Recently, IDC took a deep dive into how a zero trust approach combined with a decentralized zero-knowledge infrastructure can create the ideal defense-in-depth security environment to minimize risks against ransomware attacks, misconfigurations, internal threats, or other unwanted intrusions. What exactly does that mean? Well, it means that in a cloud storage environment, taking the idea of trust or knowledge out of the equation is the best choice when it relates to how and where you store your data
According to the brief, taking trust out of the equation is how IT security strategies should, and will, be implemented going forward for digital-first enterprises. Take, for example, a decentralized cloud storage model. The automation of zero trust/zero knowledge architecture translates directly into a reduction in the complexity and effort to manage encryption, access control, multi-region availability, and durability. Data is encrypted at rest and in flight, the delegation of authorization management is pushed to the edge, data is available on-demand from tens of thousands of Storage Nodes, and durability is maintained at 11 9s.
The only way to access data is through the fine-grained access controls embedded in programmable access tokens that only the user, and whom they designate, can access. Only the client has the means to access, decrypt, or share that data. The Nodes where the data is stored only know that there is data stored on the Node, with no way to see or impact the data in any way. Trust is removed from the equation entirely.
Unlike a trust and device-based approach to security, like most popular cloud storage services use, a zero trust model assumes a user’s hardware is already compromised and focuses on an identity-based model to manage access to data and application services. With a zero knowledge architecture, anyone trying to access data is authenticated every single time they make a request. Essentially, this creates an advanced defense strategy, making it nearly impossible for bad actors (hackers) to breach any security measure.
If you’re interested in learning more about how a zero trust approach, combined with a zero knowledge decentralized architecture can benefit your security and privacy, download the IDC Analyst Brief today.
