A single compromised password or misplaced click on the wrong link can bring an entire organisation to its knees. That's not hyperbole – it's the reality of the modern business world. The hybrid workplace and cloud storage has further heightened security concerns and challenges for businesses across the world, and companies must adapt their security strategies to protect themselves against threats that can come from anywhere, at any time, through any device.
What if you could build a fortress around your digital assets that protects every layer of your organisation, from employee logins to sensitive customer data? Microsoft’s Zero Trust security strategy can do all of that. From verifying and securing each identity with strong authentication to encrypting and restricting access based on organisational policies, Zero Trust approach assumes breach and verifies each security request no matter from which network it is coming from.
The Zero Trust model
Microsoft Zero Trust is a full-stack security model that covers all the digital security your business needs. Since the concept of security is not something that can be targeted from a single angle, Zero Trust provides different solutions that cover all areas in which online security may be required. With its approach of always assuming a breach and following the concept of “never trust, always verify”, each access request goes through an authentication, authorisation and encryption process before it is granted.
The main security areas that Zero Trust protects are:
Identities:
Microsoft Zero Trust uses Microsoft Entra ID to manage user identities and enable secure access to applications and resources. It ensures that each user's access level is based on their profile, applying least-privilege principles (only those privileges which are vital to perform its intended functions) to limit unauthorised access and prevent lateral movement if credentials are compromised.
Endpoints:
By using Microsoft Defender for endpoints and Microsoft InTune, you have visibility of all the devices that are connected to your network from desktop computers and laptops to smartphones and tablets. This way, you ensure that they are all properly configured to your company’s standards and monitors them for any vulnerabilities such as malware or ransomware. By keeping your endpoints secure, you are ensuring that nobody can get through your organisation’s security gates.
Data:
Data protection is a core focus of the Zero Trust security strategy, as it safeguards sensitive information regardless of location and employs data classification, encryption, and data loss-prevention policies. Through Microsoft Purview, it enhances data security by providing data governance, data labelling, and classification, enabling organisations to manage their data effectively, comply with data-based regulations like GDPR and mitigate risks related to data handling.
Infrastructure:
The Zero Trust security strategy ensures that your servers, databases, and cloud resources remain secure. By deploying Microsoft Sentinel, it uses telemetry to identify attacks and anomalies and sends instant notification alerts, as well as automatically blocking and flagging any suspicious activities, and implementing least-privilege access principles for extra security. These measures help mitigate risks and maintain the resilience of all critical systems.
Network:
With the Zero Trust security strategy, you provide your network connectivity with an identity boundary. It implements Security Service Edge Solution with Microsoft Entra Suite to ensure that all network anomalies are detected and flagged, from internet traffic to private apps traffic. With Entra, you also keep network connections for remote workers secure, allowing your organisation to deploy a hybrid working model without any security concerns.
Apps:
Applications and APIs serve as the primary interfaces for accessing data, whether through legacy on-premises systems, cloud-migrated workloads, or modern SaaS applications. Security measures through Microsoft Entra and cloud app security help discover shadow IT, implement Zero Trust principles, enforce role-based permissions, and gate access using real-time analytics. These solutions also monitor abnormal behavior, control user actions, and validate secure configurations with the Entra suite and cloud app security.
Is my organisation prepared for cyberthreats?
Modern-day businesses must embrace digital-first strategies to meet modern consumer expectations, streamline operations, and stay competitive. With digital transformation, though, comes the need for enhanced online security. Therefore, cybersecurity should be a priority for all companies today.
Protecting your organisation's assets is about safeguarding your team's hard work, your customers' trust, and your business' future. Microsoft Zero Trust is the most comprehensive digital guardian for your organisation, deployed across every layer of your infrastructure to keep threats at bay and your business safe.
Want to find out more?
Join us for our upcoming webinar: Comprehensive approach to prevent data exfiltration with Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) hosted by Azure Cloud Security team lead, Tushar Kumar.
To register, click here.