Zero Trust is a security strategy that revolves around the belief that organizations and enterprises should not trust anything inside or outside their perimeter, rather should verify every access request to cloud resources, applications, devices, and systems. Zero Trust is the alternative solution for traditional systems that organizations used to ensure secure their sensitive data and digital assets. 

With increasing digital transformation and the rise of remote working, Zero Trust Network Access model can be considered as a modern solution for cloud and digital assets vs the old castle-and-moat mentality that had organizations focused on safeguarding their perimeters while expecting all inside could be trusted. The issue today is, organizations lack in having a security model adapting to the erosion of perimeter-based security due to rising BYOD and rapid adoption of cloud services. Check out the vpn solutions article here 

Get users to adapt the zero trust model

By implementing Identity and Access Management (IAM) tool with a single sign-on (SSO) is an essential step to begin the Zero Trust program. This allows users to access corporate cloud services based on identity and access management. Moreover, organizations can identify certain use cases such as compromised credentials to know what users have had their credentials compromised in a data breach and can take action which recommends users to change password or prompt multifactor authentication.

Focus on devices for secure access

Assuming secure access based on user identity alone is not enough. The need to extend Zero Trust to devices is essential, if the user is verified and trusted, that specific user can easily use their personal device to access corporate systems and exfiltrate data to their personal device. Software defined perimeter solutions can provide real-time visibility and control unmanaged devices that try to connect resources that are sanctioned for users. It also enables granular controls so that users can’t tweak sensitive data.

Track down the most risky cloud services and exclude them from your circle of trust

After covering up the user identity and devices, the next objective is to identify cloud services that represent a high-level inherent risk that may lack security capabilities. Using secure cloud application solutions, organizations can discover risky cloud services and can block them outright, not allowing access into the trust circle.

Enforce security controls to cloud services that’s authorized by IT

Cloud services like Google Drive, Box, Office 365 and others that are sanctioned by IT and has administrative control apply security controls like Data Loss Prevention (DLP), restriction policies, and threat protection. VPN alternative solutions support technology that can restrict sharing of sensitive data to only users that are inside the organization, ensure sensitive data are not accessed by employees or upload any malware to get guided direction of the architecture to remediate against misconfigurations that can expose sensitive information.

Extend security controls to the web and restrict vulnerable websites 

A thorough Zero Trust Structure can consider all users, devices, and all systems being accessed. The overall web ought to be a part of your target coverage given the inherent risk presented with malware, malicious websites, and sensitive information loss. The Zero Trust Model can allow organizations to block risky sites and extend security controls like threat protection and Data Loss Prevention to websites. 

In these times when remote working is quiet in trend and organizations tend to continue it as it benefits both employees, as well as the productivity; following these steps by implementing a Zero Trust security framework, can provide complete coverage of users, devices, cloud services, and websites for better security against the advanced and rising threat.

Tom Gardner