Zero-trust, rooted in the principle of “never trust, always verify,” requires organizations to assume that every access request, whether internal or external, is potentially harmful. As organizations increasingly move their operations to the cloud and support remote workforces, the zero-trust security model has become more than a theoretical concept; it’s become necessary for private firms, regulated industries and government entities.

However, successfully implementing a zero-trust security framework within your organization requires two core capabilities: Visibility and automation. These give organizations the segmentation, validation, control, speed and accuracy required to implement a comprehensive solution in today’s complex, ever-expanding, multi-cloud environment.

But there are also some serious challenges to properly implementing a zero-trust: (1) Hybrid-network complexity and interoperability issues; (2) the strain on resources; and (3) the need for accurate data visibility and monitoring.

Critical Components of a Zero-Trust Model

Before delving into the challenges, it’s essential to understand the critical components of zero-trust. At its core, zero-trust requires continuous verification, least-privileged access, segmentation and micro-segmentation to limit the movement of threats within the network. Unlike traditional security models, which assume that everything inside the network perimeter is safe, zero-trust insists on securing resources, regardless of their location. This approach makes it particularly suited for today’s networks, where traditional perimeters no longer exist.

In an ideal world, everything would be up to the zero-trust standard and incorporate micro-segmentation as a norm, but this is simply not realistic. Organizations are challenged to find the correct balance between compliance and security and to do so in a way that won’t slow down the speed of the business. Automation can help.

The keys to success with zero-trust are the ability to monitor and validate every request in real time, encrypt data even during breaches, and ensure that access controls are as granular as possible. This requires advanced tools for network monitoring, automated responses and robust identity management.

Challenge 1: Hybrid-Network Complexity and Interoperability Issues

Hybrid networks – made up of legacy on-premises systems, private clouds, and public cloud services – have become the norm. Integrating these disparate components into a cohesive zero-trust architecture presents a significant challenge. Differences in technology stacks, protocols, and security mechanisms across these environments can lead to interoperability issues, making seamless communication difficult to attain. In addition, in the post-pandemic world where work-from-home policies are a part of every company, software-as-a-service tools must tightly integrate security policies. That said, this also adds another layer of complexity to establishing zero-trust.

Legacy systems are often a stumbling block when it comes to zero-trust. Naturally, these systems were not designed with zero-trust in mind, and retrofitting them to align with it can be resource-intensive and time-consuming. Although a majority of organizations are trying to move into more modern architecture, the fact is that sometimes it’s not that easy to walk away from your existing infrastructure. For example, when there is a merger or acquisition situation, a team may suddenly find itself with a whole new network infrastructure to integrate with their own – and it is unlikely that both networks share the same characteristics. To be successful, security teams must consider additional modifications or even upgrades to ensure that these systems can meet zero-trust requirements without compromising security.

It becomes even more difficult for organizations using multiple cloud service providers, as they must navigate different security tools, policies and access controls. Ensuring consistency in security measures across these diverse environments demands careful planning and integration.

Some methods of solving this challenge include:

• Assessment and Prioritization: Thoroughly assess existing systems to identify critical legacy components and their security gaps. Prioritize where to begin based on each system’s importance, potential risks and feasibility for meeting the zero-trust requirements.
• Upgrades and Modernization: Develop a roadmap for upgrading legacy systems or implementing intermediary solutions to bridge gaps between outdated systems and zero-trust.
• Interoperability and Standards: Implement industry-standard protocols and frameworks (e.g., OAuth, OpenID Connect, etc.) to enable seamless communication between various network components.
• Secure Channels: Employ encryption, VPNs and tunneling protocols to maintain secure communications within the hybrid network. Robust data-sharing protocols should also be defined to ensure security, regardless of data location or movement.

Challenge 2: Strain on Resources

Implementing zero-trust is not a trivial task; it requires significant investment in infrastructure, tools, and expertise. The initial rollout can strain an organization’s resources, in terms of cost and employee burnout.

Not only are any upgrades or changes to existing infrastructure costly but so too can the investments needed in new tools to monitor or manage those changes. Additionally, the complexity of zero-trust controls can be challenging, even for the most experienced security teams. This can mean further investments in training, and possibly new hires if the budget allows. All in all, organizations moving forward with zero-trust can expect to have to expend an increased number of resources in order to be successful. This will naturally be a bigger issue for smaller teams and organizations.

To solve this challenge, teams will need:

• Phased Implementation: Organizations should phase the implementation of zero-trust, beginning with the most critical assets. This allows for a gradual increase in resource allocation and minimizes disruptions.
• Comprehensive Training: Investing in training for existing staff can mitigate the need for additional hires.
• Risk Assessments: Conducting thorough, automated and integrated risk assessments can help organizations allocate resources more effectively by focusing on the areas of greatest risk. These assessments need to be a part of any change in an organization – before it happens – which is why leveraging automation is key.
• Focused Budget Allocation: Organizations must ensure that budgets are aligned with the long-term benefits of zero-trust, recognizing that the initial costs will be offset by a more secure and resilient infrastructure in the long run.

Challenge 3: Data Visibility and Monitoring

One of the hallmarks of zero-trust is its emphasis on visibility. However, achieving comprehensive visibility across a distributed network – especially one with multiple security layers – is challenging.

With zero-trust, resources are spread across various locations and cloud environments, making it difficult to gather and analyze data. The complexity of managing these distributed resources can hinder an organization’s ability to detect and respond to threats in real time.

In addition, the sheer volume of data generated by a zero-trust environment can overwhelm traditional monitoring tools. Without advanced analytics and automation, organizations may struggle to make sense of this data and have trouble rapidly and effectively responding to potential threats.

To solve this challenge, teams should adopt:

• Network Monitoring Tools: Employ tools that provide real-time visibility into network traffic and behavior, enabling swift detection of anomalies or suspicious activity.
• Centralized Dashboards and Reporting: Implement centralized dashboards that aggregate data from all sources within the zero-trust network, providing a comprehensive view of the environment.
• User Behavior Analytics: Utilize behavior analytics to detect anomalies in user actions or even specific access patterns, as these can be crucial to identify potential threats.
• Real-Time Analytics and Automation: Leverage automation to process the vast amounts of data generated by a zero-trust network. Embracing automation can help teams by swiftly identifying and mitigating risks, and removing some repeatable tasks from overworked team members’ plates.

Challenges Can Be Overcome

Despite the complexity and resources required to be successful, the needs of today’s employees are dictating that a zero-trust approach be embraced as the foundation for modern enterprises. By focusing on visibility and security automation, organizations can overcome the challenges presented and bring together legacy networks and new architecture in one cohesive, secure environment.