There are five core principles of Zero Trust security, and by implementing them, organizations can help reduce the risk of compromise and protect their sensitive data.
Identity: To ensure properly controlled privileged data access, organizations should employ risk-based access by taking a holistic view of users and gaining a deep understanding of their responsibilities and authorities, as well as having the ability to verify users’ identities when they attempt to access data. They should also implement strong authentication practices and consolidate authentication means into as few identity authentication systems as possible.
Devices: A Zero Trust security strategy includes treating all effective ukraine mobile numbers list devices connected to the network as untrusted and a potential threat. Implementing Zero Trust security requires the ability to determine whether a device is a threat and isolate those that are compromised.
Networks: A Zero Trust network is micro-segmented, where perimeters are defined around each of the organization’s valuable assets. At these boundaries, security inspections can be performed and access controls enforced, making it easier to block lateral movement of threats across the network and contain and isolate a potential breach.
Applications and workloads: Organizations should treat all applications as if they were connected to the Internet, routinely subject them to rigorous testing, and accept external vulnerability reports.
Data: Implementing zero trust requires identifying caches of sensitive or valuable data, mapping common data failures, and defining access requirements based on business needs. These policies must also be defined and applied consistently across an organization’s computing ecosystem, including workstations, mobile devices, application and database servers, and cloud deployments.
Stages of implementing the Zero Trust maturity model
Implementing zero trust can be a complex and challenging process, but it is an important step in protecting your organization from cyberattacks. The stages can vary depending on an organization’s specific needs and requirements, but here are some general steps that most organizations should follow:
Step 1: Assess current security posture
Stage 1 involves identifying the organization’s assets, understanding current security controls, and assessing the risk of cyberattacks. The assessment should also identify the organization’s goals for implementing Zero Trust.
Stage 2: Develop a Zero Trust Maturity Strategy
Stage 2 involves defining the organization's security objectives, identifying the security controls necessary to achieve those objectives, and developing a plan to implement these controls. The strategy should include a timeline for implementing Zero Trust and a plan for monitoring and maintaining the Zero Trust environment.
Step 3: Implement Zero Trust Controls
Stage 3 involved implementing the necessary technology, configuring security controls, and training users on the new security policies. The implementation process should be done gradually so that the organization can test and validate the new security controls before rolling them out to all users.
Step 4: Monitor and maintain the Zero Trust environment