Creating a Zero Trust Ecosystem

Zero Trust (ZT) is a cybersecurity framework that automates an organization’s security architecture and orchestrates a response as soon as systems are attacked. This is why ZT is the core of “Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity,” the Executive Order issued in May 2021 requiring agencies to implement a zero trust architecture for their IT systems.

The challenge, however, lies in implementing a complete solution guided by the seven pillars of Zero Trust laid out by the Department of Defense (DoD). The pillars include continuous authentication; comply-to-connect, device detection and compliance; continuous monitoring and ongoing authorization; data encryption and rights management; software-defined networking; policy decision point and policy orchestration; and threat intelligence.

Learning Objectives:

• Review the seven pillars of ZT as defined by DoD and the solutions that meet their requirements
• Identify the overall strategy for implementing ZT and milestones agencies should look to achieve
• Delineate the relationship between ZT and other core parts of IT systems, such as cloud solutions in use, and how to navigate their connections