The threat landscape today has evolved into a highly sophisticated level, requiring enterprises to shift from traditional network security to the Zero Trust methods. However, there is an increasing debate centred around zero trust versus traditional methods. This blog is a comprehensive discussion about the difference between these two security parameters. Let us explore the key features that differentiate one architecture from the other in securing the digital landscape today.

To understand the key difference of these two security models, let us discuss each of them separately.

Understanding Traditional Network Security

The Traditional model is also referred to as ‘castle-and-moat’ approach. This method keeps external threats and secures the network by leveraging perimeter protections like firewalls, IDS (Intrusion Detection System) and other security measures. Similar to being inside a castle walls, once entering a network, the users and systems are considered safe and are trusted by default. Users are therefore given unrestricted access to information or resources, facilitating a false sense of security. This model, however, lacks when it comes to addressing insider threats and cyberattacker’s lateral movements once they break into the security/perimeter defences. This approach modelled on the idea that accessing from outside the network is difficult, hence all the resources inside are safe by default. 

The Traditional perimeter security leverages several key components. Some of them are:

Firewalls: It is a software or hardware solution that checks and filters the network traffic and allows only a certain type to get through the traffic

IDS  (Intrusion Detection System): This perimeter monitors activities on the network and keep check of anomalies and suspicious behaviour. It raises alarm and alerts when it detects unusual activity. 

VPN (Virtual Private Network):VPN makes use of encryption for securing data transmitted from the organization’s internal network to the Internet.

In the traditional network security methods, these components provide a secure perimeter to an organization’s network. Although it offers a certain level of protection, it often lacks to provide an ideal security solution. 

Understanding Zero Trust Security Model

The Zero trust network security emerged as a strategic and paradigm shift in the field of digital security. It follows a contrasting concept and removes trust within the organization’s network architecture. It underscores the concept and approach of never trust, always verify. Hence, in this method, there is no trust within the inner network, and users or devices must always be verified. No one, whether an internal member or outsider, must not be trusted by default. In the Zero Trust approach, no one is entitled the benefit of the doubt and every user whether from inside or outside must prove their legitimacy before accessing to any of the organization’s network resources. 

Here in this method, organizations follow a strict access control regulations regardless of the network and location of the users. 

The key features of Zero Trust Network Security includes:

Explicit Verification: In a Zero Trust Approach, every user or device trying to access the organization’s resources and network must go through levels of authentication and authorization, regardless of whether an insider or outsider.

Principle of Least Privilege: The Zero trust approach is based on the principle of least privilege to restrict and limit user access, aimed at mitigating potential damage in the event of a security breach occurring. 

Micro-Segmentation: The networks in the Zero Trust Approach are segmented into smaller and secure zones. This method is adopted to restrict and limit the lateral movement of threats. Each segment is powered with its own security policies and user access control.

Continuous Monitoring: In Zero trust network security, every activity and behaviour of the device and users are monitored continuously to ensure effective detection and responding to potential attacks/threats in real-time. 

Assumption of Breach: The Zero-Trust Approach is guided by the assumption of the presence of threats and attackers within the network and not from outside, entailing organizations to design security strategy accordingly. 

Putting in place and executing a Zero-Trust network security involves an amalgamation of technologies, including IAM (Identity and Access Management), MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication), security analytics, encryption and network segmentation. Adopting this zero-trust security approach will enable organizations to effectively protect and secure their sensitive data, reduce the risk of attacks and data breaches, and attain higher efficiency and enhanced security. 

Some Examples of Zero-Trust Network Security

Below are a few use cases and examples that employ Zero-Trust Security approach

Cloud Security: With organizations increasingly adopting cloud technology, ensuring stringent identity authentication and access has become more important. The Zero-Trust model provides an excellent measure for organizations to implement higher security and protection of cloud resources.

Data Centre Security: Zero-trust model enables organizations to implement strong security and protection of their sensitive data through secure segmentation of network security and controlling employing methods like device security posture, user authentication and other factors. 

PAM (Privilege Access Management): With Zero-Trust model of network security, enterprises can manage and secure privilege accounts. 

Partner and vendor Access: With the Zero-Trust model, enterprises can grant access to third parties securely without putting their security structure at risk, and enforcing the security controls and authentication protocols for internal users.

Security for remote work culture: Zero-trust models enables organizations to have a secure and protected remote work culture and allows securing of data access requests from diverse devices and locations. 

Major differences between Traditional Security and Zero Trust Security

• Traditional security is dependent on network perimeter as trust boundary. Zero-Trust, on the other hand, invalidates the idea of a trusted internal network. 
• In traditional security, users and devices are assumed to be trustworthy while zero-trust does not make any such assumption regardless of an inside or outsider, or any sources and location.
• Traditional security is based on network location, on the contrary Zero-Trust is based on authenticity of the device and identity and other contextual factors.
• Traditional security architecture is modelled on Castle-and-Moat approach, while Zero-Trust has a decentralized and micro-segmented network and access control.
• Attackers have free rein in case of data breach in traditional model while in Zero-trust even in the event of breach, close monitoring is maintained on the movements of the attackers 

Traditional and Zero-trust models are both vital measures of security. However, in today’s advanced and highly sophisticated era of digital threat landscape, the Zero-trust model has become a vital instrument of cybersecurity.