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Accelerate your journey to Zero Trust security

Adopting the Zero Trust model means ensuring secure network access by allowing for better authentication, as well as monitoring user accessibility and providing control.

Johannesburg, 05 Sep 2019

“Zero Trust is a fundamental transformation of corporate security from a failed perimeter- centric approach,” states the market research company, Forrester.

Adopting a Zero Trust model allows for better authentication, monitors user accessibility and provides control.

The basic principles of securing access to critical information have not changed, but the ecosystem in which your information resides has transformed significantly. Changes in business and IT operations have introduced unnecessary complexity and risk to modern enterprises. However, the time has come for organisations to change their approach to security or risk facing the consequences of a cyber attack or data breach.

The problem:

We are trying to solve today’s problems with yesterday’s solutions. We live in an era where users can access sensitive networks from virtually anywhere, and interconnected systems have altered the make-up of our network architectures. Digital transformation initiatives are increasing attack surfaces and diversifying how employees, customers and partners interact with a given organisation. Amid all of these paradigm shifts in IT, security has not been able to transform accordingly, until now.

The solution: 

Time to embrace the Zero Trust model; it's a model based on the idea that no user should be inherently trusted. Zero Trust is quickly being adopted by progressive security teams who understand the need to take a different approach to securing network access.

The principles of secure network access do not change; the paradigm shift is in how they are achieved: 

#1) Authenticate the identity

The outdated model of “trust, then verify” needs to end, but the secure network access principle of availability mandates that systems must be available to authorised users when they need them. The Zero Trust model, when partnered with a Software-Defined Perimeter (SDP), can successfully meet the criteria of this principle, and can do so without adding unnecessary complexity.

A Software-Defined Perimeter takes an identity-centric and programmatic approach to authenticating access requests. Legacy solutions such as virtual private networks (VPNs) and firewalls authenticate on a simple IP-address-to-Port relationship. Is this device permitted access? With VPNs, if the device, username and password are compromised, so too is the entire organisation.

Conversely, identity-centric secure access takes into account the context of the user in real time (permissions, role, time of day, location, device posture, etc). If the criteria are not met, you can deny access privileges or require additional multi-factor authentication to further verify a user’s identity before granting secure network access to sensitive data. 

#2) Enforce strict privileges

Once secure network access has been established, the principle of confidentiality must remain intact. Lateral movement within organisations’ complex networks lends itself to significant risk from external malicious actors and insider threats. Using traditional security tools to micro-segment a network introduces complexity thanks to a highly manual and disparate process, especially when dealing with a heterogenous environment.

Unifying your approach to secure network access with a Software-Defined Perimeter and a fine-grained micro-segmentation platform simplifies the way you protect data and systems by dynamically allowing one-to-one secure connections between users and authorised network resources.

#3) Maintain visibility and control

The final principle requires preserving the integrity of your data. A Software-Defined Perimeter provides comprehensive audit trails and SIEM integration. This allows you to monitor access activity in real time with tighter control over sensitive information, and take the appropriate actions to mitigate threats.

Download the Definitive Guide to a Software-Defined Perimeter to start your Zero Trust journey. 

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Cyxtera

Cyxtera Technologies combines a worldwide footprint of 50+ best-in-class data centres with a portfolio of modern, cloud- and hybrid-ready security and analytics offerings – providing more than 3,500 enterprises, government agencies and service providers an integrated, secure and cyber-resilient infrastructure platform for critical applications and systems. For more information about Cyxtera visit, http://www.cyxtera.com.

Private Protocol

Private Protocol is a data security distributor offering solutions and strategies that covers Mobile device and Data Security, Secure Data Collaboration, Secure Messaging, SharePoint/O365 Security and Compliance, AWS Security, Data Classification and Data Discovery, File Share Security and Compliance, Software Defined Perimeter – Zero Trust Security, Total Fraud Protection and Cloud Security. Private Protocol also offer Cloud Risk Assessments so companies can understand the impact cloud is having on their business and highlight any risks that may be associated. Private Protocol have a distributed partner channel covering Africa and Indian Ocean Islands

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