Having a secure network is vital for any business to ensure that sensitive company information remains safe from hackers, cyber criminals, or even just unauthorized individuals. However, with several people connected to said network—and sometimes even on multiple devices each—it becomes more difficult to regulate access across all users. That vulnerability may then make the network susceptible to data breaches or other forms of network misuse.
To prevent such cases from happening, you can choose to have a Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) system integrated into your current IT infrastructure. But what exactly is ZTNA and how does it keep your network secure? Here’s a quick overview.
Never Trust, Always Verify
A ZTNA is an IT security solution that facilitates the secure access of users and devices to a network regulated under a strictly defined access control. That means remote users can only gain access if they carry a certain role or are clearly identified by the network, ensuring data security is maintained at all times. Every action within the network is tracked as well depending on the solution used, allowing transparency in the use of the organization’s resources.
Having a Zero Trust ZTNA solution allows your IT team to easily block out suspicious users, both those coming from outside and potentially inside the organization. All access are logged and verified, typically using two factor authentication (2FA). As evident in its name, ZTNA takes the “never trust, always verify” approach seriously to ensure your networks are accessed only by trusted user and devices.
ZTNA Implementation
Now that you know what it can do for your organization’s network security, you might be interested in integrating ZTNA to your existing IT infrastructure. Here are some things to consider as you do so:
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Compatibility Test
The first step toward integration is to conduct a compatibility assessment to determine if every major part of your network—applications, databases, shared drives, and the like—can work well with the ZTNA solution you’re evaluating. Some ZTNA solutions like the one that Mamori.io provides is known for its flexibility and can thus be easily adapted to various IT infrastructure seamlessly.
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Gradual Implementation
To ensure that no critical operations will be interrupted should anything still needs to be smoothed out, you may opt for gradual implementation wherein ZTNA will be integrated as a pilot test project first. It can then allow you and your staff to observe how it works with your current security tools and to spot any hiccups, if any. After gathering feedback from this pilot test, it can then be improved before being scaled up until full implementation is reached.
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Synchronizing Access
No doubt that your current system already had access systems in place. While it would be no problem to carry these over during ZTNA implementation, it would still be best to double-check to see if identities and user privileges are accurately reflected. This would also give you ample time should you need to modify some access privileges first before your ZTNA system goes fully operational.
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Monitoring and Adjusting
Not every system can be perfectly integrated on the first try, especially if the organization runs complicated systems and workflows. After all, with how precise ZTNA can be with access controls, it may take time to fully map out who can have access to which functions with what devices or applications. Hence, continuous monitoring should be a key part of any integration as well as adjusting should pain points arise.
Benefits
Work have become more diverse nowadays, allowing for work-from-home arrangements, bring your own device (BYOD) users, and remote access through cloud services. Although convenient, this poses various security risks and challenges that may need a stricter system to address. This is why the benefits of adapting ZTNA for your organization cannot be emphasized enough, as it can eliminate any worries you may have when it comes to unauthorized access of important company data.
Among such benefits include supporting dynamic work setups without compromising data security while reducing risks of malware or cyberattack.
Protecting your company data and ensuring that it won’t be vulnerable to any attacks or insider threats is a right for every organization. For your organization’s security needs, consider adopting a ZTNA solution today and see how it can further fortify your current IT security system.
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