With the development of artificial intelligence (AI) making hacking attacks rapidly more sophisticated, the system is quickly shifting from existing perimeter-based security to a framework premised on 'continuous verification.' Cho Young-chul, Chairman of the Korea Information Security Industry Association (KISIA) and CEO of the security firm PIOLINK, emphasized the necessity of 'Zero Trust' security in a recent interview with Edaily, stating, "Just like airport boarding procedures, identities must be repeatedly verified at every section in a security environment."

PIOLINK is a company that has grown based on its strengths in network-based security technology. Although it started as a network equipment manufacturer at its founding in 2000, it rapidly increased its competitiveness by recognizing the importance of network security and creating products combined with security functions. Its Application Delivery Controller (ADC), the first independently developed in Korea, has secured high reliability, with approximately 90% of traffic from major public institutions currently passing through it.

CEO Cho Young-chul explained, "Because we started as a network company, we understand network traffic structures and internal movements more deeply than anyone else," adding, "We are a technology-centric organization covering development, service, and monitoring, with over 300 out of our 430 employees being technical personnel."
Recently, PIOLINK's key strategy is shifting towards 'Zero Trust security.' Zero Trust is a method of re-verifying all access both inside and outside the system, gaining attention as an alternative to supplement the limitations of existing perimeter-based security amidst a succession of hacking and data leakage incidents.

CEO Cho describes this as a "structure like airport boarding procedures." Just as one goes through multiple steps—passport check, ticket issuance, security screening, and boarding gate identity check—access rights must be repeatedly verified for every movement within the network. He stated, "The existing method, where you can move anywhere inside once authenticated, no longer works."
PIOLINK's Zero Trust solution, 'TiFRONT ZT,' implements 'micro-segmentation' that controls access by subdividing sections at the network switch level, unlike existing methods that rely on agent installation or separate gateways. This method has the advantage of enabling security control even for devices where agent installation is difficult or for unauthorized terminals. CEO Cho said, "By automating verification for each section, users can minimize inconvenience while maximizing the security level."

The increasing demand for Zero Trust in the public sector is also an opportunity. The National Intelligence Service (NIS) is pushing for the National Network Security Framework (N2SF), which classifies public systems into Confidential (C), Sensitive (S), and Open (O) grades and requires differential security; this effectively means a transition to Zero Trust centered on access control by section. PIOLINK is evaluated to have secured a foundation for applying N2SF guidelines by already establishing TiFRONT ZT in some public institutions.

Growth in the global market is also distinct. PIOLINK entered Japan in 2004 and has secured over 40,000 client companies based on security switches and security APs. Revenue from Japan accounted for 13% of the total last year and grew by 43% year-on-year in the third quarter of this year. In Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore, supply is expanding, recording double-digit growth rates every year.

CEO Cho noted, "Japanese companies felt great anxiety about internal security even when using global equipment," and added, "While other companies' equipment might have a minimal proportion of security among 100 functions, PIOLINK products have a distinct difference as they are designed with a balance between network and security functions."
He revealed, "We plan to strengthen service areas such as AI-based automated vulnerability inspection," and stated, "To survive in the global market, we must compete with differentiated technology and products with unique value." He continued, "Based on our achievements in Japan, we will accelerate overseas expansion by participating in global exhibitions and conferences in earnest starting next year."