What is Zero Trust?
Zero Trust is a security model requiring all users to be authenticated, authorized, and continuously validated. It is a security framework that starts all users, both internal and external, with zero permissions. This is in contrast to the traditional network security model of “trust but verify”. The conventional approach automatically trusted users and devices within the organization’s perimeter. Not only does this approach put your organization at risk from malicious actors, but it also fails to address the needs of the modern work environment that includes remote work and cloud computing.
Why Switch to Zero Trust?
With ransomware and cyber attacks becoming more and more prevalent it is more pressing than ever to have a robust security protocol for your organization. The Zero Trust Model can reinforce your current security framework to offer a higher level of protection from data breaches. According to IBM’s most recent Cost of a Data Breach Report, organizations who used a Zero Trust framework saw a 43% savings on data breach costs. This is due to the fact that Zero Trust can limit the impact and damage of a data breach if one should occur due to the limited permissions given to each user in the environment.
The Zero Trust Model is Inherently Scalable
In a traditional “trust but verify” security model your security protocol is similar to a “blacklist”. This model does not scale well and relies on your IT staff to continuously update that “blacklist” in order to prevent unauthorized access of your network. A Zero Trust security framework is much more similar to a “whitelist” where you identify which users are granted access to the network and specific permissions. This scales much better than a blacklist as if a new unauthorized user attempts to access the network by default they will be denied access, as they were not previously authorized through the “whitelist”/Zero Trust Model.
Existing Networks can be easily Retrofitted into Zero Trust Systems
The idea of completely restructuring security systems is a daunting one for most organizations. Fortunately, the Zero Trust Model can be applied to most existing systems that provide tight controls over access and permissions. This is because the Zero Trust Model is a philosophy, not a software solution. As long as your existing security software has the capabilities to deploy the Zero Trust Model you will be able to retrofit those existing systems.
Need Help Deploying a Zero Trust Model?
If you have any outstanding questions about the Zero Trust Model, or you want some assistance in implementing a Zero Trust Model, please use the button below to reach out to a member of Strategic Communication’s team of expert IT security engineers.
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