Zero Trust Security: Reinventing Cybersecurity for Comprehensive Protection

Zero Trust Security

Zero trust is an approach to cybersecurity that defeats many common threats. It shifts the protection surface from a perimeter to microperimeters that tightly align security with application workflows.

This prevents attackers from using lateral movement to access sensitive data or services. It also reduces the risk of phishing attacks and stolen credentials.

It’s based on mutual authentication

Zero trust security is a modern approach to cybersecurity that replaces legacy models like VPNs. It promotes mutual authentication and checks the integrity of devices and users no matter where they are located. It also applies granular least-privileged access controls to ensure only the necessary services are being used by the user or device.

It also helps protect against attacks such as phishing and ransomware. Its architecture is designed to be flexible enough to support the business needs of organizations, including cloud and remote work requirements. It also aims to align with recognized standards from organizations like NIST and Forrester.

Unlike siloed systems that focus on one aspect of security, Zero Trust offers comprehensive protection for all types of environments and apps. It also helps reduce costs by integrating with existing identity, access management and security information and event management (SIEM) solutions. Netskope’s Private Access ZT solution integrates with core security functions, including inline CASB, DLP and firewall for unified visibility and protection.

It’s based on least-privilege access

The principle of least privilege states that users, applications, and systems should be granted the minimum set of permissions needed to do their jobs. This approach helps minimize the risk of compromised user accounts, malware, and insider threats. It also reduces the cost of security because fewer permissions mean less hardware/software and ongoing personnel costs. One common practice involves using a low-privilege individual enterprise ID to access corporate systems, then elevating rights just-in-time for privileged tasks. This allows administrators to perform tasks that require privileged access without risking the integrity of their public account or exposing their Alternate Admin account.

Zero trust requires a holistic, integrated, and automated platform that supports the complex challenges of today’s dynamic business environment. Netskope offers a cloud-native Zero Trust solution that includes an inline CASB, IAM, NG SWG, and DLP for comprehensive visibility and protection across hybrid environments. This unified platform simplifies network and security operations while providing unique, granular access control for any application, anytime, anywhere.

It’s based on context

Zero trust is a security framework that requires all users, whether inside or outside the network, to be authenticated and continuously validated for their security configuration and posture. It also removes the need for a traditional network edge, allowing businesses to securely support remote and hybrid work.

Its key principle is “never trust, always verify.” Instead of relying on perimeter security alone, zero trust authenticates each identity and device using dynamic policies that consider many different contextual variables, including location, device, and network conditions. This helps organizations better understand threats, detect vulnerabilities, and respond faster to mitigate attacks.

Zero trust is a great way to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive data and applications. By implementing this security model, organizations can reduce their risk of cyber attack and improve compliance with regulatory standards. It can also help them save money by eliminating redundant security tools that aren’t providing a good return on investment. The IBM Institute for Business Value explains how Zero Trust can help businesses unify their security and achieve better visibility and control of the infrastructure and assets they need to operate efficiently.

It’s based on analytics

Zero trust is a security model that focuses on data, rather than users and devices. It assumes all traffic is hostile and requires all users, devices, and networks to be authenticated and validated on an ongoing basis. This approach can reduce threats by stopping them at the edge and identifying them within an organization.

Zero Trust solutions authenticate every connection, verify identity and context, control risk using an advanced analytics engine, and enforce the least privilege principle. This helps prevent attacks that take advantage of over-privileged service accounts, which are frequently unmonitored.

Zero trust solutions also terminate every connection and use inline protection to inspect all files, including encrypted ones, in real time. This eliminates false alarms and enables teams to respond to threats faster. They can also stop attacks from lateral movement and limit the amount of damage if they occur. They can be used to protect remote work, multiple cloud environments, and hybrid IT infrastructures.

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