Cyberattacks are on the rise following the pandemic, and many businesses continue to work remotely, so it is vital to be able to respond to and protect against threats from all corners of the globe. It is impossible to protect data from all sides with a single network barrier. To protect enterprise data, devices, and information, security solutions will increasingly use zero-trust approaches.
Zero trust allows companies to solve security flaws before they become serious breaches. It is also possible to self-fund or have zero trust initially subsidized with fees. This is possible by decreasing reliance on traditional perimeter security measures such as firewalls, VPNs, DLP (network-based data loss prevention), and intrusion detection systems (IDS). Zero trust can also reduce operational efficiencies such as active directory management and spending on user provisioning and de-provisioning. Let's look closer at zero trust and the reasons organizations should use it.
Defining Zero Trust
Zero trust is a modern security model that removes transitive trust by continuously identifying and authenticating each device, user and identity before authorizing their access to applications. Brokers are responsible for granting users access to trust and applications. They are authenticated every time they try to access a network. Users are also protected from unauthorized threats by hiding the network.
Zero trust security models change defenses from identity-based variables to network-based. Attributes such as domain membership and origin network are not valid anymore for accessing networks or granting visibility to them. Implementing zero-trust solutions decreases the attack surface and improves security.
Businesses Need Zero Trust
Modern technology and network improvements have led to sophisticated enterprise infrastructures that can be managed with many security controls. Network Access Control (NAC), network segmentation (CASB), application cybersecurity, and other technologies are all included in this context. It is difficult for IT and security teams, regardless of whether employees are located or remote, to grant secure access because of the complexity of this architecture. IT teams must ensure that all employees can access the business securely and quickly from remote locations using both Bring Your Device (BYOD), and corporate devices.
Modern businesses require a different approach to security than the traditional one that focuses on perimeters. Lack of integration between application and network security and insufficient maintenance open up possible attacks and make the network's entry points vulnerable. Attackers can gain access to even VPNs. Hackers can access networks with minimal effort. Enterprises are now more susceptible to data breaches, lateral movements, and leaks than ever before.
A zero-trust solution can solve this problem. Zero-trust protects against both insider and external cyberattacks. This is possible because it makes it simple to manage security protocols from one site. Services can be kept separate while auditing tools and visibility are provided.
Continuous Verification of Identity With Zero Trust
Zero-trust is a security framework that requires all users (internal and external) to be authenticated, authorized, and continually checked for security postures before they are granted access to any system, application, or asset. Users can gain access to any application, system, or asset without having to be trusted simply because they are connected to the corporate network via VPN.
Benefits of zero trust
IT professionals who are agile can add or delete security policies and user credentials quickly based on current business changes. The entire process of authorizing permissions for specific applications is significantly simplified with Attribute and Role-Based Access Controls (ABAC). Zero trust is also cost-effective as it is much easier to manage and implement the new environment. Many use cases have been successful. They can be used for remote work, Privileged Access Management, third-party access, and mergers and acquisitions. The zero-trust architecture provides comprehensive security to protect networks against external and internal threats. This means that there is no longer an inherent trust, which greatly limits the possibility of bad actors gaining access.
Conclusion
Transitioning to a hybrid and remote workforce is inevitable. Businesses should look into implementing zero-trust models to improve their security, threat detection, and risk management. The future of businesses depends on the integration of next-generation adaptable technology such as Identity-Based Access Control. Companies also need decentralized models that allow companies to fully use their existing sites and cloud resources easily and flexibly.
Continuous identity verification is required before users are granted access to any enterprise's communication devices. Zero trust network access ensures that both remote and onsite users are connected securely to the workplace environment. Businesses must have a clear and easy-to-understand strategy for the future. A zero-trust strategy must be adopted by a company's security department to make security easy for end users and provide clear cost and operational benefits for all parties. This will allow IT environments to be proactive and agile in identifying potential threats.
