.
Entra Private Access replacing legacy VPN with identity-aware access.
Centralised firewall management for cloud workloads.
Workload isolation to limit breach blast radius.
Always-on DDoS mitigation for internet-facing services.
Defender for IoT monitoring for operational technology networks.
Replace VPN with Zero Trust Network Access
Learn how VSS implements Microsoft Entra Private Access to eliminate the lateral movement risk created by traditional VPN solutions, providing application-specific, identity-verified access.
Read MoreZTNA Deployment
Replace legacy VPN with identity-aware application access.
Micro-Segmentation
Isolate workloads to prevent lateral movement.
OT/IoT Protection
Passive monitoring for operational technology networks.
DDoS Mitigation
Always-on protection for internet-facing services.
Why Network Security Matters
The MCRA's perspective on network trust
The Microsoft Cybersecurity Reference Architecture (MCRA) notes one of the 10 Laws of Cybersecurity Risk: "Your network isn't as trustworthy as you think it is." Flat, unsegmented networks remain one of the most significant amplifiers of breach damage. Once an attacker gains a foothold on an unprotected network, lateral movement is trivial.
Zero Trust network principles require that network access be treated with the same explicit verification logic as identity access — no device, segment, or workload should be implicitly trusted based on network location alone.
Foundation Controls
Stage 1–2: Network security foundations for every organisation
HTTPS-Only Enforcement
Enforce HTTPS-only communication for all internet-facing web applications. Eliminate unencrypted traffic to prevent eavesdropping, credential interception, and man-in-the-middle attacks across all corporate services.
Microsoft Entra Internet Access (SWG)
Deploy Microsoft Entra Internet Access as a Secure Web Gateway (SWG) to filter and protect outbound internet traffic from corporate devices, providing web content filtering, threat protection, and traffic visibility without hairpinning through a data centre.
Microsoft Entra Private Access (ZTNA)
Replace legacy VPN with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). Grant access to specific internal applications based on identity and device compliance verification — not broad network access. This eliminates the lateral movement risk that VPNs create.
ZTNA Replaces Legacy VPN
Traditional VPNs grant broad network access once authenticated — creating significant lateral movement risk. Microsoft Entra Private Access implements Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), granting users access only to the specific applications they need, based on continuous identity and device compliance verification.
Legacy VPN Risk
- Broad network access after authentication
- Lateral movement trivial once inside
- No device compliance enforcement
ZTNA Approach
- Application-specific access only
- Continuous identity and device verification
- Eliminates lateral movement risk
Advanced Network Controls
Stage 3–4: Advanced capabilities for mature security programmes
Network Micro-Segmentation
Segment the network into logical security zones aligned to workload sensitivity and business risk. Define and enforce microsegment boundaries so that a compromise in one zone cannot propagate across the network. For customers with OT/IoT environments, isolate these networks with strict ingress/egress controls.
Azure Firewall and DDoS Protection
For cloud-hosted workloads, deploy Azure Firewall Manager for centralised policy management across hub-spoke architectures and enable Azure DDoS Protection Standard for internet-facing services.
OT/IoT Network Security
Following the MCRA OT security reference architecture, deploy Microsoft Defender for IoT sensors to monitor OT networks passively, detect anomalies, and provide visibility into industrial control systems without disrupting operational continuity.
Micro-Segmentation Strategy
Limiting blast radius through network compartmentalisation
Workload Segmentation
Segment networks into logical zones aligned to workload sensitivity and business risk, ensuring that a compromise in one zone cannot propagate to others.
OT/IoT Isolation
Isolate operational technology and IoT networks with strict ingress/egress controls, preventing cross-contamination between IT and OT environments.
Hub-Spoke Architecture
Deploy Azure Firewall Manager for centralised policy management across hub-spoke cloud architectures, enforcing consistent security controls across all network segments.
Key Tools and Technologies
VSS deploys these Microsoft and Azure technologies for comprehensive network security
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| Entra Internet Access (SWG) | Secure Web Gateway for outbound traffic filtering, web content protection, and threat detection without data centre hairpinning. |
| Entra Private Access (ZTNA) | Zero Trust Network Access replacing legacy VPN with identity-aware, application-specific access based on compliance verification. |
| Azure Firewall | Centralised cloud-native firewall with policy management across hub-spoke architectures for Azure workloads. |
| Azure VPN Gateway | Encrypted site-to-site and point-to-site VPN connectivity for secure hybrid network communication. |
| Azure Bastion | Fully managed PaaS service providing secure RDP/SSH access to virtual machines without exposing them to the public internet. |
| Defender for IoT | Passive network monitoring for OT/IoT environments providing anomaly detection and visibility into industrial control systems. |
| Azure DDoS Protection | Always-on DDoS protection for internet-facing Azure services with automatic traffic analysis and mitigation. |
Implementation Approach
Progressive network security deployment aligned to the VSS four-stage model
Encryption & Access
Enforce HTTPS-only communication across all internet-facing services. Deploy Azure VPN Gateway or Entra Private Access for secure remote access to internal resources.
Gateway Deployment
Deploy Entra Internet Access (SWG) for outbound traffic protection. Implement Entra Private Access (ZTNA) to replace legacy VPN for application-level access control.
Segmentation
Implement network micro-segmentation aligned to workload sensitivity. Deploy Azure Firewall for centralised cloud workload protection. Begin OT/IoT network isolation.
Optimisation
Deploy Defender for IoT for OT network monitoring. Enable Azure DDoS Protection for internet-facing services. Continuous policy refinement and security posture reviews.
Secure Your Network with Zero Trust
Replace implicit trust with explicit verification across your entire network. Contact VSS to assess your network security posture and begin your Zero Trust network transformation.
Request a Network Security Assessment