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8 Steps to Verified Zero Trust

by Signal Hill Technologies on December 10, 2024

“We see Zero Trust as a practice, rather than an end state,” said Signal Hill Technologies founder and CEO, Steve Jones. “It’s not something you buy, it’s something you do.”

We have an eight-step implementation process for doing Zero Trust.

It starts with asking a few questions:

  • How is your network structured from the ground up?
  • What are all the ways your data can be accessed?
  • Who is authorized to access your data, and how, at every moment?

These steps aren’t just mere armchair theory. Each step consists of a task, an asset identified during the task, and a verification method.

It’s a hands-on examination of how your network is actually structured. By truly mapping out your systems and understanding how data flows within them, you get a clear picture of where the critical risks are.

Once you’ve done this groundwork, the specific controls, tools, and solutions to recommend and implement become much clearer.

Hover over the lighboxes below to learn more.

1. Identify your Critical Data
We start by helping to identify precisely what data is most important to the organization.

1. Identify your Critical Data
What data, if compromised, would cause the most negative impact? This might include intellectual property, customer data, financial data, health records, and admin-level logon credentials.

2. Map Host Assets
Identify systems hosting the critical data.

2. Map Host Assets
We discover and enumerate the IT assets hosting the critical data, such as database servers, SANs, virtual host infrastructure, and public cloud services.

3. Evaluate Service Exposure
What network services are exposing the data?

3. Evaluate Service Exposure
We examine the network services that could potentially allow access to the critical data hosts. This includes application, infrastructure, and hypervisor-level access. (e.g. web, host admin, cloud admin)

4. Establish a baseline trust zone
Define the set of permitted access, according to your security policies.

4. Establish a baseline trust zone
A trust zone is a logical representation of all the ways your important data is permitted to be accessed, including identity, client device, service, host asset and critical data.

5. Identify Client Device Access
Which devices are accessing your critical systems?

5. Identify Client Device Access
Analyzing access logs and network traffic, we identify the endpoints that are connecting to your most important assets. We catalog these sources of access and reconcile with existing security policy.

6. Assess Identity Access
Is every identity is accounted for and aligned with least privilege principles?

6. Assess Identity Access
We analyze the user accounts, service accounts, and API keys used to access these services and cross-reference with existing security policies. This empirical data identifies policy violations while helping to inform security control enforcement.

7. Alert on Violations
We monitor your data access baseline and alert on any exceptions.

7. Alert on Violations
We monitor access to your data assets, and alert on implicit policy violations. Any access from outside the trust zone is flagged for investigation, response, and remediation.

8. Identify a New Set of Critical Data
Work outwards from your most critical data.

8. Identify a New Set of Critical Data
Identify the next-most critical set of data. Return to step 1 and repeat.

Tip
Start small. Zero Trust isn't easy at enterprise scale. But it's manageable. Let us help.

Tip
To request a free consultation, please fill out the contact form below.

By following these steps, we help organizations achieve measurable, repeatable security improvements and establish a tested and verified Zero Trust security framework.

Benefits of Zero Trust

  • Reduced Breach Risk: Attackers are blocked from moving laterally through strict access controls.
  • Enhanced Data Protection: Sensitive data is safeguarded by enforcing least privilege principles.
  • Compliance: Aligns with CISA and NIST regulatory frameworks.
  • Scalable Security: Enables incremental implementation without disrupting operations.

Zero Trust for Enterprises

Zero Trust can feel overwhelming, especially for large organizations with legacy systems. But it’s achievable when you start small. Focus on your most critical assets first. Pilot controls, measure results, and refine your approach before scaling up.

This incremental process not only reduces risks but also ensures that every step builds toward a stronger, more resilient security posture.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Zero Trust doesn’t have to be confusing. At Signal Hill Technologies, we specialize in cutting through the noise and turning Zero Trust from theory into action. Whether you’re ready to dive in or still exploring, we’d love to hear from you.

Learn how Zero Trust can safeguard your critical assets and reduce breach impacts. Fill out the contact form to schedule a free consultation.

The post 8 Steps to Verified Zero Trust appeared first on Signal Hill Technologies.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Signal Hill Technologies authored by Signal Hill Technologies. Read the original post at: https://www.signalhill.tech/2024/12/10/zero-trust-verified/

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