Zero Trust architecture is gaining more and more ground as organizations are becoming aware of the need for a new approach to combat the wave of threats and attacks while understanding the specific implications of this concept. Datanet Systems supports the transition to a new paradigm in cybersecurity and regularly organizes awareness events.

 

The event “the practical approach of Zero Trust Architecture with Cisco security solutions” was part of this series and highlighted both the benefits and technological components of Zero Trust architecture. Presented by our colleagues George Ioniță and Bogdan Șileanu, the presentations emphasized the Cisco Zero Trust framework, an approach that secures endpoints, cloud services, networks, and applications equally using a set of solutions that includes Cisco Duo, Umbrella, SecureX, and Secure Endpoint.

 

Zero Trust represents a modern and advanced approach to cybersecurity that significantly differs from traditional approaches. This methodology is based on the fundamental principle that no component or user can be implicitly trusted, whether they are inside or outside the network. Therefore, Zero Trust requires continuous authentication, authorization, and monitoring of all access and interactions.

 

“In traditional approaches, trust is automatically granted through access authentication, providing attackers with freedom of movement once they have infiltrated the system. Moreover, traditional approaches do not include cloud services or mobility in the security perimeter. On the other hand, Zero Trust involves granting trust to each action, regardless of the nature of the user or device. Thus, lateral movements are blocked, and the security perimeter includes all resources, including the cloud, hybrid environment, BYOD,” says George Ioniță, Cybersecurity Consultant at Datanet Systems.

 

 

Zero Trust is based on the following elements:

• Identity and Access Management (IAM) – continuously verifying and validating user identities (involving advanced multi-factor authentication).
• Zero privileges – significantly reducing risk by limiting privileges.
• Network segmentation – creating micro-perimeters and even “security group trust” to apply meticulous rules.
• Device Security – establishing strict rules for securing devices, including authentication, encryption, and continuous updates.
• Application Security – implementing stringent rules for securing applications, from source code validation to penetration testing.
• Data Security – protecting data throughout its lifecycle, in transit, in use, and at rest, requiring encryption, DLP (data loss prevention), etc.
• Continuous monitoring and analysis – collecting data from multiple sources to analyze behavior and proactively identify threats.

 

Within the partnership with Cisco, Datanet provides specific solutions for each pillar of Zero Trust. The key solutions integrated by Datanet in the Zero Trust architecture are Cisco SecureX, Secure Endpoint, Cisco DUO, and Umbrella.

“Cisco Duo and Cisco Secure Endpoint are the solutions that meet the requirements for User and Device Security, which is the foundation of any Zero Trust architecture. They ensure the security of a user’s entire journey and directly contribute to reducing the attack surface,” adds George Ioniță.

 

Another important component in the Zero Trust architecture built on Cisco technology is SecureX. The SecureX platform collects data from all Cisco solutions and, through correlation with other threat-hunting and intelligence data, understands and contextualizes the actions of each user. The SecureX platform is included with the purchase of any Cisco product.

 

“SecureX integrates all information into a single interface and facilitates the transition from blind searches to precise investigations, reducing response time in the event of attacks by up to 85%. SecureX provides visibility across the entire network in one platform, as well as the ability to initiate remediation actions from a single control point,” says Bogdan Șileanu, Cybersecurity Consultant at Datanet Systems.

 

 

 

As the event’s conclusion, the Zero Trust approach brings significant changes to the field of cybersecurity by eliminating implicit trust and adopting a more granular, continuous, and context-sensitive security mindset. This methodology ensures more effective protection against current threats and provides a higher level of security for organizations’ networks and data.

 

Moreover, the Cisco-built Zero Trust architecture is the most extensive in the industry and has been validated by the research and consulting company Forrester in their latest report: Forrester Wave: Zero Trust eXtended Ecosystem Platform Providers.

 

Datanet Systems offers comprehensive support for adopting Zero Trust architecture and implementing any necessary Cisco solutions, including integration with tools from other providers.