The Zero Trust Security Model – Protection With Confidence
In today's digital landscape – characterized by growing complexity, increasing networking and decentralized structures – classic approaches to IT security are pushed to their limits. Traditional perimeter protection, which is based on a supposedly trusted internal network surrounded by a strong, impenetrable protective wall, is no longer enough to counter today's threats effectively.
This is where the zero trust model comes in: It follows the principle of "Trust no one and check every access". It is based on the premise that no device, no identity and no application is automatically trustworthy – irrespective of whether access is internal or external.
Paradigm Change in IT Security
How Zero Trust is Revolutionizing IT Security
In traditional security models, the internal network is generally regarded as trusted because it is monitored by internal IT staff and separated from the outside world by perimeter protection. However, as the complexity of applications, the use of clouds and the sharing of infrastructures increases, so does the potential for attack. At the same time, with growing digitization comes an increase in dependency on available and confidential data processing – and this is becoming more attractive as a target for attack. Under such circumstances, past confidence in the security of internal networks is no longer justified. If an attacker manages to penetrate a network, they can often move laterally without being noticed – with wide-ranging access opportunities.
In addition, employees nowadays often access company resources from different locations – either from their home office, via private end devices or to carry out remote maintenance on industrial control systems. This fragmentation requires a completely new approach to security: Zero trust offers exactly that. Instead of relying on network affiliation or the location, zero trust checks every access request individually, dynamically and according to context.
What is Zero Trust?
The Security Principle Explained in Simple Terms
Zero trust is a modern security concept which assumes that no device, no user and no application is automatically trustworthy. Accesses are checked critically and related to context – based on identity, role, device security, location, time and risk factors. Communication via non-trusted networks is encrypted.
The goal is to minimize the avenues for attack by means of granular access control and to mitigate the impact in the event of a compromise (assume breach). At its core is the principle of least privilege: Access rights are strictly limited to what is necessary, and checked regularly. Zero trust replaces implicit confidence in the internal network with continuously verified trust.
Zero trust networking does not rely on the security of the network as a whole, but rather on the security of explicitly authorized communication endpoints. The result: granular access control, transparency of the data flows, reduced potential for attack.
Comparison of Security Concepts
Classic Security Models vs. Zero Trust
| Aspect | Classic security models | Zero Trust |
|---|---|---|
| Trust model | Implicit trust in the internal network | No automatic trust – every request is checked |
| Access control | Devices in the internal network are trusted. User-specific access controls at application level. | Granular control of access to network and applications taking into consideration the roles and tasks of a user, security of the end device and the context of the access request (time, location, ...) |
| Assignment of rights | Far-reaching, often static rights in the internal network and in applications | Granular, dynamic assignment of rights according to the principle of least privilege |
| Protection boundary (perimeter) | Perimeter firewall at network boundaries with the Internet and between sites, VPN | Zero trust gateways upstream of applications, microperimeters and microsegmentation at network level |
| Visibility / logging | Poor transparency of accesses and low degree of detail, limited clarity | Complete and detailed logging and real-time monitoring |
| Response to attacks | Reactive, often delayed (after intrusion into network) | Proactive security through granular access rights, continuous evaluation, rapid detection and isolation of incidents |
| Remote/cloud access | Complex, often via VPN with broad network sharing | Simple, targeted and secure: Access to individual applications without VPN and without network sharing, but encrypted at application level |
| Scalability | Limited, high outlay in the case of distributed sites and hybrid infrastructures | High, optimized for decentralized, hybrid and dynamic environments |
| Example | Access to the company network via VPN enables access to numerous systems. | Access to a certain web application for a certain person at a certain time. |
Zero Trust for Applications
What is Zero Trust Application Access (ZTAA)?
Zero trust demonstrates its practical benefits wherever it is implemented – particularly in the case of the fine-grained control of access rights to applications. This is exactly where zero trust application access (ZTAA) comes in: Unlike classic remote access, for example via VPN, ZTAA does not enable access to the entire network. Instead, it allows identity- and context-based access to individual applications – e.g., to a certain web application, for a defined time only and depending on the device status.
ZTAA is particularly suitable for safeguarding environments with high requirements regarding the flexibility, scalability and granularity of the access controls, for example in remote work models, hybrid cloud environments, industrial infrastructures (Industry 4.0) and critical infrastructures.
ZTAA is a concrete technical solution within the zero trust paradigm. In addition there are other variants such as zero trust network access (ZTNA), which controls access to resources at network level instead of application level. ZTAA and ZTNA can interact with each other within a multi-layer access control system.
Elements of a Powerful ZTAA Architecture
Zero trust application access is not simply an extension of existing coarse-grained controls in the network. It requires a profound understanding of the assets to be protected and under what fine-grained conditions access is to be enabled. To be able to function in practice, this approach needs an architecture in which multiple security components perfectly coordinate with one another – from authentication and access control through to logging and analysis. A powerful ZTAA architecture typically consists of the following components:
Monitoring and analysis
Endpoint security and device status check
Adaptive access control
ZTAA gateway or broker (e.g., genusphere)
Policy engine / access control instance
A ZTAA-based system therefore replaces static network boundaries with individual, context-based access decisions in real time. This significantly reduces the potential for attack. Like firewalls and VPN connections, zero trust access controls also carry out a critical security function and have insight into sensitive communication. It is therefore essential that these components perform their function reliably and are not vulnerable to attack themselves. Accordingly, such products should be developed and implemented with Security by Design and Security by Default and should come from trusted manufacturers.
