Users everywhere
Office, home and on the move — on managed and personal devices.
security /secure access
One platform to secure how your people connect
Zen Secure Access, powered by Cisco, brings cloud-delivered security to every connection — protecting users, sites and devices as they reach the internet, SaaS and private applications.
A full Security Service Edge (SSE), with the level of Zen management and control that suits you.
Zen Secure Access · powered by Cisco Secure Access
Why it’s needed
Work happens everywhere now
Your people work across offices, homes and third-party sites, reaching the internet, SaaS and private apps directly. Security has to follow the user and the app — not sit at a network edge that no longer exists.
Apps everywhere
SaaS, public cloud and private apps, reached directly rather than via the office.
Threats everywhere
Phishing, ransomware and data loss now target people, not just the perimeter.
What is Cisco Secure Access?
One cloud platform for secure access
Cisco Secure Access is a cloud-delivered Security Service Edge (SSE) platform that protects how users, devices and sites access the internet, SaaS services and private applications. Zen designs, manages and supports it for you.
1
DNS-layer security
Block malicious and unwanted destinations before a connection is made.
2
Secure web gateway
Inspect and filter web traffic, including encrypted sessions.
3
Cloud firewall
Apply firewall policy to outbound traffic, delivered from the cloud.
4
Data protection & CASB
See and control sensitive data and how cloud apps are used.
5
Zero Trust private access
Connect people to specific apps — never the whole network.
6
Backed by Cisco Talos
One of the world’s largest threat-intelligence teams, built in.
AI-First Security
Manage the risks of AI adoption
Generative AI can improve productivity, but it also creates new questions around data, access and security. Secure Access gives you greater visibility and control over how AI applications and agents are used across your organisation.
Security for AI
See which AI applications are being used, assess their risk and apply controls to help prevent sensitive data being shared where it shouldn’t be.
Zero Trust for AI agents
Apply Zero Trust principles to AI agents, controlling which applications and resources they can reach and helping reduce the risk of inappropriate access.
AI for security
Cisco uses AI and machine learning to help identify threats, investigate activity and make security information easier for teams to understand and act on.
Choose one, or combine
Start with the protection your organisation needs now, then add other Secure Access services where they solve a different requirement. DNS Defence protects at the DNS layer, Secure Internet Access provides broader protection for internet and SaaS traffic, and Secure Private Access controls access to private applications.
Start here
DNS Defence
Block online threats before they reach your network
A simple first layer of protection across your organisation. Deployed in minutes, without installing software on every device.
- Block malicious and unwanted domains at the DNS layer
- Protect users, devices and locations
- Fast to deploy, light to run
Broaden
Secure Internet Access
Deeper control over web and cloud traffic
As your requirements grow, SIA gives you more detailed protection and visibility. It can help you:
- Inspect encrypted web traffic
- Control access to websites and URLs
- Apply cloud-based firewall policies
- Protect sensitive information with data loss prevention
- Manage traffic to SaaS applications
Includes DNS-layer security — you move up to SIA rather than adding it on top of DNS Defence.
Extend
Secure Private Access
Give users access to applications, not the whole network
Traditional remote-access VPNs can give users broad access to your network once they sign in. Secure Private Access uses Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) to grant access only to the applications people need, keeping your internal network hidden.
- Reduce unnecessary access
- Keep internal IP addresses hidden
- Limit the risk of threats moving between systems
- Apply more precise access policies
Why Zen
Why work with Zen?
Zen combines Cisco security technology with our own network and security expertise. Our specialists can design, manage and support Secure Access around your organisation, giving you expert help from first setup through to ongoing operation.
Heritage
30 yrs
Independent UK internet service provider. Privately owned. Headquartered in Rochdale.
Network
700 +
On-net exchanges. Over 80% enabled for 10Gb services on a 400Gbps backbone between Manchester & London.
Our Approach
People-first delivery
We put clarity, collaboration and confidence at the heart of every project, helping your teams stay informed, supported and in control throughout the journey.
Cisco
Powered Cisco SD-WAN
One of only a handful of UK providers accredited for full-lifecycle managed SD-WAN to Cisco’s own standard.
Cisco CSP
Certified CX practice
Cisco Customer Success Practice — certified people, processes and tooling across the full lifecycle.
B Corp
UK's largest B Corp telco
Independently verified commitment to responsible business — material if you have ESG obligations.
Where it comes together
Networking and security as one: SASE
Combine Zen-managed SD-WAN with Secure Access and you have a SASE architecture — connectivity and cloud-delivered security working together, adopted at your pace.
Connect — Managed SD-WAN
Cisco Catalyst or Meraki SD-WAN: resilient, application-aware connectivity across your sites.
Protect — Secure Access
DNS Defence, SIA and SPA: cloud-delivered security for internet, SaaS and private apps.
Operate — Zen managed service
One UK-based team designs, runs and reports on it all, end to end.
Connect + Protect + Operate = a practical route to SASE. The right design depends on your applications and existing controls — and not all traffic needs to pass through every control.
Try before you commit · up to 60 days, at no cost
See your exposure, then decide
See, control and protect how your people access the internet and cloud applications. Zen deploys Cisco Secure Access for up to 100 users, uncovers risky app and web usage, and hands you a findings pack to keep — whether or not you proceed.
A useful step towards Cyber Essentials, too — see where you stand before your assessment does.
Week 0
Agree what success looks like, in writing.
Weeks 1-2
We build, configure and go live — monitor-only first if you prefer.
Weeks 3+
Weekly evidence against your criteria.
Day 45-60
Findings pack, value review and your decision.
No payment details to start, and it doesn’t roll into a contract. At the end we
decommission the tenant — the findings are yours to keep.
Related services
Part of a wider security picture
Managed Firewalls
Protect your business from unauthorised access and internet security threats.
Cyber Triage
A monthly review and analysis service that flags issues affecting your security.
Managed SD-WAN
Resilient, cloud-ready networking that can combine with Secure Access as part of a SASE architecture.
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