Zero Trust Lines of Defenses: Mapping the NIST Zero Trust Architecture Report
Zero Trust Lines of Defense Mapping the NIST Zero Trust Architecture Report “Trust is a vulnerability that cyber threats exploit. Zero Trust is how we
What is Zero Trust?
A modern and agile defense paradigm
For those who are responsible for the management of a company’s IT infrastructure, it is quite clear that the moat technique, i.e. the old idea of building a moat around a castle to keep intruders out, is no longer relevant. This is not only inefficient but also hardly feasible given the number and diversity of entry points into the IT environment.
The risks organizations face aren’t just from external attackers, they also come from insiders, whether through accidental errors, compromised credentials, or intentional wrongdoing. Relying solely on perimeter defenses creates blind spots, leaving organizations vulnerable to threats that originate from within.
Simply verifying a person or device before granting access to company resources is no longer enough. Cloud adoption, remote work, and third-party integrations have blurred network boundaries. Moreover, if an attacker gains control of a legitimate identity, they can move freely through the system without raising alarms.
With businesses increasingly depending on public, private, and hybrid cloud services, a crucial question arises: How can you ensure trust is continuously maintained?
What are the principles of Zero Trust?
A Zero Trust approach, has proven to be more effective. It is based on the principle of “never trust, always verify.” Unlike traditional security methods that assume users inside the network are safe, Zero Trust ensures continuous authentication, strict access controls, and constant monitoring.
Key principles include:
- Least privilege with minimal Access Rights: Users only receive the access strictly required for their tasks, reducing the attck surface.
- Ongoing Verification: Even after login, users are continuously assessed based on their behavior, device, and location.
- Segmentation of Network Access: Instead of broad permissions, users are restricted to specific systems or applications.
- An Assumption That Breach Is Inevitable: Rather than relying on outdated barriers, companies actively work to detect and contain potential intrusions.
What are the benefits of adopting a Zero Trust approach?
Implementing Zero Trust security offers significant benefits in terms of protection, compliance, and operational efficiency:
- Stronger Protection: By enforcing strict access controls and monitoring all traffic, Zero Trust minimizes exposure to threats like ransomware, credential theft, and insider attacks.
- Enhanced Regulatory Compliance: With built-in identity verification and activity logging, Zero Trust helps meet compliance requirements for frameworks such as NIS2, DORA, and ISO 27001.
- Secure Remote & Cloud Access: Employees, partners, and contractors can securely connect from anywhere, eliminating reliance on VPNs and outdated perimeter-based security.
- Reduced Attack Surface: Micro-segmentation and least privilege access ensure that even if a breach occurs, the damage is contained and attackers cannot move freely within the network.
Why choosing cyberelements?
cyberelements offers a Zero Trust access management solution designed to secure modern IT and OT environments. With cyberelements, organizations benefit from:
- Strong Authentication & Access Control: Advanced multi-factor authentication (MFA), and AI-driven behavioral analysis ensure that only verified users gain access.
- Seamless User Experience: Unlike traditional security tools that slow down workflows, cyberelements delivers user friendly secure access. Users can continue using their applications without changing their habits thanks to the direct access mode. Furthermore, SSO allows seamless authentication to applications by automatically injecting authentication information.
- Rapid Deployment & Scalability: cyberelements integrates seamlessly with existing IT environments and scales effortlessly to accommodate business growth.
- Full Visibility & Compliance: Detailed audit logs, session recordings, and real-time monitoring provide full traceability, helping organizations meet regulatory requirements with ease.
cyberelements shifts your cybersecurity strategy by moving away from direct access models. Instead, it provides a double barrier architecture based on a Mediation and a Gateway. Instead of exposing internal resources, a secure intermediary manages access requests and only grants entry under strict verification.
The mediation server, typically placed in a demilitarized zone (DMZ), acts as a checkpoint by:
- Authenticating users and verifying their legitimacy.
- Granting access only when security conditions are met.
By using the cyberelements approach, businesses significantly reduce their attack surface, ensuring that only legitimate users can interact with corporate data and applications.
