ZTDA Connectivity Services Overview

Types of Tunnels

Different tunneling methods help securely route and protect network traffic, and Zscaler uses several of these to ensure safe, seamless connectivity within the Zero Trust Exchange framework. Each method has its own strengths:

• HTTP Connect Tunnels
  Securely route web browsing traffic through a proxy, ensuring web requests reach the correct destination while staying protected.

• SSH Port Forwarding
  Creates an encrypted communication path between a client and server over an insecure network. Commonly used by remote workers to securely access internal systems without exposing sensitive data.

• Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE)
  A flexible Cisco-developed method that can encapsulate many types of traffic—voice, video, or data—inside a tunnel. Ideal for scalable, multipurpose data transport across IP networks.

• IPSec
  Provides strong security between two networks by encrypting data during transit. Often used for securely connecting two office branches over the internet.

• DTLS / TLS Encrypted Tunnels
  Secure data that needs low latency, such as voice or video. These tunnels maintain both real-time performance and strong encryption.

• Zscaler Proprietary Microtunnels
  Zscaler’s specialized, optimized tunnels designed for high security and efficiency within the Zero Trust Exchange. They provide dedicated, secure pathways for traffic inside the Zscaler environment.