Zero Trust stands out as a useful and promising tool for protecting the assets of thousands of companies, as the cybersecurity landscape becomes more complex amid the constant evolution of digital threats. This complexity is mainly due to the considerable increase in weekly cyber-attacks worldwide (around 8%). As well as the unexpected use of Artificial Intelligence and USB devices by hackers.

In this sense, this concept brings a new approach for companies to deal with user and device access to corporate networks. In other words, it promotes the idea that it is necessary to “earn trust”, rather than following traditional models of presumed trust.

Sounds confusing? Let’s talk more about this concept, its importance and, above all, what we can expect from the future of cybersecurity following the precepts of Zero Trust in this blog! Just read on 🙂

What is Zero Trust?

Ransomware, phishing and injection attacks are just some of the examples of cyberattacks that exist today. Faced with so many possibilities, following the traditional security model, based on implicit trust in users and devices after accessing corporate networks, is no longer recommended. It is against this backdrop that the Zero Trust approach changes the way companies deal with certain situations. Every element, be it a user, device or system, is now considered potentially untrustworthy.

This means that constant verification of identity, authorization and authentication is constantly applied even to already authenticated users and apparently trusted devices.

Basic principles of Zero Trust

Implementing the Zero Trust concept in a company’s digital security aims to increase resilience against cyber threats. Thus minimizing the potential impact of cyber breaches.  In practice, Zero Trust is applied through 5 principles. See what they are:

1. Continuous checking:

Not just relying on initial authentication, but continuously verifying the identity and integrity of users and devices throughout the session.

1. Lesser Privilege Principle:

Grant only the minimum permissions necessary to perform a specific task.

1. Network segmentation:

Split the network into smaller segments, limiting access between them.

1. Micro-segmentation:

Apply granular security controls at the workload level, isolating applications and data.

1. Suspicion by default:

Operate under the premise that all transactions are potentially risky until they are verified.

What technologies does Zero Trust use?

At the beginning of this article, we mentioned that Artificial Intelligence has contributed to an increase in cyber attacks. But that doesn’t mean that AI can’t also be used for good. It’s always important to remember that the problem isn’t the technology we use, but how we use it.

In the context of Zero Trust, AI is applied to detect suspicious patterns through advanced analysis, since machine learning algorithms have the ability to identify suspicious behavior and anomalies that may indicate malicious activity. This predictive analysis capability is essential for anticipating threats before they cause significant damage.

Automation tools are also used to simplify the implementation and ongoing maintenance of the 5 principles described in the previous topic. During the continuous identity verification process, automated tools can constantly monitor user behavior and access data. This allows for the instant detection of suspicious activity and the application of corrective measures without delay.

Another very important aspect of Zero Trust is the use of behavioral analysis tools, which continuously monitor the behavior of users and devices, creating individual profiles and identifying significant deviations from normal activities.

By adopting behavioral analysis, Zero Trust does not limit itself to simple initial authentication; it goes further by evaluating behavior over time. This allows for the early detection of threats, identifying subtle anomalies that could go unnoticed in conventional security checks.

In addition, behavioral analysis is valuable in applying the principle of least privilege. By understanding the typical behaviour patterns of users and devices, organizations can dynamically adjust access permissions, ensuring that each entity has only the permissions necessary for their specific functions.

How to implement Zero Trust in your company?

In addition to understanding the principles of this concept, its importance and how it works, there needs to be a cultural change so that your employees internalize the mentality of mistrust by default. Along with, investing in continuous education about the main cyber threats and best security practices, given that 95% of attacks occur due to human error, is very important to avoid unforeseen events.

Having the support of qualified IT professionals and constantly updating technology not only strengthens the security of corporate networks, but also promotes a proactive stance in defending against cyber threats.

Zero Trust’s future is integration!

Investing in the premise of zero trust is positive in itself. But if we apply Zero Trust to digital ecosystems that encompass, for example, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Edge Computing in a careful way, it enables continuous and flexible innovation for companies around the world. Futhermore, it is possible to improve the effectiveness of Zero Trust by applying it in conjunction with other security strategies, such as Next Generation Firewall, Endpoint Detection and Response, among others.

This integration enables companies to avoid numerous cyber attacks, identifying them in advance and inhibiting suspicious actions. In this way, there is no possibility of suffering intangible and permanent financial and operational losses.