{"id":3553,"date":"2023-04-25T15:31:42","date_gmt":"2023-04-25T22:31:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.strata.io\/?p=3553"},"modified":"2023-10-03T11:09:48","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T18:09:48","slug":"achieving-zero-trust-with-multi-cloud-identity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.strata.io\/blog\/identity-access-management\/achieving-zero-trust-with-multi-cloud-identity\/","title":{"rendered":"What a zero trust security architecture means with multi-cloud identity"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\"Image[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]It\u2019s a dangerous world. Threats are lurking around every corner bad actors are constantly seeking ways to take advantage of weaknesses. It\u2019s not the trailer for a new thriller film; it’s the reality for enterprises today. It\u2019s also the basis of the zero trust security architecture: assume that everything is a threat to be checked and then rechecked at every step.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Zero trust<\/a> is critical in protecting organizations against a data breach when using the cloud \u2014 which is pretty much everyone today. Unlike in previous times when apps, data, and identity were protected behind the network perimeter, cloud computing requires users to access apps and data from outside the firewall. Remote access potentially increases the threat landscape and allows cybercriminals an open door.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the cloud (or multiple clouds), identity management<\/a> is not centralized in one location. Instead, identity is distributed across multiple apps, each of which comes with its own identity system. Now, there\u2019s a proliferation of identity systems, no way to manage them, no visibility across them, and only superficial integrations using federation and <\/span>single sign-on (SSO).<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Let’s explore what zero trust security is (and isn’t), how multi-cloud can derail plans to achieve a zero trust security architecture, and finally, how to get started on implementing zero trust through <\/span>identity orchestration<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is zero trust?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Created in 2010 by a former principal analyst at Forrester Research John Kindervag, t<\/a>he zero trust security model is a framework for managing identity in the distributed world of cloud computing.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Zero trust is not a piece of software, nor is there any single piece of technology.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the past, with older identity systems, a user authenticated just once. The authenticated user would sign in, then single sign-on worked for all of the apps they needed to access, and there was never a need to be rechecked. It’s not like that anymore.<\/p>\n

Zero trust takes the security principles established for legacy, on-premises systems; then, it layers additional security measures so that the first login is more secure. And then, it keeps checking and rechecking that you are who you say you are at every step.<\/p>\n

Modern cloud identity systems are checking you while doing while you are using a device. The assumption is that anyone could be an adversary, devices are all compromised, and no one is who they claim to be. <\/span><\/p>\n

Enterprise systems \u2014 on-premises, hybrid, cloud, and multi-cloud \u2014 and data need to be protected at all times to keep cybercriminals at bay. The need continues to grow by the second as hackers get cleverer, technology gets faster, and new ways spring up constantly to expose and exploit vulnerabilities. The zero trust model is how to achieve security today for enterprises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How multi-cloud impacts a zero trust <\/span>security architecture<\/span><\/h2>\n

Zero trust is harder to achieve when using multiple clouds. So why not just stick with one cloud? There are many reasons why an enterprise uses more than one cloud. Most commonly, though, the <\/span>main reasons organizations adopt a multi-cloud approach are:<\/span><\/p>\n