Following significant security breaches in late 2020 and early 2021, civilian agencies need to be even more vigilant with securing their networks. A key first step in helping agencies improve their security postures was the 2021 Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity.
While supplying critical information, the Order left agencies needing more concrete guidance. In response, the White House issued the M-22-09 memorandum in January 2022. The memorandum outlined strategies and provided more concrete guidance for agencies around the Zero Trust Architecture strategy.
For civilian agencies that regularly interface with the American public, and handle highly sensitive personal information, having a robust Zero Trust Architecture in place is vital. It’s also vital for agency workforces to understand Zero Trust principals, which can also help with securing government networks.
These were the key insights of a recent episode of the Government Technology Insider “Zero Trust Architecture and the Federal Government Podcast Series” episode titled, “Improving Security Posture with Zero Trust Architecture” with Jim Farrell, Senior Cybersecurity Solution Executive, Verizon; and Wayne LeRiche, Field CTO of Palo Alto Networks.
“There are unwitting insider threats and many bad actors, and agencies need to limit access based on user roles, attributes, behavioral context and more,” said LeRiche. “Zero Trust is well documented and defined as a strategic approach to cybersecurity for government. In addition, modernization and transformation projects should co-exist with Zero Trust, and provide a more secure enterprise. With this approach, small micro-agencies can have the same security postures as larger agencies do.”
Listen to the full podcast below:
Missed the other parts of the Zero Trust Architecture podcast series? Click here to listen to Part 1 and Part 3.
