Helping the Public Sector Adopt a Zero Trust Framework: Okta Joins the AWS Summit
Earlier this year I wrote that, in 2021, government security leaders need to adopt a true Zero Trust framework—an approach that ensures the right people have the right level of access, to the right resources, in the right context. And that access must be assessed continuously—all without adding friction for the user. Meanwhile, it should add as much friction as possible for attackers. In short, a Zero Trust approach to security is no longer a suggestion—it’s essential.
Over the last few months, it’s been encouraging to see the positive momentum among both government and industry security leaders, who’ve all taken action to make Zero Trust a reality across different agencies. As an example, see this article about Zero Trust driving DOD's identity management evolution.
Just this month, both the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) took key steps in this journey. OMB released a draft federal strategy designed to move the U.S. government towards a Zero Trust architecture, and the CISA released a Cloud Security Technical Reference Architecture and Zero Trust Maturity Model to guide and assist agencies in their implementation planning.
This all comes in the wake of the Biden Administration’s Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity, which served as a major push for agencies to adopt Zero Trust principles and adjust their network architectures accordingly.
The basic principles of Zero Trust, such as least privilege access, and multi-factor authentication (MFA), are integral steps to keeping adversaries out of our nation’s critical systems.
Government leaders must understand that identity is the foundation of a modern approach to security, and that Zero Trust is the framework for it. Building out that Zero Trust security framework is essential for all organizations, and that includes government agencies, worldwide. But the existing technology debt that agencies bear, combined with a rise in the public sector, cyber-attacks, and the need for distributed workforces, have all increased the federal challenge to protect against today’s biggest cyber threats.
The AWS Summit
At next week’s AWS Summit, I’ll be speaking about how identity and access management is the core technology that organizations should start with on their Zero Trust journeys. I invite you to join me for my theater expo session, Shifts to Zero Trust in an Untrustworthy World on September 28 to learn why making identity the foundation for Zero Trust strategies is crucial (see details below).
As a leader in identity and access management, Okta is proud to support all agencies through their Zero Trust security journey. Okta can help government security leaders build and implement a comprehensive, identity-driven security strategy that ties the complexities of protecting people and assets together in a seamless experience.
I’m also thrilled to share that we’ve recently been named a leader in Forrester’s 2021 IDaaS for Enterprise Wave—achieving the highest scores possible in fourteen out of eighteen criteria, including product vision, innovation roadmap, and user experience and navigation. Find a copy of that report here.
Okta at the AWS Summit
I look forward to joining the distinguished leaders from government and industry at next week’s AWS Summit. If you want to learn how Zero Trust strategies are evolving, and the importance of identity and access management, I invite you to attend my Theater Expo Session on Tuesday, September 28. Find the details of my session, and Okta’s presence at the summit, below.
Theater Expo session details
- Title: Shifts to Zero Trust in an Untrustworthy World
- Date: September 28, 2021 at 9:40 a.m. ET
- Location: Partner Theater 2 in Exhibit Hall
Booth details
- Okta Booth #335
- Demo kiosk at Carahsoft booth #821
- Exhibit Hall hours are Tuesday September 28, 2021 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday September 29, 2021 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Carahsoft and Okta networking reception
- Registration Page
- Date: September 29, 12:00pm – 2:00pm
- Location: Long View Gallery, Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel, 1234 9th St NW,
Washington, DC 20001
