What zero-trust data protection means for business
Implementing zero trust at the network level isn’t enough in today’s digital landscape, where critical business data is stored across platforms, applications and devices.
Zero trust is a security framework commonly applied to network architecture to prevent lateral movement between apps, services and systems. However, given the proliferation of cloud computing, many IT security experts are extending the principles of zero trust into data protection.
Zero-trust data protection is a method of securing data by not granting implicit trust to any user, device or application, even if they are active within an organization's IT perimeter. In other words, if a user or application wants to gain access to data, trust must be verified first — no exceptions.
Typically, organizations guard their IT perimeter like a moat and castle: The moat prevents external attackers from entering the castle. But this strategy doesn’t account for what happens if an attack comes from within the castle.
Zero trust assumes that no one can be trusted, even those within the castle. With this concept in mind, the zero-trust model is usually applied at the network level to help root out bad actors in the castle and prevent lateral movement within the network if an attacker bypasses the perimeter.
Zero trust is a powerful defensive technique, but just applying it at the network level isn’t good enough. Many organizations today store, share and back up data across a variety of on-premises servers, cloud deployments, hybrid infrastructures and private applications. Plus, users can often access data from anywhere in the world via mobile devices. This creates a complex, global attack surface that’s difficult to protect, and granting implicit trust or continuous access to data to any user, service or system can significantly increase the risk of compromise.
Zero-trust data protection aims to solve this by eliminating trust at the most granular level: the data level. This means access to data is continuously assessed, and trust is continually verified.
What are the benefits of zero trust?
Zero-trust data protection can provide several benefits to businesses. First, this least-privileged approach to data access can help harden security. For example, only the intended user can access data, and access attempts are continuously monitored and logged. That way, even if an account is compromised, its activity can be quickly detected and locked down. This can help not only prevent unauthorized access, but also minimize the damage from a successful attack.
This type of stronger data protection can also simplify compliance. Many organizations, big and small, are subject to increasingly strict and complex data regulatory requirements. This includes everything from GDPR, HIPAA and PCI DSS, to federal and even state-specific data privacy laws in the United States. With zero-trust data protection, businesses can easily enforce data security and privacy policies and demonstrate compliance with comprehensive monitoring and tracking.
Zero-trust data protection shouldn't be the last line of defense, but the first of many.
Applying a zero-trust framework to data can add a layer of protection to an organization’s wider security strategy. Zero-trust data protection shouldn't be the last line of defense, but the first of many. Working in concert with perimeter defenses, zero-trust network architecture, and other security tools, such as threat detection analysis and risk management, zero-trust data security can bolster a business's defenses and protect the most sensitive asset an organization has: its data.
Common zero-trust challenges and how to avoid them
Embedding zero-trust principles into data security comes with its own set of challenges. The following are some common strategic and operational barriers to watch out for, as well as a few tips to avoid them:
Interoperability. Legacy data infrastructure, such as old databases, might not be compatible with zero-trust architecture. This can lead to lengthy integrations and expensive overhauls. Phased rollout plans can help limit downtime when trying to fully lock down permissions and enforce access controls natively where needed.
Data mapping. To implement zero-trust data protection, extensive data mapping must take place to understand the relationship between data and the pathways data can take. Data segmentation and mapping in hybrid IT environments is particularly challenging, but using advanced data management techniques and automated data mapping tools can help streamline the process.
Identity sprawl. Since no system or person can be trusted, identity and access management (IAM) can become cumbersome due to the sheer amount of privileges that must be assigned and managed for users, APIs, devices and applications. IAM tools that are built to scale across hybrid IT environments can solve some of these growing pains.
Alert fatigue. Since zero-trust data protection often requires continuous monitoring and tracking, it can generate a vast amount of logs and alerts that must be sorted and triaged. This volume might lead to alert fatigue, and actual threats may slip through. AI agents can help automate triage and reduce noise.
Lack of convenience. With any zero-trust model, a degree of convenience for users must be sacrificed for tighter security. Users might feel frustrated by having to sign in regularly or wait longer for systems to pull the data they need. Explaining and embracing a security-first culture can help assuage this frustration.
Jacob Roundy is a freelance writer and editor with more than a decade of experience, specializing in a variety of technology topics, such as data centers, business intelligence, AI/ML, climate change and sustainability. His writing focuses on demystifying tech, tracking trends in the industry, and providing practical guidance to IT leaders and administrators.
