There’s a Polish startup called Defguard that offers an open source solution for managing digital identities, user access control, and VPN infrastructure, — all meant for rolling out locally, without utilizing any cloud services. Such an approach is in line with the modern challenges in the cyber security space, where transparency, autonomy, and control over data become critically important.
On-premises VPN allows for complete control over the infrastructure, which is particularly important for the government sector, defense, and companies working with confidential information. Cloud-based VPN solutions are attractive for their promptness of implementation and scalability, but they rely and depend on external providers and may be vulnerable to global breakdowns. Known incidents with Cloudflare, Google or Spotify only underscore these risks.
Defguard is among the examples of how open source can evolve into a fully-fledged corporate solution. Thanks to the support of multi-factor authentication within WireGuard, centralized VPN administration, SSO integration, and in-built firewall management, the platform encompasses key components of security infrastructure.
At the same time, open source demands responsible utilization: proper conduct, security audit, and internal technical expertise. Without proper expertise, it might even lead to a new form of dependency—not from the vendor, but from certain developers or their community. For organizations willing to invest in autonomy, Defguard is among the possible technical options to benefit long-term cyber resilience.
Olga is a recognized expert in IT and information security with 19 years of experience. Among other things, she specializes in information security systems design and implementation. Her profound knowledge of IT technologies and principles of building IT infrastructure put her in the position of the Chairperson of the Committee on IT and Cyber Security of the German-Ukrainian Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Olga is also the CEO of the Ukrainian IT company Silvery LLC.
