No more complexities. Adopt the zero-trust security culture with hands-on tips about what to do and what to avoid.
Capterra's 2022 Zero Trust Survey* reveals that 39% of IT leaders in small businesses couldn't adopt zero-trust network access (ZTNA) due to a lack of implementation expertise. The complexity of zero-trust policies often hinders adoption, so Gartner recommends a continuous lifecycle approach for IT security leaders.[1]
This approach consists of seven steps that flow into each other naturally to help you build a ZTNA strategy that levels up your business's security strength. You'll begin with assessing how risky it is for your business to let people work remotely, involving key stakeholders in discussions to integrate zero-trust architecture into your long-term cybersecurity strategy. Then governing data & information access levels, followed by conducting regular assessments to ensure everything functions as intended.
What is zero trust?
Zero trust is a security approach that enhances the safety of your business by strictly authenticating users and giving them only the necessary access to your network. Instead of the traditional approach of "trust, but verify," zero trust follows a stricter rule: "Never trust, always verify." For example, an employee, even with limited access to the company’s most important client reports, must verify their identity whenever they try to access those reports for their work. Although this may sound harsh, zero trust operates on the assumption that a security/data breach is either bound to happen or has already happened.
Step 1: Define the objectives and scope with stakeholders
ZTNA brings changes to user experiences (like daily logins), administrative processes (such as new access rules), and change management (adjusting to new ways of working). To help set the tone for the transition to zero trust, you have to define your goals for security and get every stakeholder, such as your lead IT technician, office manager, and remote team, on the same page.
How to approach this step
1. Collaborate with your key team members, even if you don't have specific security leaders, to outline what you want to achieve with ZTNA.
2. Highlight the benefits of ZTNA, showing how it can make your business safer and more efficient.
3. Start small with ZTNA's impact on a few applications, users, or devices such as your leading sales software or remote team members.
4. As you get comfortable, bring in more complicated users, such as contractors, who need special access. This adds layers of security where it matters most.
5. Set realistic expectations about what will change and how long it will take to adopt the zero-trust culture, such as a two-week transition period for a specific department.
6. Outline the project, describing what will be included (such as your customer database) and what won't (like older systems that might not work with ZTNA).
7. Expand your ZTNA system as your business grows to cover new areas, such as additional product lines.
8. Choose your ZTNA service vendor strategically. Though 47% of IT leaders find it challenging to select zero-trust maturity model vendors*, it's better to simply think about what you need from them, such as easy integration, and maybe run a small trial to see what works best with your existing setup. This "test drive" helps you make an informed choice without committing resources upfront.
/ Important note
If you've already bought a ZTNA product (a specific network security software or tool designed for zero-trust security), make sure it fits your business needs and does what you hope to achieve. It will prevent you from getting stuck with a system that's too complex or lacks essential features, leading to wasted time, money, and possibly weaker security.
You set a strong foundation when define your objectives and scope with stakeholders. It helps ensure that everyone understands your vision, ZTNA's benefits, and the changes it brings. As a result, your business will be better positioned to handle security threats and maintain a secure environment that fosters new technology's growth and trust among team members.
Step 2: Align your business goals with zero-trust strategies
The second step in your zero-trust network access (ZTNA) journey is to harmonize your business objectives with zero-trust strategies. This alignment ensures your security measures support your business goals rather than hinder them. It's also crucial for securing your small business without disrupting productivity, as getting the balance wrong might lead to unnecessary barriers for your team.
Before moving forward, it's necessary to revisit the core principles of zero trust. Understanding these principles at this stage ensures you build on a solid foundation, aligning every decision with the fundamental concept of "never trust, always verify."
Strike a balance between security and productivity
The zero-trust model connects end users to applications. Therefore, finding a balance between enhancing security and maintaining productivity is crucial. Leaning too far toward strict security might slow down your team while focusing only on productivity might leave gaps in your defense.
Navigate through these tips:
Avoid assessing trust based on constantly changing factors or simply blocking/allowing access, as this can frustrate users. Instead, rely on consistent signals such as login patterns to gauge trustworthiness.
Clearly communicate access restrictions or blocks to end users so they understand why extra security measures are needed. This transparency builds acceptance.
