Some people may have heard of the term zero trust security but don’t know what it specifically means. In order to protect companies from risks such as cyber attacks and information leaks, it is important to understand zero trust security. In
this article, we will explain the meaning of zero trust, why it is important, and how to incorporate zero trust security. Please refer to this article if you are involved in corporate security management.
What is Zero Trust?
Zero trust is a concept for improving information security. Zero trust means trusting nothing. The characteristic of zero trust is that it does not trust users or devices that attempt to access systems or databases, and always checks their safety.
Why Zero Trust Security is Needed
The reason for the need for zero trust security is the widespread use of cloud services and teleworking, which has led to an increase in the number of opportunities for risk to occur and a need for a more robust security model.
In traditional security, a model called perimeter security was mainstream. Perimeter security is a security model that separates internal and external networks at a boundary to protect against external threats. However, perimeter security cannot deal with threats that have infiltrated inside the boundary.
On the other hand, zero trust security has no concept of boundaries and verifies all targets. The reason zero trust security is attracting attention is that it can also handle threats such as malware that have infiltrated the internal network.
The pros and cons of zero trust security
Zero trust security has both advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to understand its characteristics when considering its implementation.
Benefit 1: Improved security
Implementing zero trust security can improve security. The advantage of zero trust security is that it can reduce the risk of unauthorized access, even if various cloud services are used in business. It can also deal with information leaks caused by internal fraud.
Advantage 2: Accessible from anywhere
Another benefit is that you can access it securely from anywhere, such as at home, in a co-working space, or in a satellite office. Zero trust security increases safety, especially for organizations that encourage remote work.
Disadvantages: High implementation costs
The disadvantage of zero trust security is the high implementation cost. Various efforts are required, such as reviewing the existing security system and selecting new solutions. In addition, education on the new security system and the preparation of manuals are also necessary. There are also costs involved in introducing and operating devices and systems to achieve zero trust security.
Disadvantages: Work efficiency may decrease
Another point to be aware of is the decrease in work efficiency. In a system that employs zero trust security, you must go through the login procedure every time. Depending on the content and method of work, the decrease in efficiency can be said to be a disadvantage of zero trust security.
How to adopt zero trust security
Zero Trust security can be adopted in the following ways:
Identity Management
Zero trust security requires a user ID to access a system or database. Unauthorized access is prevented by issuing a user ID and verifying it at the time of login.
In addition, by introducing a multi-factor authentication system using users’ own devices, it is possible to prevent unauthorized use of user IDs.
Managing Access Rights
Even when using the same system, different users perform different tasks. Therefore, assigning different access permissions to each user is essential to achieving zero trust security.
For example, it is necessary to manage the data by giving only viewing permissions to contractor IDs, while giving both viewing and editing permissions to employee IDs.
Manage your activity history
By managing the behavioral history of users who accessed the system, it is possible to detect and analyze security risks. A system that acquires access logs and monitors them in real time can achieve zero trust security.
Zero trust security is a security model that does not trust any user or connection source and always verifies safety. It can also address risks such as malware infection and internal fraud that were difficult to prevent with the traditional border defense model.
If you want to achieve strong cybersecurity, why not try zero trust security?