Traditional wired security perimeters must cover the whole company and edge network to safeguard all data, identities, devices, and programs. It would help if you had security measures at that perimeter in addition to extending the perimeter to cover cloud and distant resources to address every vulnerability.

You can wind up with an overstuffed, pricey patchwork of services and gadgets that is difficult to manage across systems. So much worse, the challenge of maintaining such a big perimeter can result in security gaps in coverage.

A zero-trust enterprise solution micro-segmentation network instead concentrates on dividing the perimeter into several smaller micro-perimeters all around vital resources that must protect. You must conceptually divide the network data, programs, resources, and services to apply the particular security rules and controls required to safeguard each segment. You may address particular security risks, access requirements, and interrelatedness of each micro-segment to provide optimal protection without affecting productivity.

Global business is becoming more digital, and more workloads, apps, and data are migrating to the cloud. Accessibility to business applications and information is required by remote users and international business associates, making it more difficult for security teams to establish a perimeter.

Micro-significance segmentation in zero trust networks

For the reasons listed, you cannot create a zero-trust network without micro-segmentation:

Policies for granular access

You can specify precisely who and what may access each section when you micro-segment a system. It implies that you can request the least privileged access, giving users and devices only the absolute minimal amount of network resources necessary to complete their duties. Controlling lateral movement inside a network in the case of a breach is made easier by applying the concept of least privilege.

For instance, hackers could access hacked email accounts during the latest incident on Microsoft Exchange systems. A corporate network may destroy if one of those hacked accounts has unfettered access to the network. The hacker would be constrained to the exact programs and data the individual had permission to access, and they would not be able to access servers and systems with higher levels of importance if the infiltrated account had only the least-privileged direct exposure.

Certain security measures

A micro-perimeter of security measures protects each micro-segment of a zero-trust network. It implies that you may explicitly target the security risks and weaknesses of the assets in each micro-segment while developing each micro-perimeter. Different technologies and rules are needed to defend a file server in a local office compared to protecting an enterprise application housed in the public cloud.

You are in charge of network and endpoint protection and data security for on-premises devices, such as biometric locks on doors and CCTV video surveillance in the data center. You and your supplier share some accountability in a public cloud. However, it would help if you also were concerned about cloud-specific issues like extending the authentication mechanism to your edge and safeguarding API interactions.

Building trust and identities

To adhere to the “never believe, constantly verify” tenet, you must first confirm the legitimacy of an account or gadget before allowing it access to any networks or cloud resources. Because zero trust identification and access management (IAM) can include in the micro-perimeters of a micro-segmented network, this is considerably simpler to do. As a result of having more insight and control over how trust form for specific apps and data, you can be sure that your security policies are followed.

In a nutshell, micro-segmentation is the base upon which a zero-trust network build. You may apply certain security policies and controls, confirm identities, and create confidence for the particular resources you’re attempting to safeguard. Which is by subdividing an enterprise and periphery network into micro-segments.

How to Put Micro-segmentation into Practice

You’re prepared to use micro-segmentation in your corporate zero-trust network now that you know why it’s important. You may micro-segment a network using various techniques and technologies based on your security needs, business objectives, and current infrastructure. Observe the following excellent practices:

  • By outlining the inter-dependencies and traffic flowing of the current network. For instance, you don’t want to unintentionally establish a micro-perimeter that separates a business application from a crucial data source.
  • Then, utilize your traffic flow and interrelation map to guide. How you micro-segment the networks around each “protected surface” or network device that needs to be protected.
  • To simplify network administration, consider utilizing a vendor-neutral zero-trust framework. It includes your IAM solution, upcoming firewalls, and other zero-trust networking protocols.

Without network micro-segmentation, a zero-trust security approach cannot implement. You may set up customized security policies and procedures using micro-segmentation. Additionally, confirming the legitimacy of the users, gadgets, software, and other things connected to your company network is simpler.

Secure Access Using zero-trust Architecture

Avoiding trust and always confirming first is a zero-trust approach’s main principle. Security teams may isolate environments and divide distributed workloads and apps using micro-segmentation at the hypervisor layer. After segmenting, a zero-trust strategy may use to apply fine-grained security controls.

High-level rules may also develop based on real-world structures. Like multiple users and accessibility groups and integrating existing ones. It applies to various applications with the correct micro-segmentation solution. With classical segmentation, applying consistent rules was nearly difficult in a dynamic VM context.

Only authorized users can access a program that uses software-defined micro-segmentation since it hides. It ensures that lateral movement and illegal access avoid and instantly identify for inquiry and remediation. That is by blocking any connection that the policy criteria cannot validate. It minimizes the attack surface and creates a tiny perimeter of zero-trust security around programs.

Micro-Segmentation For Your Business

It is getting harder for conventional security solutions to defend the network from cyber-attacks. Which is due to the evolving IT ecosystem. Security will be a top issue as businesses embrace the future through digital transformation and internet adoption. Especially as strict legislation and compliance requirements enter the world.

To offer granular, reliable, and adaptable security to meet the future’s dynamic business demands, software-defined micro-segmentation allows zero-trust deployment in the existing infrastructure.