Zero trust continues to take the world by storm, backed by the endorsement of 82% of professionals currently in the process of integrating it, while an additional 16% plan to kick-start the process within the following 18 months, reports Beyond Identity.

A substantial majority, over 90%, of those adopting zero trust acknowledged the Federal Zero Trust Strategy of 2022 as their primary catalyst.

Authentication Capabilities Under Zero Trust

The survey directed its queries towards the essential authentication capabilities for the successful execution of zero trust. Codeless capability emerged as the most desirable attribute of a zero trust network, according to 53% of respondents. A consensus was reached on the near equal importance of passwordless features and ensuring each device fulfills specific security benchmarks. It was agreed upon that maintaining protocol at every authentication stage is as crucial to network security as safeguarding against social engineering techniques like phishing.

Jasson Casey, CTO of Beyond Identity, interpreted the survey’s results as a strong indication of zero trust now becoming the ultimate objective that demands a concerted and synchronized effort to be accomplished.

Casey also mentioned the role of FIDO in generating fresh interest in enhancing identity and authentication within the Global 2000. Despite being a commendable initial step, it fails to meet the security standards necessary for secure access to crucial applications and data.

Authentication as the Fundamental Component

While 92% of cybersecurity professionals declared zero trust as their preferred choice for a security strategy, 65% expressed their confidence in the policy framework being very or extremely effective in safeguarding businesses and users.

Respondents discovered that both BFSI industries (companies in banking, financial services, and insurance sectors) and small businesses are the most eligible candidates to switch to zero trust due to the intrinsic danger of both internal and external threats they are exposed to.

In-person work environments were regarded as the most suitable for implementing these security measures by the experts. However, the escalating trend of remote and hybrid work exposes the pressing need for remote zero trust processes.

Casey pointed towards the Zero Trust Maturity Model encompassed within the White House Cybersecurity Strategy as the ultimate guide illustrating how authentication forms the bedrock of zero trust and the immediate requirement to reach an ‘optimal’ level. In his words, zero trust authentication enables the creation of a robust foundation where trust is earned, security is proactive, and a passwordless world can flourish with assurance.

As reported by 59% of respondents, the optimal method to persuade an organization to transition to zero trust is by breaking down the basic concept for them. Nearly an equivalent number of experts ranked explaining the risks to data privacy under the existing security framework as significant (57%). Zero trust is on the brink of becoming the future of cybersecurity, presenting solutions that cover all crucial zero trust authentication requisites.