With the increasing cybersecurity risks and breaches in the past couple of years, businesses are now moving with a clear vision to incorporate zero-trust architecture into their platforms.
A zero-trust architecture works on the principle of never trusting anyone inside or outside the network, regardless of a machine or a human, without prior authentication.
Zero-trust vendors offer stringent authentication and authorization mechanisms through a reliable customer identity and access management (CIAM) solution. However, most businesses that incorporate zero trust architecture aren’t aware of certain aspects of its features and capabilities.
Since most zero trust vendors claim that their solutions offer complete zero trust coverage for the entire infrastructure and tech stacks, they aren’t clear regarding how their customers would be shielded from a data breach.
Although every vendor is working hard to solve this issue and make things more transparent for organizations opting for zero trust, certain aspects still deserve the limelight to educate end users.
Let’s understand this zero trust mechanism and how businesses can ensure they’re relying on a trusted vendor offering complete transparency.
#1. Myth: Zero Trust is a Combination of Different Products
One of the most significant aspects of zero trust architecture is that it could be deployed through identity and access management solutions or network segmentation.
However, things aren’t the same as they seem to be. Zero trust isn’t a set of tactics or a group of different products. It’s designed to stop data breaches and prevent unauthorized network access through a securely built technological environment.
On the other hand, many organizations are looking to purchase a zero-trust architecture as a single product. And they aren’t catered to the services as earlier promised, leading to trust issues.
In a nutshell, zero trust security architecture emphasizes secure authentication and authorization for your business by following the stringent principles of never trusting anyone inside or outside the network.
#2. Myth: Zero Trust Means Your Organization Doesn’t Trust Your Employees
Most businesses are convinced or have a misconception that a zero trust architecture would prevent their employees from accessing specific crucial resources within their network.
However, the basic principle of zero trust is to ensure that no vulnerabilities are exploited during a data breach. And this portrays that vendors aren’t trying to make your systems trusted.
Moreover, implementing zero-trust can also create a hoax among workers that they are suddenly not trusted by the organization, and their access to resources is now limited.
Every IT head or CISO needs to understand the myths revolving around the zero trust mechanism. It should ensure its workforce is well-versed with zero trust and how it can help organizations reinforce their overall security infrastructure.
#3. Myth: Zero Trust is for Larger Organizations Only
Another myth circulating among business owners and budding startups is that the zero trust architecture is only for larger organizations, and SMEs can’t benefit from it.
A couple of years back, when renowned brands started creating hype regarding the new era of authentication and authorization through a zero-trust architecture, businesses assumed that this security infrastructure was intended for established brands, including Microsoft, Google, Apple, Amazon, and more.
However, since zero trust isn’t a product but a process, which can be implemented gradually over time, smaller organizations could easily leverage its true potential. They can ensure maximum authentication and authorization security within and outside their network.
Final Thoughts
With the increasing cyber security vulnerabilities and the number of data breaches across the globe, zero trust architecture is swiftly becoming the need of the hour.
Whether we talk about SMEs or renowned brands, everyone is leveraging the true potential of zero trust security architecture to its fullest potential.
Besides its crucial role in minimizing cyber threats, many zero-trust vendors are misrepresenting its features and how it can pave the path for seamless and secure user authentication and authorization.
Businesses considering zero trust architecture must go through the myths above before choosing their vendor to ensure their crucial information is in safe hands.