An employee works from home, on the go, or at a client location. The laptop is managed, the user has set up multifactor authentication, but the connection to business applications still runs via a traditional VPN. This can be done more securely and with greater clarity. With this Microsoft Global Secure Access guide, you gain control over the preparation, setup, and daily management of secure access.
Microsoft Global Secure Access is a cloud-based solution within Microsoft Enterprise. It helps you secure access to Microsoft 365, the web, and private business applications based on identity, device status, and policy. Instead of granting users default access to your entire network, you can determine much more specifically who gets permission for what.
What is Microsoft Global Secure Access?
Global Secure Access brings various components together under a single security approach. For SMEs, Microsoft Entra Internet Access and Microsoft Entra Private Access are particularly relevant. Internet Access protects access to Microsoft 365 services and selected internet traffic. Private Access offers a modern alternative to broad network access via a traditional VPN, for example for an internal web application, file server, or application server.
The core is the Zero Trust principle: never trust automatically, always verify. Therefore, an employee is not granted access because they work at the office or from home, but because their identity, login method, device, and context meet your conditions.
That does not mean that every VPN has to disappear immediately. For some older applications, specific network protocols, or external parties, a VPN may remain necessary for the time being. Global Secure Access is particularly strong when you want to restrict access to specific applications and user groups, without exposing your entire internal network.
Before you begin: first make the right choices
Technology only works well if the underlying policy is clear. Therefore, do not start with connectors and traffic profiles, but with an overview of your users, devices, and applications. Which applications are business-critical? Who needs access? Do people work only with managed Windows devices, or also with private equipment and mobile devices?
Also check your Microsoft licenses. The available features depend on your Entra licenses and the Global Secure Access components you want to use. Licenses and functionality can change, so check this in your own Microsoft tenant beforehand. This prevents you from creating a design around a feature that is not available under your current license.
A good foundation consists of Microsoft Enterprise ID, multifactor authentication, and Conditional Access. Conditional Access is where you define rules, such as: sign in only from a compatible device, additional verification outside trusted locations, or blocking access in case of high risk. If you use Intune for device management, you can incorporate the device status directly into your access policy.
Additionally, distinguish between three types of traffic: Microsoft 365 traffic, general internet traffic, and traffic to private applications. They do not all require the same approach. You secure an online accounting portal differently than an internal package that is only accessible from the corporate network.
Microsoft Global Secure Access Guide: Step-by-step setup
1. Start with a limited pilot group
Start with IT administrators and a small group of users from various roles. Choose people who work both in-office and remotely and are willing to provide feedback. Do not immediately enable new policies for the entire organization. An error in access policy can mean that employees suddenly can no longer access email, Teams, or a business application.
Create separate Entra groups for your pilot. For example, a group for test users, a group for application administrators, and groups per application. This keeps your policy readable. Avoid linking exceptions directly to individual accounts, as these become difficult to manage over time.
2. Activate the correct traffic profile
In the Microsoft Enterprise management portal, you configure Global Secure Access and choose which traffic you want to process. For Microsoft 365, you can use a traffic profile targeted at the relevant Microsoft services. For web access, you determine which categories, domains, or web traffic fall under the policy.
Be cautious about a broad rollout of internet traffic. Some web services use different connections, proprietary certificates, or specific network requirements. Therefore, first test the applications your organization uses daily, such as external portals, meeting software, accounting software, and vendor environments.
Immediately define which traffic you intentionally exclude. Consider local devices such as printers, devices on a guest network, or applications that do not need to pass through secure access. A clear exception policy prevents unnecessary disruptions and makes troubleshooting much easier later on.
3. Place private applications behind Private Access
For internal applications, you install a Global Secure Access connector on a suitable server in your own network or cloud environment. The connector establishes an outgoing connection to the Microsoft cloud. As a result, you usually do not need to open incoming firewall ports for external users.
Next, publish the application or internal target via an application segment. Be as specific as possible. For example, grant access to the name and port of a single internal web application, not to an entire subnet if that is not necessary. This reduces the impact if an account or device is compromised.
Carefully check the name resolution. Users must be able to reach the internal application via the correct DNS name, both at the office and remotely. In many organizations, the biggest challenge lies not in the connector itself, but in internal DNS, certificates, or old applications that still work with IP addresses.
4. Install the Global Secure Access client
On managed devices, install the Global Secure Access client. This ensures that selected traffic is routed through secure access according to your settings. Preferably, distribute the client centrally using Intune or your existing workplace management solution. This allows you to keep version control, installation, and support under control.
After installation, do not only test whether the user can log in. Also check whether the correct traffic profiles are active, whether Microsoft 365 continues to function properly, and whether the private application is accessible. Have pilot users work as they normally do: at home via Wi-Fi, at the office, and optionally via a mobile connection.
5. Link security policy to access
Global Secure Access does not replace Conditional Access, but rather works in conjunction with it. Use Entra policies to determine under which conditions access is allowed. For example, you can require employees to use multifactor authentication and that devices are marked as compatible by Intune.
Be cautious about having one large policy for all applications. The risks differ. For an internal HR application containing personal data, you might want stricter requirements than for a general knowledge base. By building policies per application group, you can better tailor security without making the work unnecessarily difficult.
Where possible, first use the reporting or report-only mode of Conditional Access. This allows you to see which users would be affected before activating a block. This is a practical security step, especially for organizations with many exceptions.
Management, control, and support after go-live
The real management begins after the rollout. Regularly check the login logs, traffic information, and notifications in Microsoft Enterprise. Look not only for blocked users, but also for striking patterns: repeated failed logins, access from unexpected locations, or applications that are used heavily outside of business hours.
Keep your application overview up to date. If a server disappears, an application moves to SaaS, or an employee changes roles, the associated groups and access rules must change accordingly. Otherwise, access that was once granted temporarily continues unnoticed.
Also ensure a clear procedure for outages. Employees need to know what to check: internet connection, login, device status, and the availability of one specific application. Your administrator then requires a fixed check sequence: user group, conditional access, client status, connector status, DNS, and the application itself. This prevents you from adjusting all settings simultaneously for every problem.
Document at least which applications are available via Private Access, who owns each application, which groups have access, and which exceptions have been intentionally created. This is not an administrative formality. It is necessary for continuity when an administrator is absent, when you grow, or when you need to investigate a security incident.
When is Global Secure Access a good choice?
Global Secure Access is a good fit for organizations that already work with Microsoft 365 and Entra, have hybrid employees, and want to control access to internal applications more precisely. It is also a logical direction if you want to become less dependent on a broad VPN connection.
The solution does require a solid foundation. Without proper identity management, up-to-date devices, and clear application owners, it remains difficult to reliably apply policy. If you have a lot of outdated software, complex network dependencies, or no central device management, address those components in phases.
Secure access does not have to be an extra obstacle for employees. If you build the setup based on their daily work and carefully align the technology with it, you create an environment where people can work safely without constantly having to think about where an application is running. That is precisely when security truly contributes to peace of mind and continuity.