Taking the leap: How to make the shift to Zero Trust

Zero Trust security is seen as the pinnacle of cybersecurity best practices, and we’ve seen countless enterprises and smaller businesses make the shift to Zero Trust in recent years. It works on the principle that all users could be malicious or unauthorized, even if they’ve passed previous security checks. 

However, implementing a Zero Trust security model can be a rather tricky, time-consuming process. In most cases, it will involve a complete overhaul of your networks and security practices. 

In this guide, we take a closer look at what’s involved with shifting to a Zero Trust model, touching on best practices, and investigating some complications you might encounter.

Step 1: Understand what a Zero Trust system looks like

On the simplest level, a Zero Trust system enables you to set clear user controls across the board. Users must be authenticated and authorized to access the data they need. At the same time, all sessions are constantly validated. If the validation fails at any point, the user will lose access immediately. 

One of the best features of Zero Trust security models is that they can be used on any type of network. This includes hybrid cloud environments, local networks, and full cloud networks.

Step 2: Create a Zero Trust team to drive your shift

If your business is large enough, creating a dedicated Zero Trust team to drive your shift to a Zero Trust security model can make the process a little less tricky. This team will ultimately be responsible for developing your Zero Trust model and putting it to use. 

Smaller businesses might like to assign the task to a single IT employee or a smaller team, but the concept remains the same—they will be in charge of developing and implementing your Zero Trust model. 

Where possible, ensure your team has members with the following areas of expertise:

• User and device security
• Network and infrastructure security
• Application and data security

It’s also important to be careful when using third parties to implement your Zero Trust model. Ensure anyone you employ to help is fully vetted and can’t act maliciously. Otherwise, your model may have serious inherent flaws that can open the door for bad actors.

Step 3: Choose the right software

Using the right security software can help you streamline the implementation of your Zero Trust model. Larger organizations often need to use a mixture of third-party software solutions and custom programs, while some smaller businesses are effectively serviced by a single out-of-the-box solution. 

Companies like Perimeter 81 offer excellent Zero Trust packages that are custom designed to meet your requirements. Its SMB Zero Trust offering includes a range of security tools to ensure your network remains secure at all times. 

Full traffic encryption—With advanced encryption options, you can ensure your network remains secure. This is particularly important when working with remote workers or using hybrid cloud environments. 

Two-factor authentication—Implementing secure two-factor authentication significantly reduces the risk of hackers gaining access to your systems. This involves adding a second identity verification method alongside the standard sign-in process. For example, requiring an SMS verification code to log in to your account. 

Identity-based access rules—Using clear access rules ensures that users only have access to the parts of your network that they need. This is effective in minimizing damage if a malicious user does gain access to your system. 

Ongoing user monitoring and verification—Continuously monitoring and verifying users can help you identify bad actors rapidly, even if they do manage to gain initial access.

Step 4: Create Zero Trust policies to control your network

Once you’ve implemented your Zero Trust security system, you need to configure it. The exact way to do this will vary according to your model, but there’s one thing that’s super important and remains constant across the board—setting clear user permissions. 

This involves defining exactly what parts of your network each user or group of users has access to. Low-level employees should only be able to access what they need for their work, while higher-level staff and security admin will have wider or universal access.

Bonus: Challenges to watch out for when shifting to a Zero Trust model

As we’ve said, implementing a Zero Trust security model isn’t always an easy process. Here are a few challenges you may come up against. 

It’s not easy to implement—This is because out-of-the-box Zero Trust solutions don’t exist for larger organizations. You may get away with using a single program like Perimeter 81 if you own a smaller business, but most organizations need multiple security suites and custom controls. 

Small holes can cause big problems—It’s important that your Zero Trust system is implemented by an expert to ensure it’s watertight across the board. Even small flaws can cause huge issues, and the chances are they will be exploited by malicious third parties. 

So-called Zero Trust software often isn’t—As Zero Trust becomes more popular, software vendors are leveraging this and slapping the “Zero Trust” label on all sorts of programs. Many of these don’t offer true Zero Trust protection, so ensure you evaluate them properly before settling on any one option.

Conclusion

Zero Trust security is the pinnacle of modern cybersecurity practices, and it offers effective protection for businesses and organizations of all sizes. Implementing a Zero Trust model is an excellent idea for all business types, but it must be done properly.

To find out more about the best Zero Trust options on the market, check out our guide to the best zero trust network access (ZTNA) solutions. You might also like to learn more about securing your network with Zero Trust or read about what Zero Trust is for more detailed information.