What Is Zero Trust? How Zero Trust Rewrites the Security Rulebook

If you’ve ever watched an 80s movie (huge fan here), chances are there was a scene with a house party where anyone could come, goof around, and not be taken seriously. That’s largely how some businesses used to operate their networks. Many were far more interested in attracting as many visitors as possible, often prioritizing website traffic and ad revenue at the expense of security.

That is until the concept of zero trust emerged as a new security paradigm.

Zero trust is a security model that treats everyone and everything as a potential threat. Instead of granting broad access to your network, it verifies each user and device before letting them in.

It’s the kind of approach that helps protect your sensitive data from unauthorized access and reduces the risk of cyberattacks. I’m about to break it down and show you how it’s being applied in the real world so you too can benefit from it.

For years, the traditional perimeter security model (also known as castle-and-moat) was the pinnacle of online defense, where the focus was on protecting the network’s outer boundaries.

It worked like this:

• The goal was to block external threats from entering the network.
• There were firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and other security measures.
• Everyone inside the network usually had unrestricted access.

More importantly, the model made sense thanks to on-premise infrastructure. It allowed companies to control access and house sensitive assets under the same roof as their offices. You simply gated all connections and kept track of physical entry.

But — and I’m pretty sure you spotted it — such an arrangement had a major drawback. Once you were in, you were assumed trustworthy and free to wreak havoc if you wished. You could move laterally across the network and infect other computers on the network, internal servers, and any other target.

And getting in became less and less of a problem, as cybercriminals caught up with perimeter defenses in more ways than one. More devices and people getting connected meant proportionally more entry points for attackers, thus making cyber threats more complex by the day.

Malware, ransomware, phishing, man-in-the-middle attacks, SQL injection — the list goes on.

The advent of the cloud, mobile connectivity, and subsequent remote work changed everything. As the workforce became decentralized, insider risks became more frequent and serious. This shifted the perimeter’s edges further and further — to the point where there isn’t a big enough moat now to protect the kingdom, let alone the castle.

Simply put, as technological sophistication grows, our ability to keep up diminishes, resulting in various vulnerabilities. When the identity and location of a user and a device can be easily forged, there is no room for any trust assumptions.

Hence, zero trust was born, envisioned as a new practicality for a world forever changed by IT dynamics, hybrid work, and cloud computing.

That isn’t to say that the perimeter is altogether ready for the junkyard just yet. It’s simply no longer adequate on its own to keep the bad guys at bay (or moat, if you will).

Modern times require modern solutions, and a zero trust security architecture is one of the best things you can implement to protect your business from ransomware and all sorts of cybersecurity malice.

These are the tenets that zero trust lives by to solidify a modern business’ security posture.

The comprehensive and highly detailed approach relies on a select few key technologies to effectively limit the scope of the danger. These are:

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

The aforementioned meticulousness of continuous authentication and authorization largely stems from a more robust security framework courtesy of an IAM system.

It’s a one-stop shop for managing user identities, where specific policies and technologies represent the first line of defense so that the right people (e.g. employees and contractors) get in and the wrong ones stay out.

An IAM system supports zero trust through several steps:

• Perceives every user, device, and access attempt as untrustworthy.
• Enforces continuous verification of user identities by looking at the context of all users and devices, such as services used, workload, location, and so on.
• Assigns permissions based on a user’s role within the company’s network, limiting access solely to necessary resources.
• Grants access based on specific attributes of the user, device, or resource.
• Monitors user activities for anomalous behavior and potential threats.

And in the event of an identified security risk, IAM systems can automatically revoke access to mitigate potential damage.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

By requiring users to provide more than one form of identification, typically a password and information you own, such as a code from a mobile — though it can also include your unique traits like facial recognition or a fingerprint.

In doing so, MFA plays a vital role in verifying user identity before access is granted, which is why you’ll find it in every zero trust framework.

We’re all aware that passwords alone are weak security measures, vulnerable to numerous exploits. While MFA does add a bit of complexity to an otherwise straightforward and very familiar authentication method, its layered approach perfectly aligns with the ZT principle of “never trust, always verify.”

