What are the most effective system architecture designs for improving security?

2 Microservices Architecture

Microservices architecture is a design pattern that breaks down a system into small, independent, and loosely coupled services, each with a single responsibility and function. For example, an online shopping system may have separate services for product catalog, shopping cart, payment, and delivery. The services communicate with each other through lightweight protocols, such as REST or messaging, and can be deployed and scaled independently. Microservices architecture can improve security by isolating the failure and compromise of a service, and limiting its impact on the rest of the system. Microservices architecture also enables the use of different security technologies and standards for each service, depending on its needs and context.

3 Zero Trust Architecture

Zero Trust architecture is a design principle that assumes that no entity, whether internal or external, can be trusted by default. It requires that every request, transaction, or interaction be verified and authorized before granting access or performing an action. For example, a system may use multifactor authentication, encryption, segmentation, and continuous monitoring to enforce zero trust. Zero Trust architecture can improve security by eliminating the reliance on traditional perimeter-based defenses, such as firewalls and VPNs, which can be bypassed or compromised. Zero Trust architecture also reduces the risk of insider threats, lateral movement, and data exfiltration, by applying granular and context-aware policies and controls.

4 Event-Driven Architecture

Event-Driven architecture is a design pattern that enables a system to react to changes in its environment or state, by generating and consuming events. An event is a notification or message that contains information about something that has happened or is happening. For example, a system may use events to trigger workflows, update data, or notify users. The events are processed by event sources, event brokers, and event consumers, which can be distributed across the system. Event-Driven architecture can improve security by enabling real-time visibility and response to security incidents, such as breaches, attacks, or anomalies. Event-Driven architecture also supports the use of security automation and orchestration, which can help to prevent, detect, and mitigate security threats.

5 Serverless Architecture

Serverless architecture is a design pattern that leverages cloud services to run and manage the code and resources of a system, without requiring the developers to provision, configure, or maintain servers. For example, a system may use functions-as-a-service, such as AWS Lambda or Azure Functions, to execute code in response to events or requests. The cloud provider handles the scaling, availability, and security of the servers. Serverless architecture can improve security by shifting the responsibility and burden of securing the servers to the cloud provider, which can offer more expertise and resources than the developers. Serverless architecture also reduces the exposure and vulnerability of the servers, as they only run when needed and for a short duration.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?