The importance of Zero Trust could have never been fully anticipated prior to the modern world. All businesses - such as banks, grocery stores, schools, clothing stores, doctors offices and more, operated from brick and mortar structures. All customers used physical currency to transact. Businesses knew their customers and transactions were based on trust and relationships. For example: a customer could go to his/her bank with a signed cheque, show it to the bank teller and get it cashed because the banker could physically verify the customer’s identity and authorize the level of access appropriate for the customer, in order to complete the desired transaction.
But what happens when business is done online end-to-end? In today’s digitally connected world, how can we ensure that users in and outside of a network can complete only the tasks that they are authorized to complete? How can we verify that people really are, who they say they are?
Today’s digital enterprises have a lot at stake, especially when it comes to their crown jewels: critical data, financial transactions and brand reputation. These enterprises cannot compromise on securing this Triad. Trusting just anyone to access a digital channel without proper validation is a disaster waiting to happen. Extending access to small groups of users working at or with small enterprises is manageable because their needs and credentials can easily be validated. Conversely, for large enterprises possessing the personal information (PI) and/or financial transaction details belonging to millions (or billions) of customers is a very significant and risky undertaking. They cannot risk the slightest chance of allowing an illegitimate user who lacks the proper credentials, onto networks where he/she could assess critical data and/or PI.
Citizens of today expect businesses to deliver seamless and intuitive digital experiences. While enterprises strive to exceed these expectations, they are also confronted with the ever-present need to manage access to critical data and PI while also delivering innovative end-user experiences. And so, security teams must keep up with the speed at which digital transformation is happening, while also allowing legitimate multichannel enterprise employees, partners, suppliers and end-users access pertinent apps and data.
In order for an enterprise to allow access to its apps and data, Digital Trust must be established between the enterprise and the user(s) requesting access. Digital trust can only be established, if the right user is getting the right access to the right data for the right reasons.
The best way for an organization to build digital trust into the fabric of its business, is to employ the Zero Trust approach. Zero Trust is a security model developed by former Forrester analyst, John Kindervag, in 2010. Enterprises applying Zero Trust strategies validate every user connection prior to granting access to the security perimeter. Zero trust is a framework, not a product or a solution. Learn more about IBM’s point of view on Zero Trust here: https://www.ibm.com/security/zero-trust .
Zero Trust combines technology, processes and governance. Applying Zero Trust will be an ongoing and evolving journey for security leaders, as external threat vectors find new ways to break into their enterprises. Zero trust is a paradigm shift that every enterprise should embrace, to reduce their chances of getting hacked or exploited in today’s digital world.
I strongly believe that to mitigate both internal and external threats, enterprises should review and monitor their security strategies regularly and partner with a leading Security Services organization like IBM Security, so that they can successfully implement a Zero Trust strategy and proceed confidently towards digital transformation.
