Zero Trust? What does it mean? And why should I care?

Security has always been important, especially in today's connected world where sensitive information is stored and transmitted over networks. The challenge has become even greater as cyber-attacks have increased exponentially.

Zero trust security provides organizations with the ability to identify network threats at their earliest stages, before they reach critical systems or data. It gives them the tools to detect malicious behavior and stop attacks from reaching their intended target.

Introduction

Zero trust security has been around for some time now. It was initially popularized by CISO John Thompson who wrote a book entitled, ‘Zero Trust Security’. Since then, many large companies such as Facebook, Microsoft, IBM and others have adopted zero trust security models into their infrastructures.

This article will introduce you to zero trust security, outline the reasons why it matters and provide examples of how it works.

Explain Zero Trust security to me!

It may seem like a bit of jargon but it actually means something very simple – we only allow access to resources if we know the person accessing them is trustworthy.

As a business owner you want to ensure that no one gains unauthorized access to your data or computer systems. To do this you need to implement a system whereby only those who are authorized to use certain applications or devices are permitted entry.

Today this is commonly achieved using encryption technology. You encrypt sensitive information and store it somewhere safe. Only someone with access to the key can decrypt the information and view it.

This is all fine and dandy until you realize that not everyone trusts each other. Everyone would prefer to have access to everything. They would love to get hold of your personal information even though they might not necessarily mean any harm to you.

In order to combat this problem we must create a secure environment where only trusted individuals can gain access to our networks and computers. We call this concept ‘zero trust security’.

And why should I care?

You should care because cyber-attacks have increased dramatically over the last few years. According to Verizon Threat Report 2017, there were 2.6 billion malware infections globally in 2016 alone. That’s nearly five times the number reported just two years ago. The report states that hackers now spend $400M per day attacking enterprises.

Cyber criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated and capable. As a result they’ve become less interested in stealing credit card numbers and more interested in gaining access to corporate secrets and intellectual property.

We’re currently seeing a shift in the way attackers carry out cyber crime. Rather than targeting individual victims, they’re focusing on organizations. By compromising a company instead of an individual, they can steal valuable information and intellectual property, disrupt operations and cause reputational damage.

Imagine being able to prevent a data breach before it happens. Imagine knowing exactly what happened during a hack attack. Imagine having the power to quickly detect suspicious activity and take action to protect your organization and its assets.

That’s what Zero Trust Security gives us. Organizations can now detect suspicious activity and block hackers before they ever reach their targets.

Here are three ways Zero Trust Security helps organizations fight back against cyber attacks.

1. Detect suspicious activity

With Zero Trust Security, organizations can detect suspicious activity on their networks. This allows them to identify potential threats early. For example, if an employee starts downloading files from a foreign country, the system could flag this up as a potential threat.

2. Block malicious activity

Once a hacker has gained access to a system, it’s too late. With Zero Trust Security, organizations have the power to prevent unauthorized activities. Once a hacker has compromised a server, for example, the system will automatically shut it down.

3. Protect critical infrastructure

Organisations rely heavily on their IT systems to run smoothly and efficiently. Without them, they simply wouldn’t function. Unfortunately, today’s IT systems are vulnerable to cyber attacks. Hackers can easily compromise servers, databases and networks.

By implementing Zero Trust Security, organizations are better protected from these types of attacks. Because Zero Trust Security is designed to detect suspicious activity, it ensures that only approved users can perform tasks on your systems.

When a hacker attempts to break into a system, the system immediately identifies the attempt as malicious and blocks it. Thereby preventing the attacker from getting anywhere near the target system.

#cybersecurity #Zerotrust #enterprisesecurity

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