As cyberattacks continue to grow, so does the need for Zero Trust network security. According to TechRadar, global weekly attacks on corporate networks have increased 50% compared to 2020. If your organization hasn’t started to implement Zero Trust best practices, now is the time. But how do you get started?
To adapt Zero Trust architecture to secure your organization’s network environments, there are a few considerations to examine to ensure you’re implementing the right solution and controls.
Defining Trust
The first step is to define what Zero Trust means to your business.
By definition, Zero Trust means eliminating any implicit trust in the security of your ecosystem, from networks, devices, and users to applications and automations. By starting with the mantra of “trust nothing,” organizations can then plan measures that will put trust back into the system.
For example, what access levels does your organization feel comfortable providing? All employees should have access to the tools they need to perform their jobs. However, a customer service rep should not have the same level of access throughout the network as the head of IT. Parameters need to be set for all levels of employees.
Defining trust also means setting the bar for employee and device access, including who needs to connect to what part of the network, and requiring multifactor authentication that escalates in tandem with the sensitivity of data a particular user needs to access.
Evaluating the Trust Access of Network Resources
In many organizations, legacy systems, tools, and protocols, along with IoT device firmware, are often unprotected. Hence, these components are often easy breach points for your network security model.
Every aspect of your business should have strong Zero Trust security measures in place. This includes the micro-segmentation of your network into segments, subnets, and endpoints so each connection location has its own security protocols in place.
Assessing AI and Machine Learning Capabilities
Every part of your network ecosystem is now a new security perimeter, including end points and nodes. To provide security in real time, organizations need to adopt AI and machine learning capabilities.
These tools evaluate user requests, assess security contexts, and generate security alarms in real time. They can also determine the location of an access request, log the exact time of the request, ascertain device characteristics, and start immediate mitigation measures if a threat is perceived.
Determining End User Security Measures
In this day and age, two-factor authentication is a must for every employee logging onto the network, whether they are remote or in the office. The more sensitive the data an employee needs to access, the more security measures need to be put in place, including security keys and physical tokens for high-level employees.
Being Open to Expansion
What works today may not work tomorrow, and it more than likely won’t work at all in a few years’ time. Zero Trust means having zero faith – security measures always need to be proven.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, so should your Zero Trust security measures. Organizations need to be open to scheduled evaluations of their network security systems, incorporating new tools and devices as they become available, and continual testing of every component of the network to ensure safety.
ProActive Solutions cybersecurity consultants are available to help your organization navigate your cybersecurity needs. By setting up a consultation, we will build your business-specific roadmap for implementing your Zero Trust security strategy.
Schedule your personal Zero Trust whiteboard session with a ProActive expert today.
