Overview
Cloud breaches skyrocketed by 75% from 2023 to 2024. As more companies shift to the cloud and adopt remote work, they need fresh strategies to tackle threats without sacrificing connectivity and productivity. That’s where Zero Trust security comes into play. Zero Trust security works on the idea that no one inside or outside the network is automatically trusted. Traditional security methods have relied on the assumption that everything within an organisation’s network is safe, but it is recognised that it is no longer enough. The model with a Zero Trust security framework verifies every request to access the network. This model shifts from a perimeter defense focus to an identity-centric approach, wherein each and every access request coming from any user, device, or system is perceived as a threat, irrespective of where it originates. In this blog, we’ll break down what a Zero Trust security framework is, highlight its advantages, and provide tips for implementing Zero Trust security in your organisation.
What is zero trust security?
Zero trust security is about keeping your assets safe by constantly checking who is accessing them. It depends on the frequent authentication and authorisation of users while watching out for any signs of a breach. By segmenting data, it limits what users can access without having to reauthenticate. This approach assumes that threats can already be inside the network, so security measures are layered in rather than just at edges, moving away from the old “castle and moat” idea. Also known as zero trust architecture or perimeterless security, it does not trust anybody whether they’re inside the network or outside. It requires continuous verification; access is then granted based on the context of the request, the level of the user who’s requesting to access the application, and how sensitive the information is. It is effective for organisations which are so dependent on cloud application and have several remote workers and locations.
The importance of firewalls in traditional security models
Firewalls have been a part of network security for a long time. They act as a robust boundary between trusted internal networks and potentially harmful external ones. They set up security protocols to manage traffic, which in turn makes them the gatekeepers of the network’s boundaries. However, if this boundary was breached, firewalls typically allowed unrestricted access within the network, which could lead to vulnerabilities in the overall security setup.
Why are firewalls struggling?
With the advent of Zero Trust Network Access, the secure perimeter has been a thing of the past. ZTNA works on the premise of ‘never trust, always verify’ that seriously challenges the conventional security model, which was traditionally based on the firewall. Firewalls fail miserably in a zero-trust framework since they do not provide continuous authentication and validation of users and devices, an essential aspect to fight modern cyber threats. Further, firewalls find it more challenging to preserve security in these hybrid cloud environments that have become the backbone of today’s digital infrastructure.
Benefits of Zero trust security
1. Less attack surface
In a zero-trust scenario, the concept of least privilege makes one end up having an attenuated attack surface. This is because it mistrusts everyone and everything while granting users and devices access just enough to help them execute their jobs at the workplace. This decreases the risk that may likely spill from such a breach into an incident. Imagine this as a boutique where clients may check out just one product at a time and not walk around freely all while watching them closely, this is the whole idea of least privilege. Absolutely, every asset could be an attack target; however, access is strongly controlled.
2. It lessens the impact of an attack
By splitting up the network into pieces, it stops the attacker from going any further than where the segments are broken. So, when a breach occurs, the damage is only limited to several assets that have been attacked. Moreover, it means that access rules on the most valuable data and systems would be tighter, hoping that the attacker gets something relatively insignificant rather than the customer database.
3. Faster and cheaper recovery
A zero-trust setup means fewer attacks that are easier to manage, saving you time and money on cleanup. With lateral movement restricted, attackers can’t use lower-level access to dig deeper into your network. Zero trust works well with DLP tools to keep sensitive information from being stolen. It also cuts down on the expensive process of notifying people about breaches.
4. Access controls smartly
Only in a zero-trust model, users and devices allowed based on a policy can attempt to get into something. This greatly reduces the entry point, and if someone with not-so-great intentions happens to enter through stolen credentials or an insecure device, it gets much more manageable to keep a control over those and reduces risk in case an attacker gets hold of legitimate credentials or credentials of some weak device.
5. Boost compliance
Many compliance regulations, such as GDPR and HIPAA, emphasise the importance of having robust access control systems. Because zero trust is based on the principle of least privilege, where users are granted only the permissions they require to perform their work, it aligns well with compliance requirements to limit access to sensitive information.
