By Abhishek Gupta, Managing Director – India, SailPoint
Trust no one! In recent times, this timeless mantra has increasingly become the cornerstone of a robust cybersecurity framework for organisations worldwide. Indeed, there has never been a more challenging time to manage cyber risks and issues arising from a complex and ever-changing digital landscape than the present. The explosion in cloud computing, mobile, IoT, and remote working has led to the de-centralisation of IT. Increased adoption of these technologies also means that more business operations are now conducted outside the corporate network with users accessing applications and systems from diverse devices and locations.
Zero Trust models: A critical imperative for every organisation
Most organisations are underprepared to deal with these rapidly escalating risks; traditional approaches are often inadequate in addressing the security risks associated with these shifting work patterns, leading to a surge in security breaches. In fact, the State of Data Access Governance 2023 survey by SailPoint indicates that an estimated 78 percent of companies have experienced security issues due to inappropriate access provisioning. In such a scenario, how do companies maintain security guardrails and protect their intellectual property while enabling the right access to the cloud? The answer lies in a Zero Trust Security model rooted in an identity-centric approach.
Understanding Zero Trust security
A Zero Trust security model reflects a critical paradigm shift in cybersecurity, especially in cloud environments. It challenges the conventional notion of trust within network environments, prioritising identity verification and continuous authentication, and reinforcing a ‘never trust, always verify’ philosophy.
A Zero Trust framework mandates authentication, authorisation, and continuous verification for all identities, regardless of their location or network access. This is irrespective of where the user is located and whether they are inside or outside the enterprise’s network which could be local, in the cloud, or hybrid. This departure from traditional network security, which assumes trust once inside the network, strengthens security posture across on-premises, public cloud, and hybrid environments.
Zero Trust is based on the premise that security enabled everywhere is stronger when it is based on verifying identities. With Zero Trust, applications and services can securely communicate across networks and identities, and users are granted access to the data and applications they need based on business policies. A robust zero trust architecture prevents unapproved access by considering the user’s role and location, the data requested and the device in use.
Creating a relevant framework
This architecture leverages a combination of tools, including identity security, endpoint security, and dynamic cloud-based services. These components work together to protect users, data, and systems at every access point, ensuring secure communication across networks and devices.
Securing cloud resources requires more than just a web gateway. Organisations must conduct a comprehensive audit of their IT infrastructure, including data storage platforms, third-party applications, and assets to help them determine what needs protection as a critical first step. Next, they must connect the dots by mapping out the infrastructure to understand how these individual components interact with one another. It is also important to analyse how sensitive data moves within the organisation to highlight the most critical areas. This will help them create a relevant template for access to the cloud with distinct boundaries between teams and users. They must also draw up a user access management plan based on the principle of ‘least privilege’, limiting access to essential functions. Finally, organisations must conduct regular maintenance and monitoring to identify and address inefficiencies in the system and be able to automatically modify or terminate access based on changes to a user’s attributes or location.
While the benefits of Zero Trust are significant, implementing this security model may present challenges. Legacy applications may require updates, and organisations must address security gaps during implementation. Despite potential disruptions and upfront costs, the effectiveness of Zero Trust in reducing attack surfaces and mitigating cyber threats makes it a worthwhile investment.
In conclusion, a robust Zero Trust Security model, rooted in an identity-centric approach, offers a proven roadmap for modern cybersecurity. By verifying all identities through rigorous authorisation processes, organisations can secure virtual perimeters and defend against evolving cyber threats in a hybrid environment. As businesses increasingly rely on the cloud, Zero Trust serves as a vital framework in safeguarding critical systems and data.