It makes it more difficult for attackers to bypass security measures — even if they have somehow finagled their way to a password.

Device and Endpoint Security

From laptops to IoT devices and even the likes of switches and digital printers, endpoints are often the weakest links and serve as the initial point of attack for cybercriminals.

So, zero trust requires uncompromising endpoint verification to see to it that only authorized devices can access the network. This involves verifying the identity of both the user and the device.

It’s worth mentioning that each endpoint has a distinct layer of authentication. Once verified, devices are continuously monitored to maintain their trust status. The network sends verification requests to devices, and devices respond to prove their identity.

This rigorous verification process helps prevent unauthorized access , protecting network.

Behavioral Analytics

Powered by AI and ML, behavioral analytics has quickly positioned itself as an indispensable part of zero trust due to its ability to identify anomalies that may point to malicious activity as they occur.

Here’s how it works:

• Algorithms go over historical data to set a baseline of normal behavior for users, devices, and applications — things like access patterns, login times, resource usage, etc.
• They continuously monitor real-time data for deviations and compare it to the established benchmarks.
• Data points that fall outside a predefined range are flagged as potential anomalies.

If the anomaly detection method is supervised or semi-supervised, there will be human oversight to investigate flagged anomalies and determine if they represent a genuine threat.

If I haven’t made a strong case for taking the plunge on the zero trust model, then the following advantages should tip the scales.

Enhanced Security

Thanks to the automatic treatment of every entity as hostile, zero trust curbs the opportunities (and by proxy, enthusiasm) for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities and access sensitive resources.

At its core, zero trust enhances security by always verifying users have access to the right networks and systems.

All access requests are vigilantly verified and authenticated, creating less risk of internal and external breaches — especially important these days when virtually everyone now fits the insider threat profile.

Minimized Attack Surface

In the same manner, wrongdoers have less room to maneuver. Unyielding access controls, network segmentation, and continuous monitoring of all network activity lead to highly regulated access to resources based on various factors, containing the attack within set boundaries.

Plus, it also allows companies to locate and remediate breaches faster.

Reduced Impact of Breaches

The model is not 100% breach-proof, but even when the doo-doo hits the fan, zero trust acts proactively to minimize damage and potential data loss.

By isolating traffic and segmenting the network, zero trust makes it harder for cybercriminals to move between systems and spread harm. With real-time monitoring and logging tools to track user activity and re-verify identities, the chances of a successful attack are considerably lower.

Adaptability for Remote Work

Zero trust addresses the limitations of traditional security models by continuously verifying user identities and access privileges.

As opposed to relying on perimeter defense, zero trust methodology verifies every access request and encrypts network traffic. It’s through these strict policies across all network workloads that it mitigates the risk of breaches typically caused by credential theft and targeted attacks.

Simply put, the architecture is better designed to grapple with the demands of decentralized work environments. If that wasn’t enough, there is a case to be made that zero trust also boosts remote employee productivity by enabling them to work comfortably wherever they are, knowing their connection is secure.

Now that you’ve, hopefully, got the gist of zero trust, it’s time to put your newly found know-how into action and get your zero trust setup running.

Identity and Access Management (IAM) Solutions

For starters, you’ll want to find a sweet spot between security and user experience, because what use is a great security system if people can’t use it properly? That said, effective zero trust IAM involves several key components:

• Identity Governance and Administration (IGA): Ensures that users have the right level of access and that their access is revoked when needed via conditional access policies.
• Single Sign-On (SSO): Simplifies the login process for users by allowing them to access multiple applications with a single set of credentials, reducing the risk of password-related security breaches along the way.
• Privileged Access Management (PAM): Helps safeguard privileged accounts, which have elevated access to critical systems and data, by implementing dynamic access controls and enforcing the principle of least privilege.

This combination allows for a seamless user access experience (particularly for remote workers) while simultaneously maintaining a strong security stance that checks all the zero trust boxes.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

A good starting point is to configure MFA to kick in on initial login sessions to verify the user’s identity before granting access to specific parts of the network or applications. From there on, you should implement it for all remote access scenarios, including VPNs and remote desktop connections.

