Zero Trust security is a modern IT security model based on the "never trust, always verify" principle that requires strict authentication for every person and every device attempting to access resources on a private network, whether inside or outside the network boundary. Zero Trust is a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity that incorporates many different principles and technologies.

While traditional IT networks Trust all people and devices within the network, the Zero Trust architecture trusts no one and nothing. The core of Zero Trust is that assets or user accounts should not be implicitly trusted based on physical or network location (e.g., LAN vs. Internet) or asset ownership (corporate or individual ownership). Perform explicit authentication and authorization (both principal and device) before establishing a session with enterprise resources.

Today, organizational information is generally dispersed across multiple cloud providers, making it more cumbersome to have a single security control over the entire network. With research showing that the average cost of a single data breach exceeds $3 million, many organizations are now putting their faith in Zero Trust. So what are the principles of Zero Trust?

Zero Trust adopts continuous monitoring and verification. The concept behind Zero Trust network assumes that there may be attackers inside and outside the network, and all users or machines are not automatically trusted, so they must verify their identities and permissions to ensure the identity and security of devices. After logging in and establishing connections, users and devices will time out for a period of time, forcing them to constantly re-verify.

Minimum permission. Zero Trust grants users only the necessary access, and sharing only the necessary information minimizes individual users' exposure to sensitive parts of the network. The implementation of minimum permissions involves user management permissions, which is also a major feature that distinguishes traditional network access methods.

Device access control. In addition to access control for users, Zero Trust also requires strict control over device access. Zero Trust monitors how many different devices are trying to access the network, making sure each is authorized and evaluating all of them to ensure there are no intrusions and reduce the attack surface of the network.

The differential segment. The Zero Trust network maintains access to each part of the network separately by dividing the security boundary into small areas through micro-segments. A network such as a single data center where files are stored in segments may contain dozens of separate security zones. Individuals or programs that have access to one of these areas cannot access any of the others without separate authorization.

Prevent lateral movement. In network security, lateral movement is when an attacker moves within a network after counting it. Even if an attack is detected, lateral movement is difficult to detect because the attacker will continue to invade other parts of the network. Zero Trust is designed to deter attackers from moving sideways. Zero Trust's access is segmented and must be periodically re-established so that the attack cannot move to other segments. Once an attack is detected, the compromised device or user account can be isolated, cutting off further access.

Multi-factor authentication is one of Zero Trust's core values. The MFA says it needs more than one piece of evidence to identify a user, and simply entering a password can't get access. MFA is a common application such as two-factor authorization, where users who enable 2FA in addition to entering a password must also enter a code sent to another device, providing two pieces of evidence to prove their identity.

Better suited to today's IT environment, Zero Trust reduces an organization's attack surface and helps eliminate threats that bypass traditional border-based protections. And, by validating every request, Zero Trust security reduces the risk posed by vulnerable devices, including IoT devices that are often difficult to secure and update.