Traditionally, it was assumed that everything within the corporate network (the IT network, that is) could be trusted – that applications and data would be free from malicious code of any kind. Today, there are several factors which compromise trust:

• People working remotely and, potentially, logging onto the corporate network through unsecured devices – or allowing family members to use company laptops.
• Having remote workers also increases the likelihood that security patches and updates are not applied consistently across network users.
• Employees using their own devices to access the company network (BYOD will still be a factor when people return to the office).
• Pre-pandemic, increased mobility was a factor as people would log onto the network using public Wi-Fi.
• The use of IoT devices which can open a back door into the network if not properly secured. The seemingly harmless items such as wireless printers, refrigerators and anything else that sends data to cell phones or the network are, all to frequently, not viewed as an points to be secured.
• Increased collaboration with partners, vendors and other stakeholders outside the organization, some of whom may not have security systems as robust as your own.
• Increased cloud adoption, without adequate securing of the cloud or edge.

This term “Zero Trust” is being used to talk about a strategic approach to network security that eliminates the automatic trusting of applications and data within an organization’s network. It also requires continuous checking of all entities, as part of an ongoing process. It’s an approach that’s needed to ensure the ongoing security within the distributed network.

This is an important enough concept that we would like to recommend you review “The Forrester Wave™: Zero Trust eXtended Ecosystem Platform Providers, Q3 2020”, by clicking here

in addition to some excellent statistics, insights and recommendations, the report identifies solutions providers who excel at Zero Trust. One of these firms is Cisco.

As you know, we are Cisco partners.  To read Cisco’s “Trusted Access Report” which talks about ensuring secure access now that we remote working has become part of today’s business fabric, please click here.

To learn more about adopting a Zero Trust approach please contact us at [email protected] or (416) 429-0796 or 1.877.238.9944 (Toll Free).