Implementing Zero Trust : A short guide for entering the world of Zero Trust

In the security sector, the phrase "Zero Trust" is becoming more and more popular. It is both a way of thinking about security and a well-designed solution that reduces risk from both a changing work environment and a more dangerous globe.

In order to assist ensure that users and devices on a network are not engaging in malicious activity, zero trust is an active strategy and model that includes continuous, context-aware analysis and verification of trust.

The fundamental tenet of zero trust is the presumption that all people and gadgets are unreliable until otherwise demonstrated. Zero-trust models do not automatically trust the same user or device the next time they are viewed by the system, even when a user or object has already been shown to be trustworthy. In the zero-trust paradigm, trust is never assumed; instead, it is based on regular observation and verification to help reduce risks.

The Software Defined Perimeter (SDP), a project that was initially developed under the direction of the Cloud Security Alliance(CSA), is frequently linked to the idea of zero trust.

In the basic SDP architecture, a controller establishes the rules for how agents can connect to and use various resources. Traffic can be directed to the appropriate data center or cloud resources with the aid of the gateway component. An SDP agent is used by devices and services to connect to the controller and request access to resources. Device health checks, user profiling that takes into account behavioral information, and multi-factor authentication techniques are all used along the way to verify security posture.

According to the zero trust model, there should be a secure border that verifies that a request is authenticated and authorized to move forward at each level of an agent or host connection. With zero trust, everything is by definition untrusted and must be verified before granting access, as opposed to relying on an implicit trust after the proper username, password, or access token has been provided.

Zero trust is a brilliant concept that can assist organizations in minimizing risks and the attack surface, but it is not without complexity and implementation difficulties.

Device Prerequisites

The fact that certain SDP zero trust implementations rely on on-premises deployment strategies and require device certificates and compatibility for the 802.1x protocol(consider a simple IEEE Radio) for port-based Network Access Control(NAC) presents a significant difficulty.

Cloud Protection

It can frequently be difficult and time-consuming to enable full support, end-to-end across various public clouds and on-premises deployments.

Trust

Although it may seem like a misnomer, enterprises frequently need to trust a zero-trust solution because data encryption termination requirements frequently exist.

Not Just One More Security Instrumentation strategy or Tool

A typical firm will already have a variety of security measures installed, such as firewalls and VPNs. The ability of a zero-trust solution provider to maneuver through that minefield is frequently a major barrier.

Deployment Obstacles

How simple it is to put up a zero trust solution will frequently determine if it is used. - We need to rethink this Again and Again

Considerations for deploying with zero trust

On top of current network and application topologies, zero-trust models function as overlays. As a result, having an adaptable data plane that can control a distributed network is important.

The difficulty of installing device certificates and binaries on an end-user system is frequently exacerbated by a number of issues, including resource and time constraints. A crucial factor to take into account is using an agentless solution, as this might be the difference between having a solution and really being able to deploy it quickly in a production setting.

Take into account host-based security models and zero-trust tools. Taking a host-based approach fits with the concept of how many apps are provided in the modern world, which is through the web. In a host-based zero trust model, the system verified that a certain end-user system is legitimately qualified to obtain an access token for a particular resource.

It's also crucial to comprehend how encryption functions in the zero-trust architecture. Enforcing end-to-end encryption across a zero-trust deployment is one option.

How to Implement Cloud Zero Trust

For the deployment of zero trust models on-premises, the fundamental SDP approach is clearly stated. It might get more complicated when it comes to the cloud. Different cloud providers have various systems, which could make any kind of deployment more complicated.

The growing tendency toward multi-cloud deployments adds to the complexity. The complexity of creating a zero-trust model that is deployable and enforced across various public cloud providers adds to the difficulties of deployment on a single public cloud provider.

Utilizing the free and open-source Kubernetes container orchestration platform is one method for deploying zero trust across a multi-cloud deployment. All of the major public cloud service providers, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform(GCP), support Kubernetes. A control plane for controlling distributed nodes of applications that operate in Docker containers is provided by Kubernetes.

In that all public cloud providers have numerous geographical locations and time zones around the world, the cloud is also not a standard concept. Making sure that resources are accessible as close to the end-user as possible is the goal of the various deployments. To ensure the least amount of network delay feasible while deploying a zero-trust model to the cloud, be sure to pick a solution with numerous points of presence throughout the globe.

Further reducing complexity is the use of a docker container to bundle and deploy an application to enable zero trust. By combining a cloud-native strategy with a Kubernetes-based system, it is feasible to abstract the underlying complexity of the multi-cloud world without the requirement for multiple application binaries for various platforms.

Why deploying zero trust is worthwhile

IT resources are always limited, and few, if any, firms have the necessary funding to complete all necessary tasks. It can sometimes be perceived as adding yet another layer of complexity that will take more time and place additional demands on an IT department's limited resources.

However, when effectively implemented, zero trust has the ability to ease the burden on the already overworked IT team.

In a non-zero-trust network environment, the username and password are frequently the main access controls, together with directory-based identity and access management software such as Active Directory. In order to increase security, firewall and Intrusion Protection Systems (IPS) are frequently used.

However, none of those systems truly do ongoing access request state validation. It takes more time and effort for IT professionals to identify the main reason and then take corrective action if and when something goes wrong or a credential is lost or stolen.

All-access is validated in a properly configured and implemented zero-trust environment. This means that the zero-trust network always operates on the presumption of zero access rather than requiring IT staff to determine if a credential has been misused and a system has been compromised. The only way to obtain access is through validation. Zero trust implies a smaller attack surface, which often equates to a smaller risk.

Checklist for Zero Trust Deployment

Keep these straightforward questions in mind as you think about how to construct a zero-trust solution.

Ease of Deployment: How quickly can a system be put into operation? Does the provider require you to modify your surroundings in order to use their solution? (Example: by allowing ports in the firewall)

Support for numerous public cloud providers: Does the zero trust solution make it simple to support them all? Can workloads across several clouds be successfully secured?

How does the zero trust solution manage encryption, and is data security maintained? Where are the encryption keys kept, and are your own keys allowed?

Scalability: The zero trust architecture's scalability Does it satisfy your workload's requirements?

is there a new kind of architectural technical backlog to deal with?

- we need to ask these questions while we do capacity planning again and again.

Security: What security controls are the solution supplier implementing? Does it continue to follow an efficient security cycle? Does it require the usage of third-party techniques or can it provide additional security layers like DDoS protection at the application access level?

Visibility: Can the solution offer internal traffic inspection for DLP, malicious/abnormal activity, and content?

Will the vendor of the zero trust solution be available to assist with problem-solving?

Value: Does the proposed solution add any new value? Recognize how and where the zero trust solution goes above and beyond what your current security technologies already offer in terms of value, functionality, and risk reduction.

Key Takeaways from the Article:

• Set goals after gathering telemetry and assessing hazards.
• Get your MFA and current identity.
• Focus on the most popular applications when enforcing conditional access to achieve complete coverage.
• Start with basic rules for enforcing device health, including device locking or password difficulty.
• Run trial projects and phased rollouts. The race is won by steadiness and pace.
• Your users should be moved to the Internet, and VPN traffic should be monitored to identify internal dependencies.
• The user experience should be prioritized since it affects staff morale and productivity. ->Your program won't be successful without adoption.
• Bring your staff along for the journey—communication is essential! -> Use discord like how we do in Devtron Inc. all records will stay with you in a chat you don't have fear loosing the message.
• Assign performance metrics and objectives to all workstreams, components, and employees.