California has long set the pace for data privacy in the United States. The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) — and its successor, the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) — gave consumers unprecedented control over how their personal information is collected, used, and shared. These regulations have since inspired similar laws across the U.S., from Virginia to Colorado to Texas, all reinforcing the same principle: organizations must protect consumer data as diligently as they protect their own.
But while most compliance strategies focus on data at rest or in storage systems, fewer consider a critical piece of the equation — how data moves. Network routing, access control, and identity management all play a direct role in whether an organization can safeguard consumer information in line with privacy regulations.
That’s where AppGate’s direct-routed Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) architecture provides a distinct advantage.
CCPA and CPRA: Expanding Privacy Rights
Under CCPA and CPRA, California residents have the right to:
- Know what personal information is being collected and where it is shared.
- Access, delete, or correct their data.
- Opt out of its sale or disclosure to third parties.
- Expect reasonable security safeguards that prevent unauthorized access or exposure.
For organizations, compliance means implementing strong data-governance and security measures that limit who can access personal information, as well as how it travels across systems and networks. Failure to meet these standards can lead not only to financial penalties but also to loss of consumer trust, which is increasingly as damaging as any fine.
The Access-Control Challenge
Many modern security models still rely on broad, network-centric controls or third-party routing infrastructure to broker user access. These approaches introduce unnecessary exposure, i.e., personal data and session metadata can travel through external environments outside the organization’s control. That lack of visibility and ownership runs counter to CCPA’s mandate for transparency and accountability.
A Zero Trust approach that enforces least privilege and keeps data flows under customer governance is essential to demonstrating due diligence and maintaining compliance.
How AppGate ZTNA Supports CCPA and CPRA Compliance
AppGate ZTNA was built on the principles of identity-centric, least-privilege access — aligning closely with the security expectations embedded in both CCPA and CPRA.
1. Direct-Routed Architecture
Sessions travel directly from user to authorized resource — not through vendor-controlled clouds or PoPs. This eliminates unnecessary intermediaries, reduces exposure, and gives organizations full visibility into how data is accessed and transmitted.
2. Customer-Controlled Infrastructure
Organizations deploy AppGate controllers and gateways where they choose — on-premises or in regionally compliant environments — ensuring that sensitive consumer data never leaves approved jurisdictions.
3. Dynamic Least-Privilege Access
Access entitlements are context-aware and time-bound. Each user sees and connects only to the resources they’re authorized for, reducing risk of unauthorized data exposure.
4. Transparency and Auditability
AppGate’s granular logs and policy enforcement provide verifiable records of data access. This aligns with CPRA’s expanded accountability provisions, helping organizations prove compliance and respond to consumer inquiries efficiently.
5. Secure Data Handling and Transmission
Encrypted connections protect personal information in transit and prevent unauthorized interception — addressing CCPA’s expectation of “reasonable security procedures and practices.”
Protecting Privacy While Enhancing Performance
Unlike many cloud-routed access solutions that introduce latency and increase data-handling risk, AppGate’s direct-routed ZTNA strengthens compliance and user experience. By removing unnecessary intermediaries, organizations gain:
- Faster performance and reliability.
- Greater confidence in data-flow integrity.
- Simpler audit readiness and regulator response.
- In short, AppGate ZTNA delivers better privacy without operational friction.
Beyond California: A U.S. Privacy Movement
California may have led the charge, but it’s no longer alone. States including Colorado, Virginia, Connecticut, Oregon, and Texas have passed or proposed legislation modeled after CCPA/CPRA. Together, they signal a national shift toward stronger consumer-data rights and heightened accountability.
As this landscape evolves, organizations need an architecture that can adapt — maintaining local compliance without re-engineering global security frameworks.
AppGate ZTNA makes that possible by keeping access controls flexible, auditable, and regionally aware.
Conclusion
Data privacy is not just a legal obligation — it’s a brand promise. AppGate’s direct-routed ZTNA empowers organizations to meet CCPA and CPRA requirements with transparency, accountability, and performance built in. With AppGate ZTNA, you can protect consumer trust, strengthen compliance and keep control where it belongs — with you.
See how direct-routed ZTNA simplifies privacy compliance. Request a CCPA/CPRA consultation and explore what secure access looks like in practice.
Read the first post in our Data Sovereignty Series: Keeping Your Data Where It Belongs: How AppGate ZTNA Preserves Data Sovereignty