Zscaler Becomes First and Only ZTNA Solution to Achieve DoD Impact Level 5

Enables DoD to Reduce Cyber Risk, Adopt Modern Cloud Solutions, and Implement DISA's New Zero Trust Reference Architecture

I am very excited to share that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has granted?Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) a Provisional Authorization to Operate at Impact Level 5 (PATO/IL5), making it the first, and currently only, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution that meets the DoD’s IL5 cloud security requirements.?

In the U.S. Defense sector, PATO/IL5 is one of the highest authorization levels required for protecting Defense agencies’ higher sensitivity Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and mission-critical information. DoD agencies now have the opportunity to leverage this provisional authorization as the foundation to procure and implement ZPA for securing?their?applications and user base by?issuing agency-specific Authorization to Operate (ATO).

To give you more context on the importance of this announcement for the DoD, its critical to first understand what ZPA is and does. ZPA is Zscaler's cloud-based service integrated as part of the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange that provides ZTNA capabilities to private applications running on public clouds or within data centers. It enables the DoD or enterprises to dramatically reduce cyber risk because applications are never exposed or visible to the internet, and when connecting to applications, users are never placed on the network.

The IL5 designation is a critical milestone in our journey to help the US Defense sector protect data and defend itself against adversaries. It demonstrates Zscaler’s continued commitment to Federal cybersecurity, and to supporting DoD organizations as they implement Defense Information Systems Agency’s (DISA) new Zero Trust cybersecurity reference architecture. It also highlights Zscaler’s support of Federal civilian agency customers in their journey to meet guidelines for Trusted Internet Connection policy (TIC 3.0), a federal government program to consolidate external internet connections within agencies and help build the Zero Trust Architectures required in the new Executive Order for Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity.??

This authorization builds on recent announcements demonstrating Zscaler’s commitment to supporting the Federal government in their mission to secure digital transformation, including:

• The DoD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU)?selected Zscaler ?to prototype ZPA and Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) as secure access technologies. The project has the potential to scale to other DoD organizations through a production Other Transaction (OT) agreement.?
• Zscaler successfully completed a Secure Cloud Management (SCM) prototype using DISA-developed criteria and was issued a success memo by DIU. While the RFP noted vendors must be open to pursuing DOD IL4 certification as part of their roadmap, Zscaler exceeded the requirement by achieving IL5.
• Zscaler is among a select group of companies chosen by NIST, a national standards body, to run a pilot program in support of the Cybersecurity Executive Order.
• ZPA?achieved? FedRAMP-High JAB?Authorization.
• ZIA?received? Authorization to Operate (ATO) at the Moderate Impact level.
• ZIA?achieved? FedRAMP High JAB?Authorization ?“Ready” status at the High Impact
• Zscaler was?recognized as the only Leader? in the Gartner December 2020 Magic Quadrant for Secure Web Gateways. This is the 10th consecutive year Zscaler has been named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Secure Web?Gateways.

I am honored to lead a company that helps the DoD achieve its mission to defend and protect our national security.?We will continue to innovate?alongside our DoD customers, as we modernize network access and continuously strengthen our cyber defenses.??