Jane Edwards 
Zscaler has achieved Impact Level 5 provisional authorization from the Department of War for its Zscaler Internet Access, or ZIA, platform designed to help defense agencies protect sensitive unclassified data in cloud environments using a zero trust architecture.
The company said Wednesday the IL5 authorization supports the National Defense Strategy and federal efforts to implement zero trust ahead of the fiscal year 2027 deadline.
The authorization highlights the accelerating push toward zero trust architectures across the defense landscape—a trend shaping how agencies secure sensitive environments. As federal leaders and industry experts gather to discuss cybersecurity strategies, events like the 2026 Cyber Summit offer timely insight into technologies shaping mission readiness. Save your seat now to join the conversation on May 21.
What Is Zscaler ZIA?
ZIA is a cloud-native security platform designed to provide secure access to internet and cloud services without exposing internal networks.
The platform delivers artificial intelligence-powered threat prevention; inline Transport Layer Security/Secure Sockets Layer inspection; command-and-control detection; and cloud-native data loss prevention across endpoints and email. It also uses behavioral analytics derived from large-scale security signals to identify and mitigate emerging threats.
ZIA enforces security policies at the transaction level and incorporates deny-by-default access controls, identity provider federation and least-privilege enforcement to support secure access across organizations without shared identity infrastructure.
What Did Zscaler GVP Drew Schnabel Say About the Authorization?
Drew Schnabel, geo vice president and general manager of U.S. government solutions at Zscaler, said the authorization marks a milestone for defense organizations seeking to secure sensitive cloud environments.
“With ZIA, agencies can replace fragmented legacy security stacks with a cloud-native Zero Trust platform that protects sensitive mission data, while supporting secure operations across bases, coalition networks, and expeditionary environments,” he noted.
Schnabel added that the authorization brings the full Zscaler for Users platform into compliance with DOW IL5 requirements, enabling agencies to deliver secure access and protection for personnel operating in sensitive environments.
In an Executive Spotlight interview, Schnabel shared his thoughts on zero trust adoption, contracting vehicles and procurement, and compliance with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification 2.0 program.
What Does Zscaler Do?
Zscaler is a cloud security company that provides zero trust cybersecurity platforms to protect users, applications, data and devices across distributed environments.
The company recently launched its FedRAMP Moderate and High Authorized data centers and modernized federal administration experience to help agencies address modernization requirements. It also partnered with Peraton to provide cybersecurity and network modernization capabilities for mission-critical government and enterprise environments.
