The Current Challenges of Adopting Zero Trust and What You Can Do About Them

In the fast-evolving world of cybersecurity, the transition to remote work, the challenges of Zero Trust adoption, and the technology that supports it have taken center stage. Join me as we explore the insights of cybersecurity professionals and uncover the realities of this transformative journey.

The Hype Surrounding Remote Work: Was It Justified?

The rapid transition to remote work during the pandemic was undeniably a pivotal moment in the business world. But was all the hype around this shift justified?

Angus Macrae, Head of Cyber Security at King’s Service Center, points out that the pandemic was “an accelerator, propelling the ongoing journey of change and digital transformation that was already well underway in most organizations.” This transformation was particularly evident in adopting public cloud services and the increasing reliance on remote work. The traditional concept of security perimeters had become increasingly illusory, and the mass migration to remote work and cloud services only highlighted this fact.

In the words of Gary Hibberd, the answer is a resounding “YES.” The move to remote work represented a significant cultural shift for many organizations, placing immense strain on both technology and personnel. Even though employees were keen on using mobile devices as a job requirement, they suddenly found themselves needing to learn how to work from home. This shift also pushed people, data, and technology further from the central locus of control, raising concerns about security and the potential risks to individuals, data, and organizations.

Overcoming the Challenges of Adopting Zero Trust

Adopting a Zero Trust security model is a bold step toward enhancing cybersecurity but comes with many challenges.

Understanding the Complexity

As Angus Macrae points out, “the challenges span cultural, organizational, financial, and technological domains.” Rushing into significant technological changes without a comprehensive understanding of digital assets, existing infrastructure, and data flow can be a grave mistake. Legacy systems and processes from different eras pose a significant hurdle, making it essential to plan implementation stages in alignment with the NIST Risk Management Framework.

However, the primary challenge is ensuring that people comprehend the essence of Zero Trust. NIST SP 800-207 defines it as a model where “an attacker is assumed to be present in the environment, treating enterprise-owned environments no differently than non-enterprise-owned ones.” This requires continuous risk analysis and protection measures to mitigate those risks.

People, Process, Technology: A Trifecta of Change

“Zero Trust touches upon three critical aspects of information security: people, process, and technology,” says Gary Hibberd. Implementing Zero Trust often involves changes in existing security infrastructure, including investments in Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions, Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) solutions, and network segmentation tools. Business processes may also affect how personnel access data and applications.

The key to overcoming these challenges lies in clarity. To do this, you must define what Zero Trust means for your organization and establish a well-defined project with senior leadership support and buy-in. This clear vision should be communicated to the workforce, accompanied by a test project that serves as a proof of concept, which can then be expanded throughout the organization.

The Need for a Thoughtful Approach

Hunter Sekara, Cybersecurity Engineer at CACI International and Adjunct Instructor at the University of Maryland, emphasizes the importance of approaching Zero Trust thoughtfully. It’s critical to understand how Zero Trust aligns with the organization’s mission and business processes. Foundational security principles, like least privilege and complete mediation, have been around for decades, and any new approach should be assessed in light of these principles.

Before committing substantial resources, organizations should address the “how, what, why, and when” questions. How does Zero Trust differ from existing security measures? What benefits does it bring to the organization? If specific security controls aren’t in place already, why not? Lastly, when does the organization reach a level of maturity suitable for proper Zero Trust implementation?

To make informed decisions, techniques such as business impact analysis, risk assessment, and gap analysis can guide organizations in understanding the necessity and timing of a Zero Trust expenditure.

Adopting a Zero Trust security model is not without its challenges, but with careful planning, clear communication, and a thoughtful approach, these hurdles can be overcome, ultimately leading to a more robust and resilient cybersecurity posture for your organization.

Technology and Key Insights for a Successful Zero Trust Journey

Implementing a Zero Trust security model requires the right technology and a mindset of guiding principles.

Leveraging Essential Technology Components

The foundation of a successful Zero Trust Architecture hinges on technology that encompasses critical components such as a policy engine, a policy administrator, and policy enforcement points. It involves redefining all data sources and computing services as resources and securing all communication, irrespective of network location. In large and complex organizations, this may necessitate multiple layers of technology for a comprehensive approach. Acquiring valid telemetry data across these layers is paramount, as it empowers the execution of precise policy decisions.

It’s important to remember, notes Angus Macrae, that “Zero Trust is not about a single product labeled as such but rather the strategic utilization of technology stacks to establish the fundamental building blocks of enhanced identity governance, micro-segmentation, and software-defined perimeters.”

Dynamic Security Processes

The process aspect of Zero Trust is equally vital. Processes must evolve to embrace a more dynamic state of operation, adhering to the principle of “never trust, always verify.” An assumption of a data breach should underscore security operations. With enterprise resources no longer confined to enterprise-owned infrastructure and network devices, each asset’s security posture must be evaluated at the time of request by a policy enforcement point.

User Behavior Anomaly Detection (UBAD)

Zero Trust demands a mindset where successful authentication is not synonymous with complete trust. As such, User Behavior Anomaly Detection (UBAD) technology has become a valuable asset in recent years, says Antonio Sanchez, Principal Evangelist at Fortra. While Multi-Factor Authentication is typically used for user access, continuous user behavior monitoring is equally crucial. Discontent employees or malicious actors can exploit authenticated access, underscoring the need for ongoing monitoring to detect anomalous behavior.

Identity and Access Management (IAM) Solutions and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Tools

Among the technologies that support Zero Trust, Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions play a pivotal role, explains Gary Hibberd. IAM enables organizations to manage and control who has access to specific resources and under what conditions. This level of control is fundamental in a Zero Trust environment, even when users are already inside the network. Additionally, Data Loss Prevention (DLP) tools are essential for preventing the unauthorized exfiltration of sensitive data.

As we conclude this exploration of the challenges, technologies, and principles shaping the Zero Trust landscape, one thing is clear: the cybersecurity journey is ongoing. With the right tools, mindset, and adaptive processes, organizations can navigate these challenges and build resilient defenses in an ever-changing digital world.

Watch this space for the second blog of this Zero Trust series, where we will explore what the future will look like for Zero Trust. In the meantime, you can download our eBook that explores the challenges and future of Zero Trust.

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this guest author article are solely those of the contributor, and do not necessarily reflect those of Tripwire.