Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) can reduce the attack surface and limit adversarial lateral movement thereby reducing the impact of ransomware. The implementation of ZTA requires the integration of existing and new capabilities, as well as buy-in across the enterprise. Successful implementations will require multi-year planning that includes determination of drivers and use cases, policy development, architecture development, technology readiness assessment, pilots, user training, and phasing of deployments. The movement towards Zero Trust Architectures (ZTA) aligns with cybersecurity modernization strategies and practices to deter and defend against dynamic threats both inside and outside traditional enterprise perimeters. A key driver for ZTA adoption across the federal government space is the “Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity” released from President Biden on May 12, 2021, directing executive agencies to “develop a plan to implement Zero Trust Architecture.”
The ZTA Tech Watcher report explores the state of the technology today and provides background, applicability, and benefits to organizations, outstanding challenges and issues, and recommendations. The paper can be found at https://www.mitre.org/publications/technical-papers/zero-trust-architectures-are-we-there-yet;