Zero Trust strategy – Cyber Security

With a hybrid workforce and the amount of data accessible to third-party vendors, it has become essential for organisations to implement robust security controls. One such approach to cyber security is the Zero Trust model, which is based on a simple principle: Never Trust, always verify. This security model eliminates the notion of trust in networks, apps and data, to protect them from unauthorised access.

“60% of organisations will embrace the Zero Trust approach as a starting point for security by 2025.”

Gartner

A Zero Trust security model assumes that all devices, users and applications are untrusted until proven otherwise. By verifying and authenticating every request for access to resources, a Zero Trust model helps to ensure that only authorised users and devices are granted access to sensitive data and resources.

Moreover, Zero Trust is an approach that can be applied to every aspect of an organisation’s security posture, from identity and access management to network security, data protection and endpoint security. This approach helps to protect against a wide range of security threats, including unauthorised access, data breaches and phishing attacks. It also provides greater visibility into network activity, making it easier to detect and respond to potential security incidents.

SECURE YOUR ENTERPRISE FROM THREATS YOU DIDN’T EVEN KNOW IT’S EXPOSED TO:

CENTRALISES AGENTLESS TRANSPARENT PROACTIVE

Manage one single unbiased platform and monitor your whole attack surface from anywhere in the world.

Benefit from zero-intrusion, with no need for hardware or software installation and no network scanning.

Gain insight into new device vulnerabilities, including brand-new threats and attack patterns.

CONTINUOUS CONTEXTUAL COST-EFFECTIVE

Continuously identify exploitable vulnerabilities on each device with no false positives.

Analyse cyber-threats in relation to your business operations, with an accurate risk-level down to a single device.

Reduce your attack surface management workload by 70%, and stop worrying about the skills gap.

Reasons Your Company Needs a Zero Trust Strategy

As mentioned earlier, it is necessary to implement Zero Trust to improve your organisation’s security posture. Some reasons to incorporate Zero Trust Strategy include:

Ineffective Perimeter-Based Security

With the advancements in digital technology, it becomes challenging to secure traditional perimeter-based security models, as they are insufficient for defining the scope of modern security enforcement. The Zero Trust security authenticates and approves access requests at every point within a network. The concept of least privilege and continuous verification ensures nobody gets unauthorised access to the system.

Shared Security for Cloud Environments

With critical assets and workloads moving to the public or hybrid cloud, security leaders must consider their approach around trusting people, security tools, processes and policies. The cloud environment demands a shared responsibility, where the cloud provider should consider particular security aspects, and the rest falls on the organisation. A Zero Trust model can help implement this shared security responsibility.

The Proliferation of Access to All Users

The way organisations used to execute critical business operations and the people they relied on have changed. Today, the ones who access the network are not only employees and customers but vendors, suppliers and partners. Not every employee or vendor has to access all applications, infrastructure or data. A Zero Trust model enables authenticated access based on continuous verifications and authentication processes.

Work-From-Home Environments

Due to the pandemic, the WFH culture and remote working have become the new normal. People are prioritising a hybrid work environment where they have the freedom to work from the office and home. The risks associated with unsecured Wi-Fi networks and devices have increased due to a remote workforce. Organisations need to take the zero-trust approach to verify users working remotely.

Unsecured Internet Network

Today, as workloads and applications move to the cloud, employees can access them remotely. This makes the enterprise network less secure. The network security and visibility solutions most businesses employ are no longer sufficient to maintain network internet security, making the concept of implicit trust ineffective. With Zero Trust’s least privilege and always verify principles, organisations can get complete visibility into their networks, whether on-prem, cloud or hybrid.

CyberTech encompasses a wide range of areas, including:

Cyber Security

Implementing measures to safeguard computer systems, networks and data from unauthorised access, attacks, or damage.

Information Technology

Managing, developing and maintaining computer systems, software, databases and networks.

Information Security

Protecting information from unauthorised access, disclosure, disruption, modification or destruction.

Network Security

Securing computer networks from unauthorised access, breaches, or intrusions.

Data Protection

Ensuring the security and privacy of data, including its storage, transmission and usage.

Ethical Hacking

Conducting authorised hacking activities to identify vulnerabilities in systems and networks for the purpose of improving security.

Incident Response

Responding to and managing cyber security incidents, including investigating breaches and mitigating their impact.

These are just a few examples of the areas that fall under the broader concept of CyberTech. The field is dynamic and ever-evolving as technology advances and new cyber threats emerge, requiring continuous innovation and adaptation in security measures and practices.

Benefits of Zero Trust

The Zero Trust model helps create a secure environment that is protected against unauthorised access and can maintain the security of sensitive data and digital assets. Its benefits include:

A Zero Trust model helps to do an accurate inventory of infrastructure to enhance security and benefit performance planning processes

It helps create a security policy that helps manage the authentication of all resources in the organisation

While moving apps and data to the cloud, Zero Trust helps make policies that can be centrally managed

Implementations of the Zero Trust cyber security framework help prevent data loss, thus protecting businesses from financial burdens

Why do Companies Need Zero Trust in a Cloud Environment?

Zero Trust establishes boundaries in an enterprise network and enforces access controls to secure sensitive apps from unauthorised access within on-prem data centres. Today, with the adoption of cloud-based applications, it has become challenging to secure them. The cloud environments are operated by cloud service providers and SaaS vendors, which are not a part of the organisation’s network. Thus you can’t apply the same network controls to cloud infrastructures.

As a result, most companies have data and apps spread across several locations and are losing visibility into who accesses their data since most of their assets are on third-party infrastructure. Since clouds differ from traditional on-prem networks, companies need a different approach to security that must be adaptable and comprehensive. As organisations embrace cloud migrations, it’s essential to integrate Zero Trust into their infrastructure to enhance cloud security.

Implementing Robust Security Controls into Your Organisation

The Zero Trust model protects your enterprise and stops malware from entering your network. Also, it gives more protection to remote workers without affecting their productivity, as well as simplifying security management processes. In this era of digital transformation, it is essential for organisations to integrate a robust approach to security: A Zero Trust approach.

Emrys Consulting works closely in partnership with the Cyber expert companies in order to offer our clients the best protection for their assets using latest technology innovations and services.