Zscaler, Inc., the leader in cloud security, today announced that the Department of War (DoW) has granted Zscaler Internet Access™ (ZIA™) Impact Level 5 (IL5) Provisional Authorization (PA) – the DoW’s highest level unclassified cloud authorization. This milestone enables defense agencies and mission partners to protect sensitive unclassified workloads with a cloud-native Zero Trust architecture built for the demands of modern warfare. The authorization comes as defense agencies accelerate adoption of Zero Trust architectures to meet DoW cybersecurity mandates and modernize mission networks.

“DoW Impact Level 5 authorization marks an important milestone for defense organizations securing sensitive environments in the cloud,” said Drew Schnabel, GVP and GM of Zscaler U.S. Government Solutions. “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. With this authorization, the full Zscaler for Users platform now meets DoW IL5 requirements, allowing defense agencies to securely deliver Zero Trust access and protection for their workforce across sensitive environments. As adversaries increasingly target defense supply chains, logistics systems, and operational data, agencies can move forward with confidence using a platform built to meet the rigorous requirements of National Security Systems.”

For DoW components, military services, and defense agencies operating in this environment, IL5 authorization expedites cloud adoption without compromising mission security or regulatory compliance.

“DoW IL5 governs the protection of Unclassified information and National Security Systems (NSS), requiring heightened safeguards due to the sensitivity of the information and the potential consequences of unauthorized disclosure,” said Kumar Selvaraj, VP of Global Security Compliance, Zscaler. “Achieving IL5 requires meeting DoW-specific security requirements, making it one of the most rigorous commercial cloud authorizations available for unclassified defense data.” 

ZIA delivers inline Transport Layer Security/Secure Sockets Layer (TLS/SSL) inspection, AI-powered threat prevention, command-and-control (C2) detection, and cloud-native data loss prevention (DLP) across email and endpoints. The platform also applies behavioral analytics powered by more than 500 trillion daily security signals to identify and stop emerging threats. Unlike legacy architectures that rely on fixed perimeter defenses, ZIA enforces security policies at every transaction, extending protection to forward-deployed units operating across coalition networks, expeditionary command posts, and bandwidth-constrained satellite environments. This architecture allows agencies to securely connect users to the internet and cloud services without exposing internal networks or relying on legacy perimeter security appliances.

ZIA’s identity provider (IdP) federation, deny-by-default access controls, and cloud-native enforcement architecture enable near-instantaneous trust decisions across organizations that do not share identity infrastructure – enforcing precise, least-privilege access without exposing the underlying network. Automated threat isolation quarantines infected assets without human intervention, preventing adversaries from turning a single point of access into broader operational compromise. 

With ZIA’s new IL5 PA, ZIA joins Zscaler’s Private Access™ (ZPA™) to create a unified DoW Zero Trust platform capable of securing users, devices, applications, and data across the full spectrum of unclassified mission requirements. The authorization also allows users access to Zscaler’s Digital Experience™ (ZDX™) – with or without ZIA or ZPA – providing a real-time comprehensive end-to-end, hop-by-hop analysis of endpoints, networks, and application performance – helping identify and resolve issues quickly.  

The IL5 authorization underscores Zscaler’s commitment to helping agencies implement the DoW’s Zero Trust Strategy activities before its FY2027 Zero Trust deadline and support the National Defense Strategy. It also highlights Zscaler’s continued expansion of security and compliance coverage across the federal ecosystem, including an active CMMC Level 2 certification, DoW IL2, and FedRAMP Moderate and High authorizations.