With the growth of technology, the risk of cyber-attacks has increased. The attack surface, security, and network architecture of an organization are all affected by digital transformation. Systems, individuals, and healthcare organizations need secure ways to connect to the internet while staying safe from dangerous actors. Zero Trust is a security methodology that helps security experts and professionals join different cybersecurity solutions to create a secure environment.

Healthcare businesses can use a zero-trust security paradigm to protect their interconnected networks and devices while securing sensitive health data.

In this article, we will learn a lot about the Zero Trust security model. Let’s first understand what Zero Trust is.

What is Zero Trust?

Zero Trust is a strategic initiative that helps prevent data breaches by eliminating the concept of trust from the company’s network infrastructure. The Zero Trust principle, “never trust, always verify,” is intended to safeguard modern digital ecosystems. It’s a security framework that requires all users to be authorized, authentic, and continuously validated for security configurations before being granted access to data and applications.

It’s a security approach based on the idea of stringent network access control and not trusting anyone, even those who are currently inside the network perimeter. The fundamental principle of the Zero Trust model is least-privileged access assuming that no application or user should be inherently trusted. Trust is established based on the user identity and context, such as the security posture of the endpoint device, the user’s location, and the app or services being requested.

How does Zero Trust work?

Executing the Zero Trust framework combines the latest technologies, such as identity protection, network access control, multi-factor authentication, next-generation endpoint security, and the maintenance of system security. It also requires consideration of securing email, data encryption, and verifying the protection of assets and endpoints before connecting to the application. Zero Trust is significantly different from conventional network security models following the “trust but verifies” method. This approach trusted endpoints and users within the organization’s perimeters and put them at risk from malicious internal actors.

Therefore, the zero Trust security model requires companies to continuously monitor and validate that users have the right attributes and privileges. It also requires enforcement of the policy incorporating compliance or other requirements before allowing the transaction. One-time validation is insufficient because user attributes and threats are all subject to change. That’s why Zero Trust policies rely on real-time visibility into identity attributes, such as

• User Identity and credential type
• Privilege and number of each credential on each device
• Endpoint hardware type and function
• Firmware versions
• Geolocation
• Authentication protocol and risk
• Application installed on endpoints
• Operating system versions and patch levels
• Security or incident detection

Organizations should assess their IT infrastructure and potential attack path to minimize the risk of a data breach.

Why is it necessary to implement the zero trust model in healthcare?

Given the future’s interconnected nature, with IoMT devices, augmented reality, robotics, and other technologies, most healthcare companies’ present perimeter-based security approach will no longer be viable. Healthcare organizations must continue to invest in the fundamentals while transitioning to a Zero Trust model from the castle-and-moat strategy to stay ahead of these changes.

Protected Harbor claims that adopting a single tool or platform isn’t enough to achieve zero-trust security. Typically, the method includes technologies from a variety of categories, such as:

• Device security
• Network security
• Data security
• Workload security
• Access and identity management
• Tools for gaining visibility
• Platforms for orchestration

Organizations require a zero-trust network architecture to protect their data regardless of location and ensure that applications run smoothly and fast to stay competitive.

Stages for implementing Zero Trust

Shifting to a zero-trust architecture is a significant undertaking. Still, with the appropriate champions in place and well-thought-out plans and processes, the initial pain of deploying new security standards will be worth it.

According to a recent analysis by IBM Security and the Ponemon Institute, healthcare data breaches and ransomware attacks can cost upwards of $9.23 million per occurrence.

Each organization’s needs are different. But in general, the following steps help implement a mature Zero Trust model.

• Visualize_ understand all resources, access points, and the associated risks.
• Mitigate_ detect, and halt threats or reduce the impact of attacks or breaches if they can not be stopped immediately.
• Optimize_ extend security to each aspect of the IT infrastructure and resources, regardless of location.

What are the Zero Trust Model’s guiding principles?

