The State of Zero Trust Security in Global Organizations

Modern Security for a Perimeter-less World

There’s no denying that, among information security watchers, zero trust has gone well beyond buzzword status. The oft-discussed security framework, originally developed by Forrester Research analyst Jon Kindervag in 2009, threw away the idea that organizations should have a “trusted” internal network and an “untrusted” external network. To meet the access and usability demands of modern employees and consumers (and avoid becoming the next organization in the headlines for a data breach), companies are moving towards a more robust and comprehensive security posture that’s centered around the zero trust principle of “never trust, always verify.”

 

Zero Trust Report

Given the new normal that’s emerging in the midst of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the implications of a perimeter-less IT environment are amplified more than ever before. And since this focus on remote work enablement — ensuring the right people have the right level of access, to the right resources, in the right context — will persist long after the crisis ends, every security leader should be working towards a long-term zero trust strategy to protect their business. Many wonder if it’s really possible to achieve the pie-in-the-sky promise of zero trust, let alone ensure that access privileges are assessed continuously without adding friction for the user. The best starting point for this journey is to replace the traditional network perimeter-centric view of security with an identity-centric mindset that ensures secure access for various user types regardless of their location, device, or network.

“We consistently find that enterprises have the earliest and rapidest success if they focus on improving identity management and device security. These two core components of the Zero Trust eXtended (ZTX) ecosystem drive rapid risk reduction and build confidence with executives that the organization can realize security benefits from its Zero Trust program quickly.”

— Forrester Research’s “Practical Guide To A Zero Trust Implementation”

To learn more about how organizations like this are approaching identity-driven zero trust today and where they’re headed over the next 12-18 months, Okta surveyed 500 security leaders around the world about their initiatives. This report explores those findings and analyzes valuable insights across industries and regions.

Top five security takeaways

 

modern zero trust security

Modern, zero trust security has take