3 Reasons Why It's Time to Implement Zero Trust Segmentation

Now more than ever, it’s evident that microsegmentation, or Zero Trust Segmentation, is the way forward in cybersecurity. And what better pairing than PJ Kirner, Illumio co-founder and CTO, and David Holmes, a Forrester senior analyst, to deliver thoughtful perspectives on exactly why we need microsegmentation today?  
 
When the two sat down for a webinar on August 16, they illuminated important insights you need to know about the cybersecurity landscape, from new forms of ransomware to the best practices for isolating and stopping breaches.  

Here are 3 reasons why the time for Zero Trust Segmentation is indeed now. 

A surprising lack of preparedness for unavoidable cyberattacks 

There’s a difficult truth in cybersecurity: breaches are inevitable.  

But that workable reality quickly transforms into an urgent, addressable problem when the actual rate of breaches is brought up. Per Forrester research, 2021 saw 63 percent of firms breached over a 12-month period, costing them $2.4 million on average to find and recover a breach.  

When a majority of firms see some kind of breach, it’s clear something needs to be done. But those numbers have not stagnated, instead spiking even further in the first half of 2022.  

“This is so bad it would break the filibuster,” Holmes said. “It’s not just a majority, it’s a supermajority. Ultimately everybody is getting breached, so it means we need to be adopting Zero Trust and one of its marquee technologies, microsegmentation.” 

To learn more, download Forrester's Best Practices For Zero Trust Microsegmentation.

Organizations still have an outdated cybersecurity mindset 

In the face of such staggering breach numbers, the best way to find a solution is to completely revamp the thought process that got you to that point.  

As Kirner and Holmes continued their conversation, they addressed just why the old way of thinking for cybersecurity is no longer adequate.  

“You have the expanding attack surface,” Kirner said. “You have a fragmented security approach. There’s a rise in more catastrophic security breaches.”  

Traditional security tools built solely for the perimeter can no longer secure perimeter-less networks alone. Organizations need to update to an “assume breach” mindset and have a plan to stop the spread of breaches when they inevitably occur. 

Kirner went on to describe how Illumio’s approach to Zero Trust Segmentation provides a modern way of thinking that can adapt to today’s new cybersecurity challenges. 

With Illumio’s Zero Trust Segmentation platform, Kirner explained how security teams can segment their network and enforce fine-grained security policies. When an attack happens, teams can quickly isolate the breach and stop its spread through the rest of the network. In some cases, they can do so in just a few minutes.  

Zero Trust Segmentation is the solution for today and tomorrow 

Holmes commented on Illumio’s place as a Leader in both Forrester Wave reports for Zero Trust and microsegmentation.  

“Solidly in the leader category, you could say they’re [Illumio] is the only standalone specialist,” said Holmes.  

Kirner went on to note three principles that form the backbone of Illumio’s Zero Trust Segmentation platform:  

• A default withholding of trust from all entities 
• Enforced access for least privileged entities 
• Comprehensive security monitoring 

But as Holmes pointed out, Illumio’s success goes further than just those three pillars. He noted how Illumio helps set their customers up for present-day and future success through a swathe of flexible, forward-thinking implementation features. 

“They [Illumio] will work with you to make sure you’re making the right decisions up front to guarantee the best outcome going forward,” said Holmes. 

For more in-depth guidance on Zero Trust Segmentation from Forrester's David Holmes, download the Q&A from the webinar.  

To learn more: 

• See how Bishop Fox’s emulated attacks prove that Zero Trust Segmentation helps stop cyberattacks within 10 minutes. 
• Get the details on how to achieve Zero Trust Segmentation with Illumio.  
• Contact us to find out how Illumio can help strengthen your defenses against cybersecurity threats.