What is Zero Trust?
Zero Trust is a cybersecurity strategy that assumes that all network traffic, both internal and external, is untrusted and should be verified before access is granted. This contrasts with the traditional approach of creating a perimeter around a network and only verifying the authenticity of users and devices that are inside that perimeter.
The Zero Trust approach includes the following key principles:
- Verify the identity of all users, devices, and applications that are trying to access the network, regardless of their location.
- Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to ensure that only authorized users can access the network.
- Segment the network into micro-perimeters, so that if a device or user is compromised, the damage is contained to a smaller area.
- Continuously monitor network traffic for suspicious activity and respond quickly to any threats.
- Use encryption to protect data in transit and at rest.
- Use software-defined networking (SDN) to create a dynamic, adaptive security architecture that can respond to changing threats.
- Continuously assess and improve the security posture of the network.
Why should your organization use a Zero Trust security approach?
Traditionally, organizations relied on perimeter security strategies to protect their most valuable resources like user data and intellectual property. These security strategies involved using firewalls and other network-based tools to inspect and validate users going into and out of the network. However, with the move to hybrid cloud infrastructure and digital transformation, things are changing and the way we traditionally do business is as well. Relying on a network perimeter is no longer sufficient.
Adopting a Zero Trust approach can help organizations protect their sensitive data from cyber threats by verifying the identity of users, devices, and applications and limiting access to only those that have been authenticated and authorized. This approach can also help organizations to detect and respond to threats more quickly, and to contain the damage caused by a security incident.
What does all this mean?
In summary, Zero Trust is a security methodology that assumes that all traffic, both internal and external is potentially malicious, and therefore it verifies the identity of all users, devices, and applications and limits access to only those that have been authenticated and authorized.
Zero Trust also continuously monitors network traffic, segments the network, encrypts data, and improves security posture. And utilizing award-winning security practice from companies like Versetal can enable an organization to take their security to the next level, without the cost associated with operating it in-house.
Learn more about how we can help your organization build, manage, and maintain the most secure IT environment for your business with our award-winning security practice.