6. Enhance visibility and monitoring
Zero trust eliminates the concept of trusting blindly anyone or anything inside the network’s boundaries. Every request for access, regardless of where it originates, must be validated constantly. You really increase visibility by tracking these interactions.
Core principles of Zero trust
1. Understand your architecture, including the users, devices, services, and data
In terms of building a sound security architecture, you should know what assets you have. Most organisations take the time to document and evaluate the users, devices, services, and data that they need to safeguard. If you are starting from scratch with a zero-security approach, figuring out what you have won’t just be a tech task; it’ll involve digging into project documents, procurement records, and chatting with your coworkers. Often, different departments have set up their own systems without a unified approach.
2. Get to know your user, service, and device identities
It can refer to a person, an application, or a device, and it’s necessary to identify all of them in order to decide who gets access to what. As more businesses are moving to the cloud, the traditional network perimeter is fading, and identity is becoming the new boundary. Identity platforms help manage user identities, their attributes, and access rights. While your repository is a main go-to for an identity platform, most companies use several identity management systems. As you build the zero-trust architecture, you should find out and then manage all of those systems.
3. Monitor user behavior and service and device health
It is always good practice to monitor the “health signals” that the users and devices send to you. These health signals consist of behavioural and system indicators. This will enable the policy engine to determine the level of trustworthiness and cyber hygiene, thereby making decisions regarding access. For example, if a laptop tries to log in from a location that seems off, this might raise some red flags.
4. Implement policies to approve the request
One of the great things about a zero-trust setup is that you can build access policies, which your policy engine will enforce. When making policy decisions, it’s essential to consider all those health signals we spoke about earlier – historical as well as real-time connection data – so that you know the requester is valid and that their device is clean. High-stakes activities like creating a new admin user or downloading customer data should be supported by strict policy standards, not so lower-stakes activities, such as checking a work schedule. When you choose technologies to support your zero-trust framework, consider how vendors are gathering these signals and what is used in their access controls. They must at least look at the user role, the geographical location, means of authenticating, the device’s health, the time, the importance of service access requested, and the danger surrounding the action required.
5. Authentication and authorization everywhere
Assuming the network is a hostile environment, and perhaps an attacker has infiltrated it, proper authentication methods must be ensured and application design that takes into consideration the ability of its services to accept access decisions from the policy engine. Strong authentication will likely have acceptance throughout the organisation if it does not inhibit usability. Requesting additional authentication factors only when the requests are more impactful, such as accessing sensitive information or privileged actions, like creating new users. Consider using single sign-on, multifactor authentication, and password less methods to create a strong, consistent, and user-friendly experience across all your services.
6. Keep an eye on users, devices, and services
Ensure that monitoring software is installed on all devices, and the collected data is securely sent to a central location for analysis. Ideally, this should be done using a VPN. If you have personal or guest devices in your setup, you might want to be less trusting of them as much as the devices you can fully oversee.
7. Never trust any network, not even your own
The zero-trust approach treats every network as potentially dangerous. This means you shouldn’t automatically trust any connection between a device and the service it’s using, including your local area network. Always use secure methods like Transport Layer Security (TLS) to encrypt data when accessing services. Recommends vigilance for threats like DNS spoofing and man-in-the-middle attacks, blocking any unsolicited incoming connections, and use of encryption and encapsulation.
8. Use services designed from zero trust
In a zero-trust setup, you can’t rely on the network, so it’s crucial that services are designed to defend against possible attacks. Some older systems might require costly upgrades and could still face usability challenges. As much as possible, opt for technologies that support standards on interoperability such as OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, or SAML. Always inquire with cloud service providers for their zero trust capabilities.
Wrapping up
With rising complexity and frequency in cyber threats, Zero Trust is not an option; it’s a necessity. Through its continuous verification of users and devices, Zero Trust has limited access based on the principle of least privilege while increasing visibility in the network, thereby creating robust defence against breaches. It is ideal for organisations having a remote workforce and with a cloud-based infrastructure. The dynamic, identity-centric security approach replaces outdated perimeter-based models of security. We, at Raksha IT, understand the problematics in securing your digital space. Be it your Zero Trust journey or you’re already in it, trying to find that edge for the security posture already implemented; we are here with you.
