Everything you need to know
Beyond Security
Zero trust is a cybersecurity strategy wherein security policy is applied based on context established through least-privileged access controls and strict user authentication, so each user is granted just enough access to complete their tasks. A well-tuned zero trust architecture leads to simpler network infrastructure, a better user experience, and improved cyberthreat defense.
Zero Trust Security, based on John Kindervag's principle of "never trust, always verify," grants users only the necessary access to complete their tasks. It relies on context like user role, location, device, and requested data to enforce strict access policies, preventing unauthorized access and lateral movement. Establishing a zero trust architecture requires visibility and control over users and encrypted traffic, continuous monitoring and verification of internal traffic, and strong multifactor authentication like biometrics or one-time codes.
Critically, in a zero trust architecture, a resource's network location isn't the biggest factor in its security posture anymore. Instead of rigid network segmentation, your data, workflows, services, and such are protected by micro-segmentation, enabling you to keep them secure anywhere, whether in your data center or in distributed hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
According to Garner, more than 60% of organizations will embrace zero-trust principles as a starting place for security by 2025.
Historically, organizations have relied on the perimeter defense model, creating a digital "fortress" around their network resources. Within this fortress, everything was considered safe, while everything outside was deemed a threat.
VPNs played a crucial role in this model by extending the perimeter to remote users, but there are several limitations. Learn more by downloading the ZTNA vs VPN guide.
Zero Trust Architecture Explained
As a core concept, zero trust assumes every component or connection is hostile by default, departing from earlier models based on secure network perimeters. This lack of trust is technologically defined by:
The underlying architecture
Zero Trust models used approved IP addresses, ports, granular access controls and remote access VPN for trust validation.
No implicit trust
This considers all traffic as potentially hostile, even that within the network perimeter. Traffic is blocked until validated by specific attributes such as a fingerprint or identity.
Context-aware policies
This stronger security approach remains with the workload regardless of where it communicates—be it a public cloud, hybrid environment, container, or an on-premises network architecture.
Multifactor authentication
Integrate multiple factors like user credentials, unique identity characteristics, familiar devices, and safe geographic locations to provide a comprehensive security layer.
Security for all environments
Protection applies regardless of communication environment, promoting secure cross-network communications without need for architectural changes or policy updates.
Surface area reduction
The number of unnecessary resource access granted to users is directly correlated to the size of the attack surface and the opportunity for lateral movements.
Future Proof Security
What is Zero Trust Network Access?
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) addresses your visibility and risk management challenges head-on by abandoning the outdated trust assumptions of legacy solutions. ZTNA operates on the principle that trust must never be implicit and that verification is required from anyone and anything trying to access resources in your network. This approach fundamentally changes how you manage visibility and risk.
Granular Visibility and Control
ZTNA provides you with detailed insights into who is accessing what resources, from where, and under what conditions. This granular level of visibility ensures that any unauthorized or suspicious activities can be detected and mitigated promptly.
Seamless Management Across Environments
ZTNA solutions are designed to function across your diverse and complex IT ecosystems, offering visibility and control whether resources are hosted on-premises or in the cloud.
Proactive Risk Management
By continuously monitoring network activities, paired with least privilege access, ZTNA enables you to proactively identify and prevent security risks before they escalate into breaches.
See how organizations leverage ZTNA
Zero Trust Architecture Explained
When designing a zero trust architecture, your security and IT teams should first focus on answering two questions:
What are you trying to protect?
From whom are you trying to protect it?
This strategy will inform the way you design your architecture. Following that, the most effective approach is to layer technologies and processes on top of your strategy, not the other way around.
In its zero trust network access (ZTNA) framework, Gartner recommends leveraging zero trust delivered as a service. You can also take a phased approach, starting with either your most critical assets or a test case of non-critical assets, before implementing zero trust more broadly. Whatever your starting point, an optimal zero trust solution will offer you immediate returns in risk reduction and security control.
Zero Trust Implementation
Everyone wants to know what product to buy to implement Zero Trust best suited to each organization. The truth is that you won't know the answer to that until you've gone through the process.
1
Define the Protect Surface
Every Zero Trust environment is tailor-made for each protect surface. Until you know what you need to protect and how it works, you wont know the most effective solution. So first Identify what critical data, assets, applications, and services you need to protect.
2
Map the Transaction Flows
Understand how data moves within your organization to design appropriate access policies. There is never a time that any resource on your internal network should go outbound to an unknown server on the internet.
3
Architect Your Zero Trust Network
What protections do you have so far? Assess or reassess your existing solutions within the context of a Zero Trust environment. Implement the necessary technology solutions, such as identity and access management (IAM), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and micro-segmentation tools.
See how easy Zero Trust can be by trying our free Starter plan for individuals. Or contact us to learn how Twingate ZTNA solutions can work for your team.
4
Create a Zero Trust Policy
Think about the who, what, where, when and why. Define policies based on user roles, data classification, and context. Only ensure that users have the least privilege access necessary to complete their tasks.
5
Monitor and Maintain
Continuously monitor network activity and adjust policies as needed to address emerging threats and changing business needs. Every security stack should be future proof and a system should be in place to for Continuous Threat Management (CTEM).
