In recent years, Zero Trust has become a buzzword for businesses. This often includes on-premises and cloud applications, a hybrid workforce, and a growing set of identities. Time to dispel some myths.
It is this new world, in which IT environments and users are increasingly distributed, that is driving the adoption of Zero Trust. Instead of the “castle and moat” approach, where devices are trusted within the network, the model is based on the idea that users and devices should never be trusted by default. However, there are still some misunderstandings surrounding Zero Trust.
Done right, it can reduce the attack surface and help protect data and applications as organizations pursue their cloud plans. However, even as the Zero Trust idea becomes more widespread, there are still a number of technical and business barriers to implementation. Perhaps the most problematic are a lack of knowledge and resistance to change.
Zero Trust lacks knowledge and experience
According to a study released in June by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), about 80 percent of executives consider zero trust a "medium" or "high" priority in their organization. When asked about the top barriers to zero trust adoption, 37 percent of respondents cited a lack of knowledge and experience. Twenty-three percent cited resistance to change, 23 percent a lack of internal alignment, and 29 percent a lack of a formal strategy. Other responses included the need for additional staffing (21 percent) and the lack of a senior-level sponsor (31 percent).
An important part of adopting Zero Trust is communicating what Zero Trust is, what it requires, and how it can impact your business and IT processes. According to Absolute Software, to separate the marketing hype from reality, companies need to dispel at least four common myths and misconceptions surrounding Zero Trust.
Myth 1: Zero trust is only for large companies
It is an unfortunate fact that cyber attackers often target small businesses. As SMBs also embrace technologies such as the cloud and the Internet of Things, enforcing Zero Trust allows them to implement strict access controls that can protect their environment. The notion that Zero Trust is only for large organizations is often accompanied by the notion that Zero Trust is expensive to implement.
However, Zero Trust is not necessarily about buying a new line of products. It's an approach that doesn't have to be expensive to implement. Organizations should first determine the business goals they want to achieve, how Zero Trust can help them achieve them, and what they need to do from a technology and policy perspective to begin their journey.
Myth 2: Zero Trust is too complicated to implement
Building on the above point, there is a myth that implementing Zero Trust can be overly complicated or overwhelming. The implementation of Zero Trust requires the cooperation of several stakeholders, e.g. B. the security and network teams, but is not impossible. There is no one-size-fits-all path to Zero Trust. Organizations can begin to tackle implementation challenges piece by piece. By understanding their needs and their environment, they can create a roadmap that makes sense for what they are trying to achieve.
Myth 3: Zero Trust is only about protecting network connections
There is a tendency to think of zero trust only in terms of network connections and forget about endpoint security. With enterprise mobility and the bring-your-own-device trend, it is not uncommon for endpoints to be managed by the enterprise. The result is an expanded attack surface caused by endpoints that may not be compliant with corporate configuration and patching policies. To fully enable Zero Trust, organizations must integrate network and endpoint security and gain visibility into device security posture and activity. Zero trust should extend to the entire IT infrastructure for the approach to reach its full potential.
Myth 4: Zero Trust hurts user productivity
When used effectively, Zero Trust should not negatively impact the user experience. For example, by using behavioral analytics, authentication decisions based on risk can be automated and made more secure without making life more difficult for legitimate users. When Zero Trust is implemented, organizations can quickly revoke or grant access, which can actually reduce friction for users. This allows organizations to quickly respond to threats while allowing authorized users seamless access.
Make Zero Trust a reality
It's wise to think of Zero Trust as a journey. It's an approach that spans from the data center to cloud workloads, and as the IT environment changes, so must the implementation in an organization. Business and IT leaders must obtain approval from their security team and senior management before investing in the technical components required for implementation. Everyone involved in this process must be clear about what they want to achieve technically and what their business purpose is. By abandoning misconceptions and preconceived notions, organizations can make strides in implementing a Zero Trust architecture that meets their needs.
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About Absolute Software Absolute Software accelerates its customers' transition to remote working with the industry's first self-healing Zero Trust platform that ensures maximum security and uncompromised productivity. Absolute is the only solution embedded in more than half a billion devices providing an always-on digital connection.