Steps to Begin a Zero Trust Journey

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) - National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE)) released for public comment (open until Sept. 3): “Implementing a Zero Trust Architecture (NIST SP 1800-35 v.4)” This guide outlines #bestpractices for the implementation of #zerotrust architectures (ZTAs) to assist organizations with implementing a plan to gradually evolve their existing environments and technologies to #ZTAs over time. Further, the guide recommends that organizations wanting to deploy and implement #ZT embark on a journey that includes the following steps: - Discover and inventory the existing environment; - Formulate access policy to support the mission and business use cases; - Identify existing #security capabilities and technology; - Eliminate gaps in ZT policy and processes by applying a risk-based approach based on the value of #data; - Implement #ZTA components (people, process, and technology) and incrementally leverage deployed security solutions; - Verify the implementation to support ZT outcomes; - Continuously improve and evolve due to changes in threat landscape, mission, technology, and regulations. By following the guide, organizations should be better positioned to implement a ZTA that: - Supports user access to resources regardless of user location or device (managed or unmanaged); - Protects sensitive #information and other business assets and processes regardless of their location (on-premises or #cloud-based); -Limits #breaches by making it harder for attackers to move through an environment and by addressing insider #threats; - Performs continuous, real-time monitoring, logging, and #risk-based assessment and enforcement of corporate policy.

Planning Your Zero Trust Cybersecurity Implementation As per my previous post, questions raised as how you would go around implementing a zero trust security project. Unfortunately, I’ve seen firsthand that Zero Trust isn’t a one-and-done project—it’s an ongoing journey. Here’s a simple step-by-step roadmap to help you plan, execute, and optimize your Zero Trust architecture. Consider engaging the top executives of the company early on before going ahead. Executive buy in is essential for the implementation to work. 1️⃣ Discovery & Inventory (2–4 W) Key Activities: Map users, devices, applications, and data flows. Technologies to Consider: Asset discovery tools, network scanners. Things to Be Aware Of: Shadow IT can hide critical assets; Incomplete inventories lead to policy gaps. 2️⃣ Policy Definition & Architecture Design (4–6 W) Key Activities: Establish least-privilege access models and segmentation boundaries. Technologies to Consider: Identity & Access Management; MFA; ZTNA solutions. Things to Be Aware Of: Align policies with compliance frameworks. Secure stakeholder buy-in—ZT touches every team. 3️⃣ Microsegmentation & Access Controls (6–8 W) Key Activities: Implement network segmentation, enforce policy at the workload level. Technologies to Consider: Next‑Gen FW; Microsegmentation platforms; SASE Things to Be Aware Of: Test performance impacts in non‑production environments. Over‑segmentation can lead to management complexity. 4️⃣ Pilot Deployment & POC (4–8 W) Key Activities: Roll out Zero Trust controls in a contained environment (e.g., one business unit). Technologies to Consider: EDR; SIEM/Security Monitoring Platforms Things to Be Aware Of: Select a representative pilot to capture realistic challenges; Define success metrics. 5️⃣ Enterprise Rollout & Enforcement (6–9 months) Key Activities: Phased expansion of Zero Trust controls across the organization. Technologies to Consider: Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB);Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Data Classification tools Things to Be Aware Of: Change management is critical—provide training and clear communications. Monitor for policy exceptions and refine continuously. 6️⃣ Continuous Monitoring & Optimization (Ongoing) Key Activities: Review logs, perform threat hunting, update policies. Technologies to Consider: User and Entity Behavior Analytics (UEBA); Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) Things to Be Aware Of: Zero Trust is iterative—regularly audit and adjust; Keep an eye on emerging threats and new business initiatives. 🔒 Zero Trust is a mindset and a journey, not just a checklist. By breaking down silos, enforcing least-privilege, and continuously validating every request, you’ll build a resilient security posture that adapts to today’s dynamic threat landscape. ✨ Ready to start your Zero Trust journey? Let’s connect and share best practices! PLEASE COMMENT BELOW, add details, priorities and experiences that you deem important to consider.

Zero Trust doesn’t have to be complicated. The NSTAC Report to the President on Zero Trust and Trusted Identity Management outlines five key steps for implementing Zero Trust effectively. First, let’s set the record straight: Zero Trust is not a product or tool—it’s a framework and cybersecurity strategy that follows the "never trust, always verify" principle. Here’s how you can implement Zero Trust: 🔹 1. Define your protect surface – Identify the Data, Assets, Applications, and Services (DAAS) that need protection. 🔹 2. Map the transaction flows – Understand how traffic moves to and from your protect surface. This includes interactions between various DAAS components and other resources. 🔹 3. Build a Zero Trust architecture – Design an architecture tailored to your protect surface. The closer security controls are placed to the protect surface, the stronger the protection. 🔹 4. Create Zero Trust policies – Implement Layer 7 (application-level) policies using the Kipling Method to define who or what can access your protect surface—both human and non-human entities. 🔹 5. Monitor and maintain – Inspect and log all traffic (including Layer 7) continuously. Leverage telemetry and monitoring to enhance security over time. Zero Trust is a journey, not a destination. There will always be opportunities to optimize and improve its implementation. What are your thoughts on Zero Trust adoption? If you're looking to take the next step in your Zero Trust journey, let’s connect. I’d love to discuss how your organization can adopt and implement Zero Trust successfully. Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/exVxAtJw