Challenges in Implementing a ZTAA Environment
One of the greatest challenges in introducing zero trust – particularly in the form of ZTAA – is not the technology but rather the structured mapping of access rights based on concrete tasks. The central question is: Who is allowed to access which application, why and under what conditions?
In order to answer this question systematically, a granular authorization model is needed which is not based on departments or sites but rather on the actual tasks and responsibilities of the individual persons. The development of such a model requires interdisciplinary cooperation – between IT, HR, specialist departments and management.
In practice, this means that access rights must be oriented to specific tasks and not merely to job titles. Roles and responsibilities must be systematically translated into access logic, linked to real processes and continuously kept up to date. Particularly challenging is the automated adaptation of authorizations in the event of task modifications, e.g., when a person changes projects or roles within a company.
At the same time, access control must be context-sensitive: Factors such as location, time, device type or risk assessment are taken into account in the decision – for example, whether access to sensitive applications from private or compromised devices is blocked.
A zero-trust-capable system always knows which application may be used by whom, for what purpose and under what conditions – and can enforce these rules automatically and transparently.
Introducing Zero Trust
Technical Integration of Zero Trust into Existing IT Infrastructures
In addition to the structured mapping of roles and access rights, the introduction of zero trust also poses technical and organizational challenges which companies need to plan strategically and address holistically.
A key aspect here is the migration of legacy systems. Many existing applications – especially in industrial and critical infrastructure environments – were not designed for dynamic access control, identity verification or context-based security management. These systems must be either integrated such that they are ZTAA-capable, or replaced with more modern applications. Aspects such as interface capability, data storage, network segmentation and authentication mechanisms play a key role here.
At the same time, zero trust must be embedded in existing IT security architectures without giving rise to redundant structures or security gaps. This includes, e.g., connection to existing identity providers, integration into monitoring and SIEM systems for event detection and tracking, as well as compatibility with existing endpoint protection solutions, firewalls and network zone models. Zero trust is not a finished project but rather a continuous transformation process. Alongside investments in technology, its implementation above all requires changes to processes, responsibilities and corporate culture. Employees not only have to use new access methods such as MFA or role-based authorizations, they also need to understand why processes change, and develop trust in the new security model.
Zero trust changes how employees access resources. It affects how security rules are explained, implemented and accepted. It requires a clear allocation of responsibility for access and security. Zero trust can unfold its full potential only if technology, organization and humans interact.
Zero Trust in Practice
Implementation of Zero Trust Using Solutions from genua
When implementing zero trust, it pays to use field-tested, integrable solutions that seamlessly blend into existing infrastructures – without disruptive intervention or costly network modifications. With its specialized products, genua offers practical tools for implementing zero trust – particularly in the form of zero trust application access (ZTAA).
Zero Trust Application Access genusphere
genusphere is the central solution for identity- and application-specific access – completely without classic VPN structures. Instead of allowing access to the entire network, genusphere enables internal and external users browser-based access to only those applications for which they are authorized to use, and ensures secure communication by encrypting all data traffic.
Remote Maintenance Solution genubox
genubox is a solution specially developed for industrial scenarios and used for secure remote maintenance of machinery and plants – in accordance with the zero trust principles. It enables the targeted unlocking of individual accesses (supplier and partner access), which can be controlled technically and organizationally, logged and optionally recorded.
AI as a Catalyst for ZTAA and Zero Trust
Increased networking, dynamic infrastructures and an ever more complex threat situation mean that even well-designed zero trust models are pushed to their limits – especially when it comes to detecting risk patterns early on, responding to deviant behavior and continuously refining security policies.
Artificial intelligence (AI) enhances classic, rule-based security mechanisms with the addition of learning processes which help identify trends, deviations and risks more quickly. For example, AI can detect anomalies in user behavior and automatically restrict access to sensitive applications or demand additional authentication. This creates a dynamic and adaptive security architecture which constantly adapts to new threats.
AI-Assisted Enhancement of Zero Trust:
- Automated threat detection:: AI continuously analyzes user and system behavior and detects deviations before they become relevant to security.
- Adaptive access control: Risks are assessed intelligently – taking, e.g., altered behavior, changes in location or unusual times into consideration. Rules can then be adapted automatically, for example by means of additional authentication requests or temporary blocking.
- Behavior-based policy adaptation: AI uses usage patterns to derive recommendations for policies – e.g., if roles change or new access routines arise.
- Early risk detection: By analyzing large volumes of data, AI is often able to detect threat scenarios much earlier than manual evaluation – a decisive advantage in sensitive and industrial environments.
AI will not replace zero trust, but will be essential in helping to further develop and scale the security concept in extensive, dynamic IT and OT environments. Particularly in conjunction with ZTAA solutions such as genusphere, this results in a security architecture that not only reacts – but acts proactively.
Cryptographic Protection
for Communication and Identities
In zero trust, cryptography plays a key role, which is, however, seldom at the forefront. Solid cryptography forms the basis for strong identities both for clients and for applications and is also the basis for securely encrypted and authenticated communication. Here, the methods used must be regularly adapted to evolving threats. Crypto agility and the future assistance of PQC (post-quantum cryptography) are therefore essential requirements.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Zero Trust
What is a zero trust environment?
Why is zero trust important for industry?
Industrial environments have a large number of networked machines, remote maintenance interfaces and external accesses. Frequent patch cycles like those in IT, however, are usually contrary to the stability and approval requirements of production. And then there is the long service life of the systems, which means that patches are often no longer available. Consequently, the potential for attack is particularly great. Zero trust helps specifically reduce this potential for attack by means of controlled access to individual applications and systems and thereby boost the protection and therefore the availability of industrial processes.