Zero trust has become a cornerstone of modern cybersecurity. The idea is simple: never trust, always verify. Every user, device, and connection must be continuously authenticated and authorized before gaining access to sensitive systems.
Most organizations are applying zero trust principles internally—to employees, endpoints, and applications—but there’s a major blind spot: third-party vendors and contractors. These external users often need administrative-level access to maintain servers, databases, or specialized systems, yet their connections are still managed through traditional VPNs, shared credentials, or manual processes.
That gap undermines the entire zero trust model.
Why It Matters
Third-party access remains one of the most exploited paths for cyberattacks. A single compromised vendor account can give attackers privileged entry to critical systems, bypassing even the most advanced internal defenses.
Zero trust is only as strong as its weakest connection. If your employees use multi-factor authentication, device validation, and just-in-time access, but your vendors connect with a shared password over VPN, the network is still vulnerable.
The result is a false sense of security: a zero trust label applied to an environment that’s anything but.
The Industry Perspective
Security frameworks such as NIST 800-207 and CIS Controls now emphasize managing external access as part of zero trust architecture. Insurers, auditors, and compliance assessors increasingly expect to see policies covering vendor access, session logging, and account deprovisioning.
Organizations are realizing that a zero trust strategy must extend beyond the walls of IT, and it must include every entity that touches the network, whether internal or external.
Solution Direction: Where VPAM Fits
Vendor Privileged Access Management (VPAM) applies zero trust principles specifically to third-party access. It bridges the gap between IT operations and cybersecurity by providing a secure, auditable framework for vendors who need privileged access to internal systems.
Here’s what VPAM enables:
- Identity-Based Access: Vendors log in with verified credentials tied to their individual identity, not a shared account.
- Least-Privilege Enforcement: Vendors access only the systems and resources explicitly approved for their role.
- Session Monitoring and Recording: Every activity can be reviewed for auditing, compliance, and incident response.
- Secure, VPN-Less Connections: Browser-based access prevents external devices from ever joining the internal network.
How Leostream Enables True Zero Trust
Leostream’s Vendor Privileged Access Management solution extends zero trust to every connection outside your organization. By replacing VPNs and shared credentials with browser-based, policy-driven access, Leostream ensures vendors only reach the systems they’re authorized to manage.
- Zero Trust Architecture: Every vendor session is verified, isolated, and logged.
- Granular Policy Controls: IT defines when, how, and for how long access is granted.
- Audit and Compliance Ready: Built-in recording and reporting simplify regulatory reviews.
- Easy Offboarding: Disable a single VPAM account to fully decommission vendor access.
The Bottom Line
Zero trust doesn’t stop at your firewall. It extends to every user, system, and session that connects to your environment—including vendors.
Without a structured way to manage privileged third-party access, even the strongest zero trust program is incomplete.