Zero-trust networking is based on a security model that establishes trust through continuous authentication and monitoring of each network access attempt. It's different from the traditional model of assuming everything in a corporate network can be trusted.
A zero-trust network is one in which no user, device, or application is given the automatic right to access the network or sensitive data without first being authenticated. Data and resources are protected by adding controls, such as monitoring and logging, to limit access to only what is needed. For example, only authorized applications can access authorized data. No application can access anything else on the network.
Zero trust can help organizations increase their security and compliance posture against external threats by:
- Providing a comprehensive view of what's happening on the network, in real-time across all data flows
- Reducing the reliance on AV and anti-malware software
- Enabling an understanding of what is normal vs. malicious traffic and alerting to anomalies
- Highlighting connections that convey a potential for an attack
Zero-trust networking also helps organizations with internal threats such as insider threats and employee compliance. Zero trust can help organizations detect attacks, data loss, and insider threats. This can help organizations comply with regulations such as the GDPR.
Adversarial models such as insider threats: By monitoring parameters such as rate and volume of data flows and abnormal behavior patterns, an organization can identify when an insider threat is starting to take place.
Providing a mechanism to allow IT to separate critical assets from the rest of the network and provide better protection for those assets.
Zero Trust is about strengthening your defenses against an attack by reducing risk and making it more expensive to successfully attack your network. This is accomplished by implementing security controls that allow you to monitor and at the same time manage data access, which better protects your organization.
