3 points à retenir de la nouvelle fiche d'information de la NSA sur la cybersécurité

The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has issued a new cybersecurity information sheet, Advancing Zero Trust Maturity Throughout the Network and Environment Pillar.  

I’m particularly excited about this document because it recognizes Zero Trust Segmentation (ZTS) as an essential component of Zero Trust, a stance I’ve taken since the beginning. In fact, in the second Zero Trust report ever written, Build Security into your Network’s DNA from November 2010, I wrote this: “…new ways of segmenting networks must be created because all future networks need to be segmented by default.”

With ransomware payments amounting to $1.1 billion in 2023, it’s essential that organizations build Zero Trust architectures with ZTS at their core. This is because ransomware attacks depend on flat networks for success. Flat networks are dangerous. You may pay the bills, but attackers own them.

Voici mes trois principaux enseignements de la nouvelle fiche d'information.

1. ZTS : Une technologie de base pour la confiance zéro

I've long believed that segmentation is how we create Protect Surfaces, the fundamental concept of Zero Trust. However, over the past few years, there has been a pronounced emphasis on the Identity pillar of Zero Trust. Identity is important, but the singular focus on this pillar has led to very few organizations understanding the importance of network security controls in building Zero Trust environments, both on-premises and in the cloud.

This is why it’s so great to see the NSA’s new information sheet reaffirm the value of network security in building Zero Trust — ZTS is finally getting the attention it deserves. According to Gartner, “By 2026, 60% of enterprises working toward zero trust architecture will use more than one deployment form of microsegmentation, which is up from less than 5% in 2023.”

Les ZTS ne feront que gagner en importance à mesure que la surface d'attaque s'élargira et que les réseaux deviendront de plus en plus complexes et interconnectés. C'est la meilleure façon pour les organisations de renforcer leur résilience et d'établir une architecture de confiance zéro véritable et durable.  

2. Vous ne pouvez pas instaurer la confiance zéro sans cartographie des flux de données.

I want to give kudos to the NSA for calling out the significance of data flow mapping in the information sheet. In the early days of Zero Trust, I learned that you must first understand how a system works together before you can successfully build out Zero Trust environments. I’ve been advocating for flow mapping ever since.

Back in 2022, I was honored to be appointed to serve on President Biden’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee subcommittee, where I was a part of authoring and delivering a report on Zero Trust to the President. This report documents the 5-Step Model I have been promoting for several years, with Step 2 focused entirely on Transaction Flow Mapping.  

Learn more about how Illumio can help you get end-to-end visibility across your entire hybrid attack surface.

3. La sécurité du réseau est une confiance zéro

Je vois de nombreuses organisations commencer par le pilier "Identité" de la confiance zéro et, malheureusement, je les vois rarement passer au pilier "Réseau". Ce n'est pas la bonne façon de construire la confiance zéro. La sécurité du réseau fait partie intégrante de la confiance zéro - sécuriser le réseau , c'est la confiance zéro !

Je pense que les nouvelles orientations de la NSA aideront grandement les organisations à comprendre la valeur du pilier réseau de la confiance zéro et à rechercher des technologies de sécurité réseau sur leur chemin vers une architecture de confiance zéro.

ZTS is a foundational technology of Zero Trust’s Network pillar. ZTS contains the spread of breaches and ransomware across the hybrid attack surface. With the Illumio ZTS Platform, you can visualize how workloads and devices are communicating, create granular policies that only allow wanted and necessary communication, and automatically isolate breaches by restricting lateral movement proactively or during an active attack — across your cloud, endpoints, and data center environments.

Alors que le monde est de plus en plus connecté et que la surface d'attaque s'étend, il devient encore plus essentiel pour les organisations de définir, de cartographier et de sécuriser les surfaces de protection les plus importantes dans leurs environnements de confiance zéro.  

Dans l'ensemble, je suis impressionné par la fiche d'information de l'ASN. Il s'agit d'une validation industrielle importante de la puissance et de l'objectif des ZTS, qui devrait servir d'étoile polaire aux organisations cherchant à renforcer leur résilience cybernétique face à l'évolution des menaces d'aujourd'hui.

‍Contact us today to learn more about getting started with Illumio ZTS at your organization.