Summary:
1. Netskope has announced major enhancements to its Universal Zero Trust Network Access platform, expanding its secure access technology to cover all users, devices, and applications in hybrid enterprise environments.
2. The update strengthens Netskope’s offerings for private access and device intelligence, providing a unified approach to securing human users and connected devices like IoT and OT systems.
3. Industry analysts predict significant growth in adoption of Universal ZTNA, recognizing Netskope as a leader in private application access and secure access service edge capabilities.
Article:
Netskope, a prominent player in secure access and cloud networking, has made significant strides in enhancing its Universal Zero Trust Network Access (UZTNA) platform. This move aims to extend the reach of its AI-powered secure access technology to encompass all users, devices, and applications within hybrid enterprise environments. The recent updates from Netskope focus on fortifying its Netskope One Private Access and Device Intelligence offerings, presenting a more cohesive and adaptable approach to securing both human users and the increasing number of connected devices such as IoT and operational technology (OT) systems. As businesses continue to expand across distributed infrastructures and integrate AI-driven workflows, these enhancements position Netskope to provide faster, safer, and more consistent access to applications from any location.
Unlike traditional Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solutions that primarily cater to remote users, Universal ZTNA (UZTNA) from Netskope is designed to secure all access, whether on-premises, in branch offices, or across the cloud. By amalgamating real-time threat inspection, contextual device awareness, and AI-driven policy automation, Netskope’s approach delivers a comprehensive security layer that supersedes older tools like VPNs, Network Access Controls (NACs), and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) platforms. These legacy technologies, once stalwarts of enterprise connectivity, now struggle to meet the agility and scalability demanded by modern digital ecosystems.
The shift towards Universal ZTNA has garnered attention from industry analysts, with projections indicating a growth of over 40% in adoption by 2027. Netskope’s standing in the market has been further solidified by its recognition as the top performer for Private Application Access in Gartner’s 2025 Critical Capabilities for Security Service Edge (SSE) report, as well as for Coffee Shop Networking in the 2025 Critical Capabilities for Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Platforms report.
One of the notable enhancements in the latest release is the incorporation of context-aware device intelligence, which expands protection to IoT and OT devices that may not support traditional security agents. Through integration with the 5G Netskope One Gateway, the platform automatically identifies and categorizes these devices, applies zero-trust policies, and enforces access controls via third-party NAC integrations. When coupled with Netskope’s firewall and SSE capabilities, organizations can achieve granular, risk-based control across both north-south and east-west traffic.
Additionally, the platform now features embedded threat and data protection for private application traffic, leveraging advanced engines to inspect encrypted data flows for malware, exfiltration risks, and policy violations. A unified policy framework enables administrators to oversee all protection rules through a single console, streamlining management and ensuring consistent enforcement across users and devices. Netskope has also integrated AI-powered policy optimization into the platform, utilizing its Copilot assistant to automate the discovery and classification of applications, thereby crafting and refining policies based on user behavior and risk levels. This enables IT teams to expedite zero-trust adoption, mitigate misconfiguration risks, and simplify ongoing management without compromising control or performance.
Furthermore, the UZTNA at the branch feature extends secure access into distributed enterprise environments by hosting Netskope’s ZTNA publisher directly on the 5G Netskope One Gateway. This architecture brings zero-trust enforcement closer to where users and devices operate, ensuring consistent security across IT, IoT, and OT domains while maintaining high performance.
In response to the evolving landscape of hybrid work models, AI integration, and increasing regulatory pressures, Netskope’s UZTNA offers a scalable and adaptive architecture to address these challenges. By consolidating multiple security functions into a single, AI-powered platform capable of learning and evolving alongside the threat landscape, organizations can enhance their security posture and streamline access management effectively. The Netskope Universal ZTNA solution, encompassing Netskope One Private Access and Device Intelligence, is now available to customers worldwide, showcasing the company’s commitment to providing cutting-edge secure access solutions for the modern enterprise.
