Securing modern IT systems needs a new game plan, and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is that plan. ZTNA operates on the principle of "never trust, always verify," checking every single access attempt to any part of your environment, rather than trusting users or devices just because they're on your network. This modern approach means you can finally ditch clunky, traditional VPNs that grant overly broad access and stop exposing your services directly to the public internet. Instead, ZTNA can help you create a secure, controlled 'mesh' between your applications and users, or establish secure peer-to-peer tunnels, all based on verified identity. We'll demonstrate how this strong, identity-focused strategy, particularly by utilizing temporary, short-lived access credentials, directly addresses significant security concerns, such as the risks associated with easily stolen or misused long-lived SSH keys.

You will learn to:
* Apply ZTNA principles for robust, identity-driven infrastructure security.
* Leverage ephemeral authentication to eliminate static credential risks (like SSH keys).
* Outline actionable steps to implement ZTNA and fortify your access.