It might appear like a challenging task to move from a centralized point of access to the network and apply a zero-trust security model. But, with growing instances of data breaches, cybersecurity threats, and the need for remote working, zero-trust network access has become a need of the hour for many organizations. It provides a holistic and strategic approach to secure your network and provide adequate access to the required systems.
Zero Trust Defined
Whether your company has already implemented zero trust or you are new to the concept, it is essential to understand zero trust and how it can secure your business. Instead of assuming that everything within the corporate firewall is safe, the Zero Trust model assumes a breach and assesses each request as if it originated from an open network. Zero trust teaches us to “never trust, always verify, “regardless of where the request originated or what resource is accessed. Also, every access request is fully authenticated, permitted, and encrypted with zero trust.
In a nutshell, zero trust protects your organization in ways other models can’t. It prevents malware from entering your network, gives remote workers better protection without compromising the productivity, simplifies security operation centers management with enhanced automation, and improves proactive remediation and response by extending visibility into possible threats.
Significance of Zero Trust
As traditional security systems simply can’t provide continuous protection for data and communications, zero-trust security is being adopted by various organizations across the globe. A major benefit of the zero trust model is that it provides hardened security, regardless of how distributed your network is.
Whether your company serves a single isolated network or hundreds of branch locations distributed worldwide, zero-trust security provides a sense of relief for every interaction. Since verification is always required, zero trust provides increased security from both external and internal threats. Other business benefits of adopting a zero trust model include:
- It simplifies overhead/complexity.
Once zero-trust standards are in place, IT teams will have a lot less to administrate and handle. Furthermore, users can only access resources to which they have been allowed access, and applications can only communicate with specified devices that aid in lateral movement control.
- It supports a remote workforce.
With a zero-trust security model, workers can access applications they need to succeed at work. Also, your IT staff can improve their efficiency and ability to address network errors. This allows IT departments to cut back on unnecessary resource consumption and reallocate resources to more critical aspects. This architecture also improves network performance by reducing traffic on subnets.
- It is easier for the user.
Due to its granularity, zero trust simplifies the logging process. Everything happens in the background, and users don’t have to sign in to different programs; instead, they simply sign in to their existing active directory and use their resources, which is considerably more convenient.
- It enables digital business transformation.
Because of the segmented nature of a zero-trust network, your security teams can support the introduction of new services with the necessary rights and data protection while not disrupting your existing business and employee productivity. As a result, your IT departments can reliably boost IoT device adoption.
- It provides greater visibility.
Zero trust gives you more visibility into your network since it offers a more intensive approach to monitoring risks across the enterprise, including data and computing devices. For example, you are going to be more aware of the timestamps, programs, users, and locations with each access request. In addition to this, the security architecture flags any behavior that deviates from the usual, allowing you to track each activity in real-time. Having more visibility across your network gives you a better understanding of who and all accessed your network.
Bottom Line
In short, zero-trust policies shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to network security. Adopt it soon to stay ahead of the curve – but make sure your company is fully prepared before making the shift and ensure your zero-trust network access platform is agile, scalable, and sustainable. Hence, take the time to understand zero trust security because it is not just a way to avoid breaches; it’s an essential requirement for business success.
Infraon SecuRA is a Remote access system based on Zero Trust principles that empowers you with powerful multi-authentication identity and access verification capabilities – no matter where your workforces are located. It helps you build remote operational resilience, protect sensitive data, and secure your end-to-end infrastructure.
