Firewalls and VPNs have had their time. For decades, they served as the default defense against digital threats. But for today’s Managed Service Providers (MSPs) protecting modern SMBs, they’re no longer enough.
Hybrid work, cloud-first IT environments, and increasingly sophisticated cyber threats have changed the security game. It’s no longer about hardening the perimeter—it’s about assuming there is no perimeter. Welcome to the era of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE).
In this guide, we break down why firewalls and VPNs are falling short, how modern MSPs can fill the security gap, and what tools and approaches are must-haves in 2025 and beyond.
Why Traditional Security Tools No Longer Cut It
1. VPNs Were Built for a Different Era
Always-on VPNs were designed for a world where users sat in offices and apps lived in data centers. Today, users are everywhere, apps are in the cloud, and the attack surface is massive. VPNs extend the corporate network to unmanaged devices, exposing internal systems to unnecessary risk.
2. Firewalls Can’t Protect What They Can’t See
A firewall is great at filtering inbound and outbound traffic from a central location. But in distributed environments—where users connect from coffee shops, home offices, or hotel rooms—it becomes ineffective. Cloud firewall solutions exist, but they still require pairing with identity-aware access controls to be effective.
3. Attackers Don’t Knock—They Walk Right In
From phishing to credential stuffing, today’s attackers exploit remote access, not just open ports. RDP remains a top vector for ransomware. Once an attacker has access, traditional tools rarely stop lateral movement inside the network.
What Modern MSPs Should Be Doing Instead
To truly protect your clients’ environments, you need to adopt a layered, identity-first approach that’s dynamic, cloud-native, and context-aware.
✅ Embrace ZTNA for Remote Access
ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) ensures users only connect to the apps and services they’re explicitly authorized for. It replaces wide-open VPN tunnels with granular, policy-driven access. This is a must-have for any MSP managing remote or hybrid workforces.
🔗 [Related blog: “What is ZTNA and Why SMBs Need It Now”]
✅ Deploy SASE for Edge-to-Cloud Protection
SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) brings together ZTNA, cloud firewall, SWG, and CASB into a single, unified platform. For MSPs, this means one control plane to manage user access, protect traffic, and enforce policies across users, locations, and cloud apps.
Benefits for MSPs:
- Centralized control via multi-tenant dashboards
- Static IP egress for client whitelisting
- Full visibility into device posture and activity
- No need for on-prem firewalls or client-side VPNs
🔗 [Related blog: “SASE vs VPN: Why the Shift Matters for MSPs”]
✅ Prioritize Device Posture Checks
Whether it’s disk encryption, antivirus status, or OS versioning, you need to verify the health of each device before it connects. A solid SASE solution will provide built-in device telemetry and posture-based access control.
🔐 Bonus: This helps reduce risks from personal or contractor devices accessing business-critical data.
✅ Secure RDP Without Exposing Ports
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) is often necessary for SMB IT operations—but exposing RDP to the internet is one of the biggest security mistakes we still see. With modern zero trust policies, MSPs can wrap RDP sessions in secure tunnels without exposing public IPs.
🔗 [Related blog: “How Timus Protects RDP from Exploits and Breaches”]
✅ Offer Compliance-Ready Security as a Service
SMBs are increasingly subject to compliance mandates—HIPAA, PCI DSS, FTC Safeguards, and more. As an MSP, your value increases significantly when you can offer turnkey solutions that help meet those requirements. SASE platforms with logging, MFA enforcement, and granular audit trails are built for this.
What to Look For in an MSP-Friendly SASE Platform
Not all SASE vendors are created equal. When choosing a solution, consider:
| Must-Have Feature |
Why It Matters for MSPs |
| Multi-tenant dashboard |
Efficient client management |
| Role-based access |
Secure team-based control |
| Static IP support |
Clean egress for cloud whitelisting |
| RDP security |
Eliminates the need for exposed ports |
| Device telemetry |
See and control what's running on endpoints |
| Simple deployment |
Save time and reduce support tickets |
Your Next Step: Make the Shift Before It’s Too Late
If you’re still offering firewalls and VPNs as your frontline defense, it’s time to evolve. The threat landscape has changed. The workplace has changed. Your security stack needs to change too.
Whether you're protecting five employees or five thousand, Timus gives MSPs the tools to deliver enterprise-grade security to SMBs—without the overhead.
🔗 [Get a demo of Timus SASE and see how MSPs are replacing outdated tools with modern, scalable, zero trust security.]
