Zero Trust is a framework for improving cybersecurity in modern IT environments. 

As the traditional network perimeter has disappeared, legacy technologies and security strategies can no longer protect users, data, applications and infrastructure distributed worldwide. The Zero Trust approach addresses this new reality of network computing. 

Rather than automatically trusting users and devices within a network perimeter, a Zero Trust system requires constant authentication before granting access to data and IT resources. This practice prevents attackers who have successfully breached one part of the IT environment from moving laterally to access other high-value targets.

To implement Zero Trust, organizations need Zero Trust security products that can authenticate users and control access, segment applications and workloads, and continuously monitor networks for signs of malicious activity.

Zero Trust security relies on several essential principles to protect data, applications, infrastructure and users.

Monitor the network continuously
To implement Zero Trust, organizations need continuous monitoring solutions to evaluate the network’s health. These Zero Trust security services can detect intruders as early as possible to minimize the damage they can do.
Continuously verify 
Zero Trust security products constantly authenticate and authorize users, devices and connections. Authentication is based on criteria like identity, location, data sources and workloads. By treating everything as a potential threat, a Zero Trust approach enhances security and limits the ability of threats to penetrate defenses. This process verifies remote workers and gives them access to only the private apps they need – not all apps in internal data centers and private clouds. This protects internal apps against potentially compromised remote devices and data theft.

Practice least-privilege access
Instead of broad access to users and devices, Zero Trust security products grant access only to the resources required to perform specific work at a particular time. This practice limits the number of users and devices accessing sensitive data or infrastructure. It also limits the impact of a breach by preventing threat actors from accessing additional targets.
 

Zero Trust security products perform a variety of functions that are critical to a Zero Trust environment.

Microsegmentation
Segmenting networks into subnetworks helps to limit the impact of a successful breach. Microsegmentation solutions offer even greater protection, restricting access to individual workloads, applications and sensitive data assets to only those users and processes with a legitimate business need.

Monitoring
Zero Trust security products must continuously monitor the network, tracking and validating compliance every time a user or device accesses IT resources. Intelligent analytics enable teams to monitor the behavior of users, data and resources throughout the environment.

Multifactor authentication (MFA)
MFA technologies require users to confirm their identity in two or more ways before receiving access to networks, applications and data.

Automation
Automated Zero Trust security products facilitate scalability, reduce human error, increase efficiency and enforce policies consistently across an IT environment. Automation also enables security issues to be resolved quickly by orchestrating actions and initiating playbooks.

Endpoint verification
Similar to identity and access control, endpoint verification solutions require devices to present credentials to the network to prevent unauthorized use.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
ZTNA solutions allow workers to connect to network resources from inside corporate headquarters, from the field, on the road or from home. ZTNA technologies use an encrypted tunnel to connect users and devices to IT assets securely.
 

When implementing superior Zero Trust security products, organizations can:

• Enable remote access. Secure trust security lets workers connect safely to the internet and the applications they need without the hassle and complexity associated with traditional approaches.
• Thwart attacks. A Zero Trust security platform can successfully block targeted threats like ransomware, phishing, malware, zero-day vulnerabilities and DNS data exfiltration.
• Minimize complexity. A Zero Trust framework minimizes the challenge of managing highly distributed IT environments.
• Reduce headcount. Organizations can improve protection without increasing personnel with automated Zero Trust security products.
• Strengthen compliance. Enhanced protection and greater visibility make it easier to comply with regulatory frameworks and internal standards.
   

Forcepoint is a cybersecurity company and Zero Trust vendor providing leading solutions for user and data security. Forcepoint Zero Trust security products help IT teams implement continuous Zero Trust programs to protect their organizations from increasingly sophisticated threats.

Forcepoint ZTNA
Forcepoint’s solution for Zero Trust Network Access overcomes the limitations of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to give users access to the private cloud apps they need while protecting against unauthorized access. Forcepoint ZTNA enables agentless Zero Trust application access on any web browser or device, allowing workers to connect quickly and easily through browser shortcuts or single-sign-on portals. 

Zero Trust CDR
Forcepoint Zero Trust CDR (Content Disarm & Reconstruction) helps to stop known and unknown threats within documents, images, emails and other files. To thwart malware and advanced zero-day attacks, Zero Trust CDR transforms incoming files by extracting valid business information from files and building new, fully functional files with all the original info – and none of the risk. This Zero Trust security product reduces the cost of detecting and remediating security incidents by stopping them before they can do damage.

Forcepoint DLP
Forcepoint Data Loss Prevention (DLP) enforces Zero Trust policies by automatically preventing unauthorized users from accessing data, whether it’s purposely or accidentally leaked. Forcepoint DLP monitors data as it flows in and out of the organization, using security policies to detect and block sensitive information from leaving the organization’s domain. With Forcepoint, security teams can enforce Zero Trust principles for data security across web, cloud, email, network and endpoint devices.