Zero Trust Network Security Model Explained!
Plagued with numerous cyberattacks fired one after another since last year, IT professionals all around the world have been forced to pull all-nighters to safeguard their companies most sensitively guarded assets.
These overwhelming onslaughts of attacks especially on USA private as well as public establishments have been rumored to be coming from China’s hackers, according to a US-based report.
The significance of cybersecurity has never been more highlighted since remote working started making rounds at a large scale during the pandemic lockdown period.
Termed as the most underrated field of IT, cybersecurity started climbing ranks a few years ago and remote working acted as the much-needed trigger to blow up its relevance to its peak levels.
In one of Gartner’s most recent reports on remote working and cybersecurity, around 82% of enterprises have expressed their willingness for the flexible style of working even after the pandemic is closing its influence and wants to permit remote working for some more time and some specific designations.
With the renewal of normal workspace coming into focus clearer in a few months and as companies intend to assimilate remote work into their long-term plans, security has become a top priority to be kept in consideration.
After having encountered the hellish lockdown period that forced the organizations to lag in their supply chain offerings, the bulk of companies are beginning to realize that their traditional approaches to security have to be replaced to support the cloud-native, remote workforce.
This is where the entry of Zero Trust Network Security hit the nail right on the head.
To familiarize everyone about Zero Trust Network Security as well as what its model entails, let’s recap a few things about the history of this zero-trust model, to get more insight.
Anecdotes on Zero Trust Network Security
The Zero Trust Network Security or better known as Zero Trust Architecture Model, originated in 2010 by John Kindervag, a principal analyst working at Forrester Research Inc, at that time.
Though introduced a decade ago, the model didn’t gain popularity until Google successfully developed as well as implemented their version of Zero Trust Network Security under the name, Beyond Corp, almost six years later.
Later on, many big techs are now realizing the long-term potential of this untapped architecture model and have started to implement Zero Trust Network Security Model in their network.
Let’s move on to get to know the Zero Trust Network Security model in more detail and what it means to implement one.
Unraveling Zero Trust Network Security
Zero Trust Network Security refers to a core security concept that enterprises should not automatically trust anyone or anything whether it is inside or outside its perimeters and instead must ensure to verify anything and everything that is trying to connect to the organization’s systems before granting them valid access.
It all boils down to the simple concept of zero trust = assuming everything and anyone to be hostile.
Though obvious, the notion to trust no one is a very antithetical belief in terms of the corporate network security model.
The core ideology of Zero Trust Network Security comes from the belief that vulnerabilities in one’s system and network get highlighted when companies become too trusting of individuals or devices.
According to the Zero Trust model, no user even after it is allowed onto the network, should be fully trusted by default to be allowed full access to the system network because they could be compromised.
The main weapons of this cybersecurity model hang on two core parts i.e., Identity and device authentication serve as the most basic requirements throughout the network instead of using them only at the perimeter.
How Zero Trust Network Security Works?
Zero Trust Network Security architecture requires continuous monitoring and validations from an organization to ensure that a user and their connected device possess the right privileges and attributes.
Enforcement of Zero Trust Network Security and its policies rely heavily on real-time visibility of the organization’s 100’s of user and their respective application identity attribute like,
- User identity and credential types
- Number and privileges attributed to each device and their credentials
- Geo location
- Firmware Versions
- Authentication Protocol and risk
- Normal connections for the credential and device
- Endpoint hardware type and function
- Operating system versions and patch levels
- Applications installed on an endpoint
- Security detections comprised of suspicious activity and attack recognition
Perks of Zero Trust Model
Though we have talked at length about the core need of applying Zero Trust Network Security as the necessity of these current times, some of the most basic benefits this model allows include,
- Reduces business and organizational risks
- Helps in eliminating data breach risks
- Provides access control over cloud and container environments
- Supports compliance initiatives
Conclusion
Since nothing in this world is absolute and no security is perfect, data breaches can never be eliminated.
Regardless, Zero Trust Network Security enables a significant reduction in attack surface and also limits the impact and severity of any possible cyberattack.
Therefore allowing professionals enough time to combat these cyberattacks and in turn, also reduces the time and cost of responding and cleaning up any impending data breach.
