Router-Based Zero Trust Network Access Gateway for Secure Work-from-Home Environments: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

The rapid growth of work-from-home and hybrid enterprise operations has exposed the limitations of perimeter-based remote access models, especially virtual private networks that often grant broad network reachability after initial authentication. Zero Trust Architecture addresses this problem by shifting security decisions from network location to continuous verification of users, devices, and requested resources. This paper proposes a router-based Zero Trust Network Access gateway for secure work-from-home environments, in which the edge router functions as a policy enforcement point that authenticates users, evaluates device posture, and grants only application-specific access according to defined security policies. By restricting access to authorized services instead of exposing internal network segments, the proposed model reduces implicit trust, limits lateral movement opportunities, and strengthens protection for distributed users connecting from untrusted home networks. The paper conceptually analyzes the architecture in terms of access control, segmentation, monitoring, and suitability for modern remote work, and argues that router-level ZTNA enforcement offers a practical and scalable approach for improving enterprise remote-access security