Zero Standing Privilege & Zero Trust Network Access
The Pillars of Modern Identity Security
Zero Standing Privilege (ZSP) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) work together to create a holistic approach to Modern Identity Security, building on the overarching Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) principle of never trusting, always verifying.
ZSP & ZTNA are designed to address the inherent vulnerabilities of traditional privileged access management (PAM) systems.
They work in tandem to shift the focus from a presumed trust model to one based
on continuous verification, least privilege and just-in-time access.
Identity-Centric Approach
ZSP and ZTNA play complementary roles in modern identity security, both focus on securing identities rather than networks or devices. This is a critical shift in security thinking, recognizing that the perimeter is no longer the most reliable defense against cyberattacks. ZSP eliminates standing privileges, a major attack vector for cybercriminals. ZTNA verifies user and device identities and authorizes access to resources on a just-in-time basis.
Zero Standing Privileges Explained
Zero Standing Privileges (ZSP) is a modern identity security approach. It’s a cost-effective and time-saving security essential that eliminates standing privileges and aligns with the principle of least privilege, granting users just-in-time access to the resources they need, when they need them. This considerably reduces the risk of data breaches, improves compliance and reduces operational overheads while improving cyber insurance eligibility.
ZSP Best Practices
For a successful ZSP implementation, the following best practices guarantee a seamless and secure execution: establish just-in-time access workflows, create granular access controls using attributes and roles and routinely rotate credentials for shared accounts. Additionally, implement continuous monitoring and auditing, enable multi-factor authentication, conduct regular security assessments and prioritize user education and awareness.
Just-in-Time Access
Zero Standing Privileges (ZSP) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) champion just-in-time access, guaranteeing that users and devices gain access to resources precisely when necessary. ZTNA enforces just-in-time access by mandating authentication and authorization for every access attempt. ZSP solutions automate this workflow, where as earlier organizations had to create customized workflows to fit their unique requirements.
Continuous Monitoring
Both ZSP and ZTNA involve continuous monitoring of users and their activities. ZSP focuses on monitoring access permissions and privileges to ensure they remain time-bound, while ZTNA continually verifies the trustworthiness of entities trying to access network resources.
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ZSP Explained
Zero Standing Privileges (ZSP) is a security approach that emphasizes granting users the minimum privileges required for their tasks, limiting access rights to reduce the risk of security breaches. Unlike traditional identity and access management that often grant excessive access, making them vulnerable to breaches, ZSP ensures that users only receive access when necessary, following the Just-in-Time (JIT) principle.
JIT Access and the Least Privilege Principle reduce the risk of account takeover, credential theft, and identity compromise. Users only gain access when needed, minimizing the window of vulnerability and strengthening overall security.
ZSP offers advantages such as reduced data breach risks and better control over user permissions. It acknowledges potential challenges like increased task completion time and difficulty managing complex environments, aiming to address these concerns through robust solutions.
Implementing ZSP fosters a culture of respect and accountability, ensuring employees remain productive and focused. It contributes to the overall operational efficiency of an organization by maintaining security without compromising productivity.
Identity-centric Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) removes the notion of network segments, exposing users to resources based on policies. It extends the trust boundary, considering user identity and device risk before granting access. This is essential for a robust ZSP implementation, ensuring access is granted only to the right users at the right time.
ZSP offers a comprehensive view of enterprise identities and their risks, monitoring service accounts, AD accounts, and local admin accounts. The platform’s unified agent gathers identity risk across AD controllers and endpoints, enabling organizations to address identity threats comprehensively.
ZTNA operates on the principle of “zero trust, always verify,” requiring authentication for every access attempt. It assumes that any device can be compromised and restricts access based on user location, authentication level, and risk assessment. Unlike traditional VPNs, ZTNA follows a “deny by default” policy, granting access only to authorized services to enhance security and prevent automatic access in case of compromise.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a vital part of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), essential for ensuring secure access in today’s work-from-anywhere environment. It’s mandated by regulations like Executive Order 14028 and compliance standards such as NIST 800-171 and PCI DSS. Combining MFA with a Zero Trust strategy enhances security for all sectors, providing a more robust defense against cyber threats.
ZSP supports a zero-trust security architecture by developing policies and controls that require users to verify their identity, particularly in dynamic environments like the cloud. This adaptability ensures that security measures remain effective, even when traditional methods may be less impactful.
ZSP emphasizes building workflows to support JIT Access, ensuring that users obtain access precisely when required. Comprehensive logs are maintained for auditing and compliance reporting, providing transparency into user activities and access events.
ZSP enhances advanced features like integration with next-gen antivirus software, control dashboards for user sessions, and advanced data analytics. The platform’s differentiation lies in its innovative solutions, facilitating short-lived connections, sponsor workflows, and identity threat detection.
Identity Segmentation involves restricting every resource based on user entitlements, effectively reducing the surface area of potential attacks. It complements micro-segmentation, restricting lateral movement and significantly enhancing the effectiveness of ZSP.
ZSP enables continuous conditional authentication by providing passwordless, just-in-time cloud infrastructure access. It ensures that developers and DevSecOps have constant access to their computing resources without introducing unnecessary user friction, enhancing overall security.
The Comprehensive Identity Security Stack includes prevention and analytics (ITDR with visibility across service accounts, AD accounts, etc.), management of identities and access (Endpoint and Server PAM, Trusted access), device trust (passwordless TPM, Zero-trust Authentication). This stack provides a holistic approach to identity security.
While both Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) ensure secure remote access, ZTNA stands out with its ‘zero trust, always verify’ approach. Unlike VPNs that trust users by default and provide access to the entire network, ZTNA assumes any device can be compromised. It restricts access based on user location, authentication, and risk assessment, employing a ‘deny by default’ policy to enhance security, allowing access only to authorized services. ZTNA’s proactive security model offers a more robust defense against potential threats
Endpoint security is pivotal in Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), ensuring secure access by validating endpoint security and compliance. These solutions offer insights into endpoint security, evaluating operating systems, applications, and user behavior to assess risk. They also defend against malware and cyber threats. Integrating endpoint security with ZTNA ensures that only secure endpoints access network resources, minimizing the risk of security breaches and data compromise.
ZTNA and Zero Trust
ZTNA extends the least privilege principle to network access by authenticating and authorizing users and devices before granting access to network resources. ZTNA employs micro-segmentation to isolate network resources from each other and from the public internet. This makes it difficult for attackers to gain access to sensitive data and systems by preventing lateral movement within the network.
Risk Mitigation
ZSP and ZTNA enhance data security by thwarting unauthorized access. Together, they form an agile, proactive security framework that combats standing privileges, unauthorized entry and data breaches.
Reduction of Attack Surface
ZSP and ZTNA work together to reduce the attack surface. ZSP limits access to specific tasks and timeframes, reducing the exposure of sensitive resources. ZTNA, by continually verifying trustworthiness, further reduces the attack surface by ensuring that only legitimate entities gain access.
Reduced Costs & Improved Compliance
ZSP and ZTNA can help organizations comply with industry regulations, such as PCI DSS and HIPAA. ZSP and ZTNA can help organizations reduce costs by simplifying security operations and reducing the need for expensive security solutions.
