With countless threats out there waiting for IT professionals to slip up, it’s no small wonder that many of these professionals are opting into what is called a zero-trust policy for their security standards. But what is a zero-trust policy, and why is it so effective at curbing potentially dangerous situations for your business? Let’s investigate this in today’s blog article.

What Does Zero-Trust Actually Mean?

The official definition, according to the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre, is “the idea of removing inherent trust from the network. Just because a device is within the internal "trusted" side of a firewall or VPN, it should not be trusted by default.” Essentially, what this means is that even devices that are on the correct side of your network, i.e. those that have already connected to it, cannot be trusted to be inherently secure.

Ultimately, all devices connected to your network are subject to security scrutiny.

How Effective is It, Really?

That said, zero-trust security policies are not for all businesses, so you will have to put in some legwork to make sure that your company’s network fits the bill here. It is important, according to the NCSC, that organizations think of this less as a guideline and more like an approach to network design, meaning that this should not be considered a steadfast rule. Naturally, all businesses will have different needs, and some companies just might not be able to make a zero-trust policy work.

This is particularly notable for companies that have large computing infrastructures, as the number of devices involved and the sheer cost of moving in this direction could eat holes in your business’ budget for months or even years, right up until the policy is fully implemented and beyond. Businesses might have to acquire new hardware and services, train technicians, and frequently update all of this technology to keep up with security standards. Furthermore, companies that utilize a BYOD policy, or Bring Your Own Device policy, have an even harder time with a zero-trust policy.

Despite these difficulties, it doesn't hurt to consider a zero-trust policy for your business. Here are five reasons why it might be a good idea, according to the NCSC:

• Greater control over data means delegation to the appropriate users.
• Stronger authentication and authorization
• Better user experience (consider single sign-on as an example)
• Every action or device is subject to some form of policy, meaning every attempt at accessing data is verified.
• Detailed access logs

Start Securing Your Systems Today

There is a lot to be done to protect your business from the plethora of threats out there, and we guarantee that working with a cybersecurity professional like 415 IT will give you the best shot at protecting your business as possible. To learn more, reach out to us at (415) 295-4898.