/ Important note
Your zero-trust approach must fit your business size, industry, and plans for technology. Ensure that you’re not overcomplicating things or missing essential points. If you run a midsize eCommerce business, you don't need the same level of security as a multinational bank, but you still need to protect your customer information. Finding the right balance is important.
The building blocks of zero-trust strategy
These building blocks are the practical steps that turn zero-trust principles into action:
Common identity management construct: Define who (like employees or partners) and what (like computers or phones) need access to particular parts of your business.
Adaptive access controls: Set rules, including:
Who do you trust and why
What devices can be used
What they can reach, such as specific files or software
How much risk you're willing to accept
While you might already know these principles and building blocks, they become crucial as you implement ZTNA. They ensure that security integrates smoothly into your business operations, rather than becoming an obstacle.
Step 3: Focus on appropriate access
You need to focus on who gets to access what, ensuring that only the right people can access the correct information. By identifying specific use cases and applying the right policies, you're not just using ZTNA as a one-size-fits-all solution but tailoring it to your business's unique needs.
How to approach this step
Identify the "user-to-application-to-data" use cases. Think about where ZTNA can make the most significant difference. For example, if you have a marketing team, you might only allow them access to marketing materials, keeping financial data off-limits.
Apply specific policies once you know where you want to use ZTNA. These policies might include things such as multi-factor authentication or limiting access times. For example, you could restrict access to sensitive data only during working hours on weekdays. This helps prevent unauthorized access outside of permitted times.
Create a business access security policy combining information about who's asking (such as an employee) and what they're using (such as a company laptop) to decide what they can access. For example, you could allow access to specific applications only from managed devices, while blocking access from personal devices.
Leverage Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) tools to manage user identities and secure access privileges. IGA tools can automate the provisioning and de-provisioning of access, enforce least privilege permissions, and provide visibility into who has access to what resources. This helps ensure users only have the access they need to do their jobs.
5. Use Privileged Access Management (PAM) tools to enforce strong authentication and authorization policies in real time when a user attempts to access a resource. PAM tools can prompt multi-factor authentication, evaluate risk signals, and determine whether to allow, deny, or step up authentication based on access policies. This provides runtime enforcement of least privilege access.
By following these steps to prioritize the right access, you take a proactive stance towards customizing your ZTNA to fit your business perfectly and avoiding potential security risks.
Narrow your search for IT services with our list of companies in the following areas:
Step 4: Document and map application usage
This step is about creating a detailed map of your business's digital landscape. You're figuring out who needs access to what applications and why. This is essential because almost half of surveyed IT leaders reported this as a challenge in their ZTNA journey.*
How to approach this step
Begin by exploring what applications you use and who uses them before implementing ZTNA—for example, determine whether your sales team needs access to the inventory system.
Decide whether to map everything first or start small with one group or one application—you could choose to map all users at once or just the marketing team.
Collaborate with team leaders to decide what access everyone needs, including contractors—this ensures that you don't accidentally block access to essential tools.
Outline the remote work rules and what resources remote workers will need. This sets clear expectations for remote access.
Understand what each team needs from your security rules, such as specific access controls for HR or developers. Neglecting this might lead to unprotected sensitive data.
Utilize application mapping tools to validate your security policies and ensure they align with your business needs.
Leverage the mapping tools provided by your ZTNA vendor, especially if they offer functionality in "open" or "monitor" mode; this can assist in viewing how people are using different parts of your system, so you can precisely tailor the access controls.
Start with broad access policies and refine them as you understand your needs. Keep them updated to ensure they align with your growing business's requirements.
Mapping application usage is like having a blueprint of a building, showing you every room and who should be in it. These steps make you efficient to ensure everyone has the right tools for their job, promoting efficiency while maintaining a secure environment.
Step 5: Clean up zero-trust application access and tune policies
This step of your zero-trust security implementation journey involves decluttering your digital environment, ensuring everything is in its proper place and working efficiently.
How to approach this step
Get rid of outdated privileges to ensure that old employees or outdated systems no longer have access to your company resources, such as removing a former accountant's access to financial data.
Understand who needs access to what to ensure that your team has what they need without overexposing sensitive information, such as ensuring only the HR team can see personnel files.
Validate sanctioned resources to check that the tools your business has approved are being used correctly, such as making sure customer data is only accessed through your secured CRM.
