With many people working remotely, it is important to note that remote work introduces a new level of risk to a business’ cybersecurity. This makes it all the more important that this security is locked down. Let’s discuss the concept behind zero-trust security, and why it is becoming the benchmark that organization should meet.
First, let’s define exactly what zero-trust security is, and looks like in practice.
Zero-Trust Security Appropriately Means That You Trust No One
In the past, security focused on keeping threats out of a given area. The idea was, if you managed to bypass a network’s protections, you must be trustworthy… right?
There are many reasons why this approach is no longer effective. This includes cloud computing, mobile solutions, and cyberattacks being crafted more carefully. However, the main reason we’ll be focusing on is because business networks are no longer needed in a single location. Remote work’s rise has allowed many businesses to adapt to the tumultuous times of the past few years. However, it is important that we acknowledge the plain and simple fact that it greatly expands a business network’s footprint.
In doing so, it inherently increases the surface area that could be targeted by business cybersecurity threats.
With the increased number of threats, you can’t rely on the old-fashioned ways of keeping your business secure.
Why is Zero-Trust Now So Necessary?
There are a few reasons. More connected endpoints equals more potential inroads to your business network. It is therefore crucial to verify the legitimacy of everything attempting access is important.
This only becomes more important when you also factor in the fact that a lot of attacks now resort to fooling the user, and not the security systems protecting them. This approach is called social engineering, and can be a serious problem if your team isn’t prepared to spot and handle it.
Zero Trust Practices to Bake Into Your Processes
This is the crux of reducing and eliminating many of the threats that could otherwise derail your business’ processes (or worse). By shaping your standard operating procedures around some tenets of zero trust, you can significantly reduce the risks that you face.
Here are some of the basics to get you started, but don’t forget that we can always assist you in adding more safeguards and protections to your network.
Verify, Don’t Trust
It is critical that your team members take the proper steps to confirm the legitimacy of any communications coming in, particularly if these communications present some sort of request. All such communications need to be verified through a secondary means. Training your staff members and evaluating your team’s preparedness will be crucial to accomplishing this.
Require Stringent Authentication
While it may be a slight inconvenience to you and the rest of your team, stricter authentication requirements at all levels can help to minimize the chance that your processes are infiltrated. Any and all requests for access should be checked, double-checked, and checked again by tested systems and review.
Reinforce the Importance of Zero Trust Adherence
Finally, for these measures to have any effect, it is important that your entire organization commits to them fully. Otherwise, these threats will have a far easier time making it into your operations and impacting them unduly. Remind your team members repeatedly about the processes they are expected to follow, simply to ensure they stay top of mind.
VISTECH is here to help you make the most of all of your technology, productively and securely. Give us a call at 860.251.8003 to learn more about what we can do.
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