The traditional perimeter-based security model needs to be updated. As employees work remotely and cyberattacks become more sophisticated, a data-centric approach to cybersecurity is necessary.
Zero trust network access solutions help CISOs address these challenges. They use a “trust nobody; verify everything” methodology and micro-segmentation to limit lateral movement within a network.
Security
A zero-trust strategy treats every device, user, and application as hostile until proven otherwise. It involves a set of technologies that continuously authenticate, verify and monitor security posture to protect applications, data and networks.
The security landscape has dramatically changed in recent years. Innovations like Cloud resources, remote work and personal devices have rendered traditional network perimeters obsolete. As a result, enterprises must be able to safely follow workloads wherever they go – from home offices to branch offices to the cloud. To do this, they must ensure that the right people can access the most important applications and data.
Comprehensive zero-trust network access comprises six core elements: identity, endpoints, applications, data, infrastructure and networks. To be successful, it requires multi-factor authentication, unified access control, device health and compliance, in-app permissions, threat intelligence and telemetry, infrastructure hardening and granular segmentation, and more.
One disadvantage of zero trust is that the additional security measures can slow productivity if implemented appropriately. Users can experience frustration if they have to continuously provide credentials or use biometrics to gain access to utilities and files that are needed for their jobs. The key is to balance security with the business’s efficiency needs. A Zero Trust approach that utilizes an adaptive access control, passwordless, or other means of minimizing friction can deliver the best results.
Authentication
As cyberattacks evolve, the need for strong authentication is greater than ever. This is why many cybersecurity companies are shifting toward an identity-centric zero-trust model. This approach to security involves verifying a user’s identity with something “something you know, such as a password or PIN, something you have, such as a hard token or mobile device, and something you are, such as a biometric.” This process is repeated continuously so that the identity of each user and device can be verified at every step.
Authentication is one of the key elements in zero trust, and it must be seamless and fast. Otherwise, it will slow down the end-user experience. Thankfully, new multi-factor authentication (MFA) solutions are designed to make this possible. These tools use an app on a phone or tablet that serves authentication challenges to the user based on the policies in place, such as how often a device is checked, what type of information is being accessed, and whether it’s an out-of-band or in-band connection.
The challenge for IT and security teams is that zero trust requires a change in mindset. It also requires more resources to implement and manage. However, if done correctly, it can eliminate gaps and silos of security. Plus, it can reduce the time IT and security employees spend on routine tasks.
Access Control
Zero trust security uses the “never trust, always verify” model, whereby no device, user or network connection is deemed trustworthy until and unless they’ve been authenticated and authorized. That’s true regardless of whether they are inside the corporate perimeter, like an employee working from home, or outside it, like a vendor at a global tradeshow. It’s like a hyper-vigilant security guard, methodically checking credentials continuously throughout a visit to a building.
This approach makes sense in an era where innovations such as Cloud services, Internet-of-things devices and remote work have eroded traditional network perimeters. Implementing a comprehensive zero-trust strategy that includes adaptive access control, authentication and continuous monitoring is critical.
In addition, organizations should ensure that their existing IT assets can operate under the Zero Trust framework, including SSO, unified identity and access management (UAM), PAM, and micro-segmentation. Failure to do so could make it difficult for employees to access applications and data, slowing productivity.
To effectively deploy zero trust, IT teams must promptly plan their projects to implement all required features. Otherwise, they run the risk of a lengthy, complex implementation process that stalls productivity and puts key security objectives at risk. That’s why it’s crucial to identify project milestones and provide staff with clear communications at every deployment stage.
Analytics
Zero-trust security models provide a new approach to secure modern networks. They eliminate the traditional security perimeter and guarantee access to internal resources worldwide while maintaining strict user authentication and privileges. This minimizes the threat surface and makes data breaches less likely.
Zero-trust systems utilize software-defined perimeters and micro-segmentation to ensure secure connectivity to all internal resources. These security technologies make it easy for organizations to reshape how devices, apps and services connect to their network. This allows workloads to rapidly move from a private data center to any Cloud environment while ensuring a consistent and centralized security policy.
These systems also monitor all activity and generate a legible audit trail that feeds into security responses and compliance. In addition, they make all internal traffic invisible to the outside internet through high-grade encryption, further reducing the threat surface.
One of the biggest disadvantages of Zero Trust is that it can slow down application performance because users must be continuously authenticated and authorized. However, partnering with a cybersecurity vendor specializing in Zero Trust can help mitigate this challenge and provide a seamless user experience.
A Zero Trust solution requires more manpower to implement and manage, which can be costly for an organization. However, a successful Zero Trust strategy can free up IT and security staff to focus on other initiatives that drive value for the organization. This can save the company money in the long run.
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