When it comes to enforcing MFA, the great thing about it is that it’s context-aware. This means you can implement it as an adaptive or risk-based authentication method, and it triggers when a certain condition is met (say, logging from a new location or device).

That way, you still raise the security level whilst keeping things simple and as friction-free as possible for low-risk scenarios.

Another idea is to partner up with an identity provider (IdP) like Azure AD, AWS IAM, Google’s Identity Platform, or Okta, to name a few. These offer built-in MFA options and can enforce policies across all integrated applications and services.

Network Segmentation and Micro-Segmentation Tools

Here, we have two different things based on the same principle. The former involves splitting a network into smaller, more manageable subnetworks to improve security, performance, and network management.

Traditional methods include:

• VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks): Logical networks that allow devices on the same physical network to communicate as if they were on separate networks.
• IP subnetting: Smaller subnetworks based on IP addresses.
• Firewalls: Security systems that filter traffic between network segments, blocking unauthorized access.

Micro-segmentation drills deeper into the concept, breaking the network into even smaller pieces all the way down to the individual workload or application level. The result is greater security due to the limited reach of potential attacks.

Some methods of micro-segmentation include:

• Software-Defined Networking (SDN): Allows for dynamic and flexible network segmentation, enabling the creation and modification of network segments on the fly.
• Network Access Control (NAC): Enforces granular access controls based on user identity, device health, and other factors.
• Zero-Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Refers to the technology that makes implementing a zero trust security model possible. It does so by providing secure access to applications and data per user or per device basis.
• Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs): Advanced versions of traditional firewalls that establish perimeters at various levels (traditional, application-specific, or cloud).

Both have their merits, so whether one will suit you depends on your network’s complexity, security needs, and resource availability.

Micro-segmentation certainly delivers a higher level of security and control, but it can also be more of a pain in the behind in terms of implementation and management.

Continuous Monitoring and Risk Management

For everything and everyone to be verified and authenticated, you must have visibility.

• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): Obtains and analyzes security-related data from various sources within the network. They correlate events, detect anomalies, and provide real-time alerts for potential threats.
• Network Detection and Response (NDR): Analyzes network traffic via machine learning and behavioral analytics to expose patterns or behaviors that stray from the usual, generally associated with malware, targeted attacks, and insider abuse.
• Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (IDPS): Monitors a network for malicious activities, with the added bonus of remediation. It uses various techniques to identify threats, which allows it to uncover threats that might otherwise go unnoticed and respond swiftly.
• Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB): Provides visibility and control over all cloud applications and services, especially for the so-called “shadow IT” systems and processes that are not officially sanctioned and as such, may introduce unknown security risks.

As you can see, there is no shortage of solutions you can implement.

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)

I probably could’ve put EDR in the bulleted list above, but I feel it warrants a bit more focus for two reasons.

First is the sheer amount of endpoints, thanks to a growing mobile workforce and the acceptance of the ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) policy. Second, and more important, is that EDR is designed to monitor, detect, and respond to threats that have already found their way into the system.

It scans the endpoint and if it spots something suspicious, it takes immediate action to neutralize the threat. Hence, you’ll want to implement an EDR platform that has advanced AI/ML-based threat detection capabilities, behavioral analysis, and hassle-free integration with the rest of the zero trust stack such as IAM and SIEM tools.

Some liken EDR to a multifaceted antivirus since it protects both the device in question and the broader network, which is why you’ll likely see Next-Generation Antivirus (NGAV) deployed alongside it to prevent attacks before they can execute on a system.

Despite all the advantages, zero trust comes with a few bumps on the road that call for careful preparation on your part.

Complexity of Implementation

There’s a case to be made that one of the fundamentals of great security is simplicity. Yet, zero trust is oftentimes anything but simple in its application, though a fair share of the blame lies in how traditional security models function (legacy systems too).

They have this nasty habit of not playing nice with newcomers, so configuring ZT policies may take a lot of time and require specialized expertise.

