Out of Sight, Out of Control: Bridging the Cellular Visibility Gap

Do You Know What Your Organization’s Cellular Devices Are Doing Right Now?

Every day, countless cellular-connected devices quietly communicate across the internet and private networks, without the knowledge or oversight of the organizations that own them. These devices - which could range from lighting sensors to critical industrial equipment - operate outside traditional security controls, creating a blind spot in many enterprises’ security strategies. Indeed while it’s commonly assumed that mobile networks provide a secure path for all cellular devices even if you have trouble seeing them, the reality is far more complex and risk-prone than most realize. And so it begs the question, do you know what your organization’s cellular devices are doing right now?

Mobile carriers do offer network-level protections, but these aren’t necessarily designed with applications or the sensitive data flowing across them as the priority focus. Cellular devices frequently run multiple software components, making a variety of outbound requests that go unseen by traditional security tools. The implicit trust placed in these mobile connections leaves organizations vulnerable to threats that can easily slip through the cracks.

Without full visibility into what these devices are doing, security teams cannot detect unusual activity, enforce granular policies, or respond effectively to emerging risks. The legacy approach of relying on firewalls, VPNs, and costly backhaul infrastructure simply doesn’t scale or adapt well to the sprawling, dynamic world of cellular-connected devices. This results in increased attack surfaces and operational headaches.

That’s where Zscaler Cellular changes the game. By ensuring every single data packet from cellular devices go through Zscaler’s zero trust platform, organizations gain complete visibility into device behavior - even for those that were previously out of reach. This transparency means businesses can see exactly where each device connects, what it’s communicating with, and how policies are being applied to it in real-time. Most importantly, it enables a shift from blind trust in mobile networks to informed control over every connection. This is visibility by design. 

Visibility is more than a technical advantage; it’s the foundation for extending modern security to mobile and IoT environments. But the real opportunity goes further: with Zscaler Cellular, organizations can move from passive insight to active, ubiquitous protection.

By bringing zero trust to devices that were previously out of reach, security teams can enforce consistent policy across every connection, everywhere - no matter the network or location. In my next blog, we’ll dive deeper into how this newfound visibility empowers organizations to enforce powerful controls - moving beyond passive monitoring to actively securing every session at the very first packet.

If you want to find out more about Zscaler Cellular, join us at Zenith Live EMEA in Prague from 16th - 18th of June 2025.