Cloud technologies, digital transformation, and the shift to remote work have led to numerous cybersecurity challenges for businesses around the globe. The urgency to respond and defend against security threats has become more integral than ever before.
President Biden signed an executive order urging federal agencies to take necessary steps to improve security to protect crucial infrastructures to enhance cybersecurity in the nation.
Agencies and businesses are taking measures to implement zero trust security to protect data, infrastructures, and people effectively. It is integral to consult an experienced zero trust security contractor to identify threats, protect against such threats and enhance the security.
SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (SDVOSB)
Understanding Zero Trust Security
As government agencies and regulatory bodies are mandating zero trust security to improve the security framework, it is integral for individuals and businesses to understand what zero trust security is and how to improve the overall security strategy.
This framework combines multiple innovative technologies, like cloud workload, endpoint security, identity protection, system security maintenance, and risk-based multi-factor authentication.
Zero trust security contractors also consider data encryption, verification of endpoints and assets, and email security to further enhance the security system. This framework is a major change from the typical network security that used the method of ‘trust but verify.’ The system automatically trusts endpoints and users within the perimeters of the organization and puts businesses at risk.
On the other hand, the zero trust framework requires businesses to constantly validate and monitor users and devices with the right privileges and other security measures. These measures ensure that organizations continuously monitor every access request before access is granted.
Unlock the future of intelligent applications with our cutting-edge Generative AI integration services!
Ways Zero Trust Security Contractor Benefits Businesses
By implementing this framework, the zero trust security contractor ensures the businesses are protected and benefit from:
- Decreased Capital Expenditure (CapEx)
- Enable secure and easy digital transformation adaptability
- Enhanced visibility of network traffic
- Improved compliance reporting
- Increased cloud environment control
- Prevention of threats and breaches
- Streamlining Operation Expenses (OpEx)
Stages Zero Trust Security Contractors Use to Implement the Model
While every business has different needs and requirements, zero trust security contractors typically follow the basic three stages to implement the zero trust model successfully:
Stage 1: Visualization
The contractors begin by understanding the major specifications, resources, as well as access points to visualize the involved risks.
Stage 2: Mitigation
The next step is identifying and stopping threats or taking measures to mitigate the major impact of the breaches if the threat can’t be stopped immediately.
Stage 3: Optimization
Lastly, they optimize the security based on the specific situation and requirement of the business to protect each aspect of the infrastructure and resources no matter its location. They optimize user experiences for security, IT, and end-user teams.
Reasons Businesses Need Zero Trust Strategy
The biggest reason businesses must invest in the zero trust strategy is because the President’s executive order requires all agencies to meet specific zero trust security requirements by the end of the fiscal year 2024. However, there are many other reasons for implementing this strategy.
Some major ones are as follows:
Unverified Security Status of WFH Environments
Remote work has now become a standard working condition in multiple organizations globally, making the security processes and technologies within the company’s premises irrelevant.
The remote working environment increases the security risks due to possible unsecured devices and Wi-Fi networks. Businesses have to assume that the remote setup of their employees is not secure, meaning implementing zero trust security has become vital.
Usage of Third-Party PaaS and SaaS Applications
Most applications are now offered as Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) or Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Such software creates applications through the consumption of readily available services for machine learning, database, and authentication logging.
While they own the core business logic, they often don’t have complete ownership of the main components used to create their applications, indicating there could be potential security issues.
With zero trust security, contractors assume the network is compromised and implement strict security controls to enhance protection. This ensures unauthorized applications or processes can’t execute any action or access data without authentication.
Increasing Cyberattacks
Cyberattacks have been increasing each year and there isn’t any industry that hasn’t been impacted. Cybercriminals have been taken advantage of the uncertain conditions during the pandemic to steal confidential information from organizations already struggling to switch to remote work.
Zero trust security contractors are aware of the high risks and ensure businesses are protected from such attacks through this framework. They ensure the infrastructure, data, and other confidential information is secured.
Small Disadvantaged Business
Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) provides access to specialized skills and capabilities contributing to improved competitiveness and efficiency.
Wrapping Up
The zero trust security model is the future of cybersecurity as the reactive, perimeter-based traditional security model becomes the thing of the past. Governments and businesses are being proactive and implementing the zero trust security model to protect their data, employees, partners, and customers.
With cyberattacks on the rise and the normalization of remote work, now is the time to identify, protect, and mitigate such threats. Zero trust security contractors thoroughly assess the situation, visualize the risks to develop the right security solutions, and protect the overall organization, no matter where the employees are working from.
This modern security framework provides constant monitoring and network visibility to enhance trust by verifying each access request.
Further blogs within this Zero Trust Security Contractor category.