How Is Zero Trust Different From Traditional Security?
Ah, cybersecurity! The art of keeping our digital lives safe from hackers, malware, and other cyber baddies. It’s a never-ending battle, but one that we can’t afford to lose.
Unfortunately, the traditional way of securing our digital assets is not cutting it anymore. The old-school approach of building a wall around our network and trusting anyone inside has some serious flaws.
That’s where Zero Trust security comes in. It’s like the Batman of cybersecurity, always vigilant, always verifying identities and access requests.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what Zero Trust is and how it differs from the traditional security model.
What is Zero Trust?
Zero Trust is a cybersecurity approach that assumes that no one should be trusted, even if they are already inside the network. It means that every user, device, or application must constantly prove their identity and get permission to access resources.
Zero Trust Network Access or ZTNA solutions focus on limiting access to sensitive information to only those who really need it and verify that they are who they say they are.
In other words, Zero Trust is all about verifying before trusting.
How is Zero Trust different from Traditional Security?
Traditional security models assume that everything inside the network is safe and trusted, while anything outside of it is potentially dangerous. It creates a perimeter-based approach, where the focus is on securing the network perimeter to prevent unauthorised access.
However, this model has some serious limitations. For example, once a hacker gets past the perimeter, they have free reign to move around and access sensitive information.
Zero Trust framework, on the other hand, assumes that nothing is trusted, whether it’s inside or outside of the network. It creates a data-centric approach, where the focus is on securing the data and resources themselves, not just the network perimeter.
Dangers of Traditional Security Models
- Traditional security models assume everything inside the network is safe, but this isn’t always true. Hackers can find ways to get in and cause damage.
- Once a hacker is inside the network, they can move around and access sensitive data and resources without being stopped.
- Traditional security models don’t have decent ways to control who can access what, making it harder to keep sensitive data safe.
- Traditional security models can’t handle the growing number of people, devices, and applications needing data and resources from different locations.
Examples of Zero Trust vs Traditional Security
Let’s say you’re working remotely and must access a company file server. With traditional security, you might log in with your username and password and gain access to the entire server.
But with Zero Trust security, you must prove your identity with additional factors, such as a one-time code sent to your phone or a biometric scan.
Another example is when an employee tries to access a new application. Again, with traditional security, they might automatically get access to the application if they are on the company network.
But with Zero Trust, they would need to go through an approval process to verify their identity and ensure they have a legitimate reason to access the application.
The Zero Trust architecture differs from traditional security because it focuses on data and identity verification, not just network perimeters. It assumes that nothing is trusted and constantly verifies the identity and access requests of users, devices, and applications.
Final Words
Implementing the Zero Trust framework can be challenging, but the benefits are significant, including enhanced security posture, reduced risk of data breaches, and compliance with regulations.
If you’re considering implementing Zero Trust, top solutions, such as Instasafe’s Zero Trust Network Access, are a great place to start. The solution provides secure access to applications and data, using identity verification to minimise the attack surface and limit data exposure.
With a solid foundation in technology, backed by a BIT degree, Lucas Noah has carved a niche for himself in the world of content creation and digital storytelling. Currently lending his expertise to Creative Outrank LLC and Oceana Express LLC, Lucas has become a... Read more