Here are the core principles of the Zero Trust security model.

Continuous monitoring and validation

The Zero Trust paradigm is based on the assumption that hackers are both outside and inside the network. As a result, neither machine nor the user should be trusted blindly. Zero Trust verifies privileges and user identity, and device security and identity.

Least privilege

Another core principle of the Zero Trust security model is least privilege access, giving users only required access. It minimizes each user’s liability to sensitive parts of the network. The least privilege is a technique for managing user permissions. This authorization approach is not well-suited for a virtual private network (VPN). Because connecting to a VPN grants access to the entire network connected to it.

Device & network access control

The Zero Trust approach necessitates stringent device and network access control in addition to user access control. This system needs to monitor how many devices try to access their network and ensure authorization. Moreover, it assesses all devices to ensure they have not been compromised. It reduces the network’s attack surface even more.

Micro-segmentation

Zero Trust security model supports micro-segmentation. It’s a fundamental principle of cybersecurity that allows businesses to isolate network resources so that any cyber attacks can be contained and not spread throughout the company. They can protect sensitive data and systems by implementing granular policies enforced by role-based access control.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

MFA is also a core principle of the Zero Trust security model. Multi-factor authentication means requiring more than one authentication piece; just entering a password is not enough to access a device or system. The most common application of MFA is the two-factor authentication (2FA) used on social media platforms, such as Google and Facebook.

Conclusion

Zero trust enables companies to automate authentication processes in healthcare, allowing hospitals and health systems to focus on patient care rather than the aftermath of a cyberattack.

Implementing a Zero Trust security model is a complex and continuous process. However, organizations do not need to simultaneously apply all of the Zero Trust principles. They can start implementing this trust model with small steps, such as defining and classifying all of the organization’s resources, implementing a proper user verification process, and granting access to privileged users only. Designing and implementing a zero trust model required security experts to focus on business concepts. The Zero Trust security model returns immediate gains through risk mitigation and security control regardless of the starting point.

For each endpoint and cloud workload, identity, and data, security for the most crucial areas of organizational risk to stop breaches in real-time. Protected Harbor’s Zero Trust solution is compliant with NIST 800-207 standards. It maximizes Zero Trust coverage across your hybrid enterprise to secure and enable people, processes, and technologies that drive modern enterprise security with built-in protection for high-risk areas like identity and data.

Devices, networks, data, and workloads should be secured, and IAM, visibility tools, automation, and orchestration platforms should all be used. When you partner with Protected Harbor, we’ll take care of all of these issues for you with a tailor-made plan.

The Cybersecurity threat landscape in healthcare has evolved so rapidly that it has become difficult to trust anyone in your network infrastructure. Who can you put your trust in when it comes to your IT infrastructure? The answer is no in a Zero Trust paradigm. The network access control paradigm underpins this trust concept. It means that users should only be permitted access to a network or device once they have been verified and only to the degree necessary to complete a task.

In this article, we’ll have explored the benefits and risks associated with the zero-trust security model. Let’s get started.

What is Zero Trust Model in a Nutshell?

Zero Trust is a network defensive shift toward a more comprehensive IT security architecture for all industries, including healthcare. It allows enterprises to restrict access restrictions to networks, applications, and the environment without sacrificing performance or the user experience. In other words, a Zero Trust strategy places no trust in anyone. Security teams are finding it increasingly difficult to trust or identify who should be authorized or trusted with access to their networks as more firms undertake more computing outside their perimeter in the cloud. As a result, an increasing number of businesses are incorporating Zero Trust into their trust network architecture and enterprise security strategy.

A three-step method is used in the Zero Trust security model.

• Verify a user’s identity via authentication
• Implement device and network access control
• Limit privileged access.

This paradigm promotes the idea that businesses should not trust people or entities outside their network perimeters.

