In today’s digital environment, where cyber threats are constantly evolving and becoming increasingly sophisticated, IT security is no longer essential for businesses.
In response to these challenges, the concept of Zero Trust (ZT) is becoming increasingly prominent and irreplaceable. Zero Trust represents a revolutionary approach to IT infrastructure security that departs from traditional notions of perimeter-based security and comes with a radical notion: trust no one, not even within the organization.
The main pillars of the Zero Trust concept
- Distrust of implicit security assumptions: The traditional approach to security has relied on implicit trust in internal network zones and devices. In contrast, the Zero Trust concept requires that all communications and accesses be authenticated, regardless of whether they come from an internal or external source. All access requests must be authenticated, authorised and evaluated based on a wide range of factors such as identity, context and device state.
- Network microsegmentation: The Zero Trust strategy supports network microsegmentation, which means that the network is divided into smaller segments and each segment has its own rules for access and control. This minimizes the allowed movement in the network and increases control over communication between segments.
- The principle of least privilege: Zero Trust emphasizes the principle of least privilege, which means that users and devices have only the necessary permissions to perform their functions. This reduces the risk of potential misuse if the identity of the device is leaked or compromised.
- Continuous monitoring and evaluation: Zero Trust requires continuous monitoring and evaluation of the status of users, devices and network traffic. Dynamic behavioural analysis enables rapid identification and response to potential threats.
Why is Zero Trust necessary?
- Increased complexity of cyber threats: with the increasing sophistication of cyber attacks, the traditional perimeter-based security model is insufficient. The Zero Trust approach involves a higher level of control and protection, which is necessary to minimize risk and respond to new types of attacks.
- Mobility and Cloud computing: with the growing trend towards mobility and the move to cloud services, traditional perimeter-based security is becoming obsolete. Zero Trust allows secure access to data and applications from anywhere, under any circumstances.
- Misuse of insider threats: insider threats such as data leaks, intentional or unintentional, are often neglected by traditional security approaches. The Zero Trust approach minimizes the potential impact of insider threats by not trusting even legitimate users and devices.
- Regulatory requirements: Increasingly stringent regulatory requirements, such as GDPR or NIS2, require companies to provide greater protection for personal data and sensitive information. The Zero Trust concept provides a robust security framework to help organizations comply with these requirements.
In conclusion, Zero Trust is not just a trendy buzzword, but a necessary step towards the future of IT security. Organizations that move to this innovative security model gain greater control over their IT infrastructure and reduce the risk of cyber-attacks. To stay competitive and protect sensitive data, Zero Trust is an essential element of the security strategy for modern security for companies of all sizes.
Author Roman Přikryl
