Zero trust network access is an IT security model that requires strict identity verification for every person and device trying to access resources on a private network, regardless of whether they are sitting within or outside of the network perimeter. In order to achieve this there is no single specific technology is associated with zero trust; it is a holistic approach to network security that incorporates several different principles and technologies.
Steps for successful implementation
- User Trust – Can you verify your users are who they say they are? Are you using a scalable, frictionless multi-factor authentication (MFA) solution?
- Device Visibility – Do you have detailed insight into every type of device accessing your applications, across every platform?
- Device Trust – Can you check the security posture and trust of all user devices accessing your applications? Can you securely support all devices and BYOD (bring your own device) – both corporate and personally owned devices?
- Adaptive Policies – Can you enforce granular, contextual policies based on user, device and location to protect access to specific applications?
- Access to All Apps – Can you give your users a secure and consistent login experience to both on-premises and cloud applications?
Technology use cases
Outbound secure Internet Access
Access the internet applications and web sites securely by applying multiple control against rules, Access control, threat protection, URL or application filtering. Palo Alto and Fortigate UTM/NGFW will be the best fit for outbound internet access. ZSCALER outbound firewall do the same from the cloud.
Inbound Access (VPN replacement)
- Offering the best security for their internet facing applications.
- Making sure that they can drive down the costs of their digital applications.
- Creating a high-performance experience for their user’s digital identity.
The way that Zero Trust architecture fits in with their three core principles is that the Zero Trust architecture model is very cost-effective for their functionality when compared to traditional network security models. Furthermore, having a Software Defined Perimeter system is one of the most effective ways to keep your cloud applications secure, because they will keep your application invisible from the internet, reducing the risk of external attacks. Coupled with the internal security provided by an SDP, you can easily see how using a Zero Trust model is one of the best ways to protect your cloud-based applications. ZSCALER private Access is an example for such type of deployment.
Best practices
Some best practices for introducing zero trust security to an organization include:
- Keep network security policies updated, review them for vulnerabilities and test their effectiveness periodically.
- Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users without exception.
- Validate all devices that try to log into the network and only allow access to those that meet security standards.
- Rely on network segmentation, micro-segmentation and perimeter segmentation to secure individual aspects of the network.
- Maintain as much visibility as possible throughout the organization to avoid abuse of access that could lead to a data breach.
- Review the list of user accesses and administrators frequently.
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