Zero Trust Use Cases

The Zero Trust model has increasingly been formalized as a response to secure digital transformation and a variety of complex, devastating threats seen in past years. The Zero Trust security paradigm can help healthcare organizations be more secure.

You must establish an infrastructure deployment model, which includes

• Hybrid, multi-cloud multi-identity
• Legacy systems
• Unmanaged devices
• Software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications

It is essential to address use cases with critical threats, such as:

• Supply chain attacks_ generally involve privileged users working remotely and unmanaged devices.
• Ransomware_ a two-part problem, including identity compromise and code execution.
• Insider Threats_ extremely challenging while users are working remotely.

Here are some considerations an organization have

• User experience impact considerations, especially while using multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• SOC/analyst expertise challenges.
• Industry or compliance requirements

Each enterprise has distinct problems because of the type of business, current security strategy, and digital transformation maturity. If appropriately implemented, zero trust can adjust to meet specific requirements and ensure a return on investment (ROI) on your security strategy.

What are the benefits of the Zero Trust Security Model?

Let’s outline the main benefits of the Zero Trust security model.

• This method necessitates the regulation and classification of all network resources. It allows organizations to see who has access to resources and for what reasons, and what security measures need to be put in place to protect those resources.
• Implementing a Zero Trust security model is associated with deploying solutions for continuous monitoring and logging off user activity and asset states. It enables businesses to discover possible hazards quickly and respond appropriately.
• This model helps expand security protection across multiple containerized and computing environments, independent of the underlying infrastructure.
• It prevents data breaches and has lateral movements using application micro-segmentation.
• A zero trust model ensures organizational security while providing a consistent user experience.

What are some technical challenges in implementing the Zero Trust Security model?

Here are the most common technical challenges faced by users/organizations while implementing a Zero Trust security model.

1. Network Trust and Malware

Without the complexity associated with traditional systems, organizations must ensure that any device and user may safely connect to the internet regardless of location. They must also be proactive in detecting, blocking, and reducing specific threats like phishing, malware, ransomware, advanced zero-day attacks, and DNS data exfiltration. The Zero Trust security paradigm can help your company improve its security while lowering the danger of a cyberattack.

2. IT Resources and Complexity

Security and enterprise access are complicated and ever-changing. Traditional corporate technologies are complex, and changing them takes time and resources. A Zero Trust security approach can help you save time and money by reducing the amount of work you have to do.

3. Secure data and application access
Traditional access tools and technologies, such as VPN, are based on trust principles, leading to compromised user passwords and data breaches. To ensure that their business is secure while allowing easy access for all users, organizations must reconsider their access strategy and technologies. While offering a uniform and efficient user experience, the Zero Trust security architecture decreases complexity and risk.

Choose the right Zero Trust Model?

We’ve gone over some of the advantages and drawbacks of the Zero Trust paradigm in this article. The benefits of putting this architecture in place go far beyond security. The healthcare industry being the prime target for hackers shifting to Zero Trust Security is not an option but a need. However, there are still significant dangers and obstacles with this strategy. Changes in the threat landscape may prompt businesses to adopt a Zero Trust security architecture for network access control and identity management. These businesses should understand all the problems and hazards associated with this security paradigm.

Security and IT teams of all organizations must concentrate on business considerations while creating a zero-trust architecture: What are we attempting to safeguard? Who did you get it from? It’s critical to understand that the entire security system is built on a zero-trust architecture. The strategy is stacked on top of the technologies and procedures, not the other way around.

As Protected Harbor proposes in its zero-trust network access methodology, zero trust can be supplied as a service. You can take a phased approach before deploying zero trust more broadly, starting with your most essential assets or a test case of non-critical assets. Whatever your starting position, a best-in-class zero-trust solution will provide you with immediate risk reduction and security management. Protected Harbor not only deploys the Zero Trust Security but a host of features such as remote monitoring 24×7, 99.99% uptime, malware protection, etc., to deliver unmatched experience and satisfaction. Click here to know how we do it.