What role does FortiGate play in a zero trust network access (ZTNA) setup?

In a zero trust network access (ZTNA) setup, FortiGate plays a critical role by mediating connections between remote endpoints and protected servers. This is essential in a zero trust model, which is built on the principle that no device, user, or application should be trusted by default, regardless of whether they are inside or outside the network perimeter.

FortiGate acts as the enforcement point that validates users and devices before granting access to resources based on policies. It ensures that only authenticated and authorized users can access specific applications or servers, effectively reducing the attack surface. By inspecting traffic and ensuring compliance with security policies, FortiGate helps maintain a secure, granular access control environment that is core to the zero trust philosophy.

While other roles mentioned in the options are vital for network security, they do not directly reflect the mediation function that FortiGate performs in a ZTNA context. For instance, serving as a main internet router pertains to its routing functionalities, acting as a firewall for internal traffic focuses on internal network security, and managing user account creation and management relates to identity management and authentication tasks, which are separate from the direct mediation function of FortiGate in ZTNA implementations.