Zscaler Beefs Up SASE with Airgap Networks Buy

Zscaler is acquiring Airgap Networks, a provider of cybersecurity solutions for business-critical networks.

Zscaler said combining its zero-trust SD-WAN with Airgap Networks’ agentless segmentation technology will transform how enterprises implement zero-trust segmentation to IoT/OT devices, and critical infrastructure across branches, campuses, factories and data centers, including east-west connectivity.

Airgap Networks uses an intelligent dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) proxy architecture, isolating every device and controlling access based on identity and context, reducing business risk for enterprises with critical infrastructure.

Zscaler didn’t say how much it's paying for Airgap Networks.

Airgap Networks Augments SASE Portfolio

Naresh Kumar, Zscaler’s vice president and general manager of product management, said Airgap Networks augments the Zscaler zero trust secure access service edge (SASE) portfolio.

“These solutions are available to all of our channel partners,” he said. “We believe that these strong and unique capabilities will provide additional opportunities for our channel partners to pursue fully integrated end-to-end zero trust SASE solutions from a single leading vendor.”

Zscaler's Naresh Kumar

Customers have been embracing Zscaler’s zero trust solution for its simplicity, advanced security and cost effectiveness, Kumar said.

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“Airgap’s agentless approach is unique, simple and powerful, allowing our customers and partners to deploy it without redoing their existing network architecture or re-IPing their devices,” he said. “We believe enterprises will be able to take advantage of this augmentation to our SASE solution and get a competitive advantage in helping solve our customers zero trust SASE needs with a holistic, integrated platform that now spans the entire enterprise (both WAN and LAN), rather than needing to stitch together multiple point products from multiple vendors.”

Zscaler is gaining new customers through Airgap Networks’ existing customer base, which includes Fortune 500 companies, Kumar said.

“We’re thrilled to be able to offer this solution to our existing customers who are struggling to control lateral movement threats in their internal networks in branches, campuses and critical IoT Infrastructure,” he said.

Zscaler’s partner network is “robust” and Airgap Networks' partners will complement its existing network well, receiving the “white-glove treatment we offer globally,” Kumar said.

“In fact, most of Airgap Network’s partners are already part of the Zscaler channel ecosystem,” he said. “We look forward to continuing our partnerships with them to help solve our customer’s zero trust SASE needs.”