The Importance of Zero Trust in Building Cybersecurity

Whether looking at it from an individual or organizational perspective, cyber security should be everyone’s concern because it affects all of us. A cyber-attack is an assault launched by cybercriminals using one or more computers against a single or multiple computers or networks. A cyber-attack can maliciously disable computers, steal data, or use a breached computer as a launch point for other attacks.

Even though Cyber Security attacks are not as prevalent in Zambia as compared to other countries, it is difficult to resist the conclusion that they may be happening on a minor scale and even behind the veil. They possibly come and go without much stir and communities, organizations and individuals alike have maintained some sort of steadfast silence on this issue, for fear of ruining the integrity of affected parties, especially if such happens in corporate circles.

In today’s complex digital landscape, it is essential to thoroughly check every solution and piece of equipment, even from a proven supplier, as if it were from a company you don’t know.

It is herein that the concept of zero trust, a security approach that revolves around the idea of always verifying and never blindly trusting, comes in. 

Zero trust focuses on verifying and authenticating every individual, device, and network connection within an organization. The idea is to assume that everything and everyone within the organization is potentially untrustworthy, and therefore must be carefully monitored and controlled. 

This approach is in contrast to traditional security models, which rely on a network perimeter to protect the organization and its assets. Here, the idea is that even long-standing and reliable partners and suppliers can be exposed to attacks or make mistakes internally. 

Therefore, it is essential to thoroughly check every solution and piece of equipment that is offered or used. This can include looking for vulnerabilities, available information, and third-party verification to ensure a thorough review.

It is crucial to set up mechanisms for ongoing authentication. Through a firm that is not connected to either the supplier or the customer, with real expertise in technical and security analysis, you can get objective information. 

It is advisable to give end users only the basic rights they need to do their job, minimizing the risk of security incidents.

In addition to verification and control mechanisms, organizations should also implement security information and event management systems to monitor security events and evaluate and process security incidents. It is also important to have security incident management processes in place in case a security incident does occur.

Adopting the principles of zero trust can help improve the security of an organization’s digital ecosystem. By assuming the worst and implementing thorough verification and authentication processes, organizations can better protect their assets and sensitive data.

It is important to know what the new part of the system is supposed to do, but equally crucial to know what it shouldn’t do in normal operation. For the sake of public safety, it is important that we begin to lift a veil on this topic in order to raise awareness.

Source: Huawei