Plus, it’s not like zero trust in itself is inherently a walk in the park. You only have to take a look at NIST 800-207, the golden standard for zero trust, to see how complex it can get even with the best of intentions.

A one-size-fits-all approach simply won’t cut it — you’ll have to be careful and patient to make the transition without disrupting operations.

Cost and Resource Intensive

All good things come at a cost, and ZT architecture comes at a hefty one.

The initial expenses in hardware and software alone will give pause to more budget-conscious decision-makers, with numerous network devices and licenses for all sorts of security programs that need to go in the shopping cart.

Then, there’s the matter of paying security consultants for successful implementation and training employees on the use of new tools. Let’s not forget that you have to maintain this newly installed infrastructure, and possibly even employ staff to handle the task.

There’s no denying the long-term benefits of zero trust, but the sizable investment may be a tough pill to swallow for some.

Managing Legacy Systems

Integrating a mix of old and new systems into a zero trust framework can be rather tricky. Different systems, like legacy on-premises servers, private clouds, and public clouds often don’t work well together.

Details aside, I’ll just say they have different security mechanisms, ways of communicating, and underlying tech powering them.

This particularly holds true for older systems that might need a fair share of upgrades or modifications to fit into a zero trust model. They can require extra effort and resources to ensure compatibility, which many businesses are in short supply of or don’t have.

Resistance to Change

Our brains are hardwired to dislike change since it often brings uncertainty about how it will affect our routines.

An extra step or two to secure a workflow isn’t the end of the world, but it’s also not quite productivity-friendly. What’s more, this change affects the C-suite as much as it affects the general staff since everyone needs to buy into it.

Try explaining to the IT department that moving away from their bulky and intertwined traditional security solutions isn’t intrusive or potentially catastrophic if gaps develop during the process. Not easy, right?

If you’re not dissuaded by the price tag and probable integration challenges, here’s how you get the most out of your zero trust setup.

Start With a Risk Assessment

The foundation on which you’ll build your ZT structure is a thorough understanding of your assets and their importance. Your objective is to identify your critical access points (systems and apps that require user authentication), along with data that is essential for day-to-day operations.

Then, take a look at your current state of readiness and how well you can defend against online dangers. Rank risks based on their potential impact and likelihood of occurrence.

It’s smart to also perform a vulnerability assessment on a network and endpoint level. This will help you visualize the chinks in your armor that malicious actors may exploit.

Implement Gradually

Once you’ve determined assets based on how sensitive and critical they are, begin with the high-risk ones. Addressing these first allows you to lower the risk of significant data breaches and operational delays. Then, create a road map and slowly expand to other areas.

The rollout’s speed matters because if you take it step by step, you can boost morale and demonstrate what zero trust brings to the table (remember the organizational buy-in?), ultimately building momentum.

Not to mention that a phased approach allows you to fine-tune your effort and improve over time as you get the hang of it.

Employee Training and Awareness

For most employees, zero trust will require both a mindset and cultural shift where no one or nothing is inherently trustworthy.

They are at the frontline of defense, so teaching them how to stay safe can significantly strengthen your company’s security posture. However, education is only one side of the coin — you should also factor in the user experience.

Take settling on the MFA method of choice as an example. These can be questions that only the user knows the answer to, some type of hardware like security keys or mobile devices, or biometric factors.

As much as it is important to explain the nuances, it’s also important to keep in mind what employees are and aren’t comfortable with. After all, their satisfaction will play a major role in successful implementation.

Test and Monitor Continuously

The cyber landscape keeps growing (as will your business), so you will need to constantly evaluate your zero trust policies to remain effective.

Part of your mission is to keep up with new fraudulent techniques too, which is where continuous monitoring will pay dividends to not only recognize new threats but also adjust security policies accordingly.

Insider online threats are becoming just as big of a problem as those originating from outside the network.

And since we’re clearly not giving up on SaaS and all that jazz any time soon, zero trust becomes all the more imperative.

It’s a practical solution to a persistent problem, and it’s arguably the best we have at the moment.