Identify unsanctioned applications to understand if anyone is using tools they shouldn't be, such as finding out someone is using a free file-sharing service that's not secure—here's a proper example of shadow IT.
Decide what applications to eliminate or restrict to prevent exposing your business to unnecessary risks, such as discontinuing a chat app that doesn't encrypt messages.
Keep your Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) guidelines and access policies updated to ensure your rules align with your current needs. Failing to do so might lead to inconsistencies in access controls, such as a new team member not having the access they need because the rules are outdated.
Step 6: Prepare for operational overheads and complexity
This step challenges you to brace for some changes in operations. Security is never a "set-it-and-forget-it" thing; it needs to keep up with your growing business. You might face operational overheads such as extra time spent on staff training, more frequent security checks, or additional steps in your login process. These are all part of making sure your ZTNA policies stay effective and up-to-date.
How to approach this step
Continuously adjust ZTNA policies as you add new tools or data sources. You must create new access rules to ensure only the right people have access. This will ensure that your security measures grow with your business.
With changes in access requirements, prepare your security team to handle new requests. For example, if a team member needs access to a new sales tool, your ZTNA tools should be set up to manage and record these changes. Being prepared makes these transitions smooth.
Maintain clear communication with everyone using your applications to understand who needs what and why. If a marketing team is launching a new campaign, they might need temporary access to specific data. Knowing this in advance helps you set the proper rules.
Develop a process for handling exceptions to ensure that unique or unexpected access requests don't slow down your team. If someone needs urgent access to a file they don't usually use, having a transparent process makes handling that request fast and secure.
When changes are made to access rules, ensure they align with your business's needs without adding undue risk. If a contractor's role changes, adjusting their access accordingly keeps your system secure without hindering their work.
ZTNA might change how you manage parts of your system, such as the devices people use to access business tools. Work with your tech team to update these parts before implementing zero trust to keep things running smoothly. For example, upgrading outdated devices ensures they work with your new security measures.
Just as you wouldn't want old files or outdated tools cluttering your desk, you shouldn't let outdated privileges or unnecessary applications clutter your digital environment. By streamlining access and ensuring only the right people have access to specific resources, you're setting your business up for both efficiency and security.
Step 7: Validate access controls and resource isolation
In this final phase of your zero-trust network access (ZTNA) journey, turn your attention to validating access controls and resource isolation. After putting in all the hard work to set up ZTNA, it's time to ensure everything works as intended.
How to approach this step
Regularly check your security controls to ensure they're up to par. Consider this validation phase a regular health check-up for your business's security system. Assess the current state of compliance, just like you'd review the monthly sales figures to see where you stand.
Create a detailed plan to test and validate your ZTNA policies. This might include scheduling regular reviews or setting specific benchmarks for success, such as maintaining a certain level of encryption across all data.
Use various assessments to verify your controls. This could be internal self-checks, using the reporting tools within your ZTNA solution, or hiring an external firm to test your system. It's like having a quality check on your products to ensure they meet the standards.
Establish a compliance state to reveal any potential gaps. This might include checking if all remote workers follow the required multi-factor authentication procedures, ensuring no weak links in the chain.
Conduct regular security assessments of the ZTNA environment. Use tools or resources that fit your business's risk appetite to ensure everything functions as it should, such as running a regular diagnostic test on your company's hardware.
After all the effort and planning, retesting these controls ensures that not only are you protected from external threats, but that your internal systems are functioning seamlessly, and you are adapting to your business's evolving needs.
Zero trust is a journey—let professionals make it easier for you
Around 40% of small businesses are either developing or planning to adopt a zero-trust security model in the future but haven't yet taken action.* However, almost every single one who has adopted (99%) agrees that zero trust has improved their company's cybersecurity posture.
So don't let the complexities deter you from making your cybersecurity impervious to cyber threats. You can adopt zero trust with the steps we've provided. But if you're feeling overwhelmed, Capterra has a robust collection of IT services and IaaS providers ready to help.
IT services agencies can help simplify the complex task of zero-trust implementation by assisting you in developing a tailored strategy, establishing necessary policies, setting up systems, and training your team.
IaaS providers can provide you with infrastructure solutions that adhere to zero-trust principles, equipping you with critical tools for user identity management, network segmentation, and data encryption.
Let these professionals ease your zero-trust journey to a more secure digital environment for your business.