Key Points:

• Zero Trust is a security posture focused on minimising data breach risks, emphasising 'never trust, always verify' instead of relying on perimeter defences.
• Adopting a zero-trust policy reduces the likelihood of data breaches, mitigates insider threats, defends against lateral movement by hackers, and enhances monitoring capabilities.
• Downsides of implementing Zero Trust can potentially hinder productivity, be resource-intensive for large organisations, and require expert assistance from companies like Microsoft.

In the last few years, the world has moved away from office-based workplaces with security teams who focus their efforts on the perimeter of the company network.  

Now that more people are accessing the cloud to host sensitive data, it’s vital to switch the focus and assume that SaaS apps like Slack and Google Drive, don’t have a perimeter anymore. With data bouncing back and forth between teams every single day, it’s down to security teams to make sure any sensitive data doesn’t get into the wrong hands. 

That’s where the Zero Trust Model comes in. 

What is meant by Zero Trust? 

Zero Trust is a type of security posture that minimises the risk of your company being affected by a data breach. 

The key principle of ‘never trust, always verify’ offers a different perspective on traditional security methods that previously focused on locking down the perimeter. 

According to the SolarWinds CyberSecurity Survey 2023, 85% of respondents said that they had adopted a Zero Trust approach or were modelling their approach on it, showing that companies were understanding the importance of securing their data.

With a Zero Trust strategy in place, an organisation takes a least privilege approach in that no one is trusted to access sensitive documents, simply because they’re on the network; they must be authorised first.

It also involves implementing strict access controls to lock down documents that shouldn’t be seen by prying eyes. Internal data can also be encrypted so that even if a bad actor should get behind the company’s firewall, they’ll be unable to read your most sensitive information.

Rich Vibert, CEO of Metomic, says: “Zero Trust switches the focus of security professionals from being reactive to being proactive, as users need to be verified before they can gain access to the sensitive data within the cloud and SaaS apps.”

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Zero Trust?

‍You’d have to weigh up the pros and cons of a Zero Trust policy to see whether it would work for your business. Here are the main advantages and disadvantages: 

Advantages 

• Minimises the chance of a data breach happening by limiting access to sensitive data
• Brings the risk of insider threat down by restricting employees’ access to data 
• Defends against lateral movement (the act of a hacker moving deeper and deeper into a company’s file system to get the data they want) 
• Makes it easier for security teams to monitor what’s going on and be alerted to anomalous behaviour

Disadvantages

• Zero Trust can hinder productivity if it’s not implemented properly 
• Implementing itself can be a big job for a security team to take on, especially if they’re part of a large company with sprawling assets
• You may need to work with an expert company like Microsoft to implement it which can be costly 

Is Zero Trust relevant for the cloud and SaaS apps? 

Absolutely. While SaaS apps are great for collaboration, services like Google Drive are notorious for the ease with which files can be duplicated and shared across teams. 

All employees in a business have access to the cloud and multiple SaaS apps, allowing them to do their job effectively but this can be disastrous if you’re dealing with disgruntled employees.

Zero Trust can minimise the risk of insider threat, as well as locking down data for those who might be trying to access the network remotely. 

How can companies ensure they abide by the Zero Trust model?

Getting buy-in from your leadership team can be pivotal in making sure the rest of the company is invested in a Zero Trust model. 

You should also ensure the implementation process is carried out properly to start using a Zero Trust framework from the get-go. 

Integrating with a insider threat detection software, like Metomic can also be beneficial in keeping access controls in check, and making sure that all of the sensitive data shared in your SaaS apps is secured. 

Take control of your data 

Whether you decide to adopt a Zero Trust model for your business or not, locking down your data is key to minimising the impact of a data breach. 

See how secure your Google Drive is by running a free scan using Metomic. We’ll tell you your riskiest files, who has access to your drive, your public-facing files and more.