Zero trust security refers to securing the organization in the mobile and cloud world where no application or user is trusted by default. It follows the zero trust principle, which focuses on the least privileged access. Furthermore, in zero trust security, the trust is established based on different contexts such as user location and identity. The traditional security model runs on the belief that internal traffic is safe. However, this belief is no longer accountable, as data indicates that 36% of the data breaches result from internal actors. It is why organizations and enterprises must employ a zero trust security strategy.
The four core principles of zero trust security include verification of every user request, context-based privilege, least privileged access and the assumption that a data breach has occurred. When an organization follows zero trust security principles, it can benefit from its framework. Listed below are the core benefits of using a zero trust security strategy.
1. Reduced Business Risk
Employing zero trust security stops services and applications from accessing the business network when they are not verified through identity attributes. For instance, by checking the IP address of a device on What Is My IP, it is possible to identify whether the device can be trusted or not. Based on this information, access to the network is managed. Subsequently, it reduces organizational and business risk by eliminating non-trusted services and software. The zero trust architecture protects an organization from both external and internal threats.
2. Greater Visibility Across Enterprises
The zero trust strategy never assumes anyone or any device is trusted, so it requires verification at every step. It increases visibility within the organization by bringing attention to the people accessing certain resources. It also helps monitor who is pursuing what activity and assets. Therefore, it brings greater visibility within the enterprise. Its additional benefit is that it immediately helps the IT team flag unusual behavior.
3. Reduces Risk Of Data Exfiltration
Data exfiltration refers to the process through which an attacker lays their hands on sensitive information and further transfers it. It is possible to engage in data exfiltration both internally and manually, making its detection difficult. Close monitoring in a zero trust architecture highly reduces the risk of data exfiltration.
4. Seamless End-User Experience
Zero trust strategy builds its foundation on identity access management or IAM. When an enterprise ensures IAM, it manages to provide the end-user with a streamlined, seamless experience. For instance, a single sign-in works in zero trust architecture instead of signing into an account every time.
5. Extended security
The traditional security network is often applicable to a single network location. However, it is not the case with the zero trust approach. Using zero trust security, securing a network beyond a single network location and covering multiple physical locations is possible. With the popularity of remote work, providing modern protection in extended locations has become more critical.
6. Remote Workforce Empowerment
Traditional security automatically treats any outside traffic as untrustworthy. This approach is no longer viable as the workforce increasingly becomes remote, and businesses have become more agile. As discussed above, zero trust considers the distributed network, and subsequently, it empowers the remote work team by providing secure access. It focuses on the user accessing the business data rather than the network.
7. Simplification Of IT Management
Zero trust security strategy continuously monitors and provides analytics. This information comes in handy to automate access requests. For instance, a business can use a privileged access management system to analyze the devices or people trying to join a network. The devices that have low risk can automatically be granted access. Only some requests needOnly some requests need to be taken care of manually. Only when the system flags a request can the IT team intervene for better monitoring.
Currently, many organizations are running low on skilled cybersecurity professionals. Automating such tasks can reduce the burden in the existing IT management team.
Implementing zero trust adoption is complex in the beginning for any organization because it requires changes at all levels. However, once implemented, businesses can enjoy its long-term benefits. The zero trust security framework strengthens the existing security system and builds resilience within the organization. Therefore, despite the challenges of adopting zero trust security, organizations should work proactively to adopt it.