Why Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) Prevents Cyberattacks in Microsoft 365

by Jason Ballard, CIO, Sedona Technologies

In today's digital landscape, securing organizational data and applications is paramount, especially for cloud-based services like Microsoft 365. Implementing Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) can significantly enhance your cybersecurity posture and reduce the risk of cyberattacks. Here’s how ZTNA achieves this and some compelling statistics to back it up.

The Principles of Zero Trust

Zero Trust is a security framework that operates on the principle of "never trust, always verify." This approach requires strict identity verification for every user and device attempting to access resources on a network, whether they are within or outside the network perimeter. Key components include:

1. Identity Verification: Ensuring that only authenticated and authorized users and devices can access resources.
2. Least Privilege Access: Users are granted the minimum level of access necessary to perform their tasks, limiting potential damage from compromised accounts.
3. Assume Breach: Continuous monitoring and validation of all interactions, with the expectation that breaches will occur.

ZTNA in Action with Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365, even when utilized with basic conditional access policies, benefits immensely from ZTNA principles:

• Conditional Access Policies: These policies evaluate multiple factors such as user identity, device compliance, location, and risk levels to make real-time access decisions. For instance, if a device is detected as compromised, access is immediately blocked to prevent further infiltration.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Although there are many ways hackers can bypass or hack MFA, we still always recommend it as a minimum setting in Microsoft 365 to reduce risk of account compromises.
• Granular Access Controls: ZTNA allows for detailed control over who can access specific applications and data, reducing the risk of lateral movement within the network if an attacker gains access.

Impact on Cyberattack Reduction

The implementation of ZTNA in Microsoft 365 has shown to drastically reduce the risk and impact of cyberattacks:

• Blocking Identity Threats: Microsoft’s security systems block an average of 4,000 identity authentication threats per second.
• Reducing Breaches: The Microsoft Digital Defense Report highlights that basic security hygiene, including Zero Trust principles, protects against 99% of cyberattacks. This is due to the strict access controls and continuous verification processes.
• Enhanced Security Posture: Organizations using ZTNA with Microsoft 365 have reported a significant reduction in successful phishing attacks and data breaches. The integration of Microsoft Entra with conditional access policies and MFA has been particularly effective in preventing unauthorized access.

Integrating Sedona Safeguard ZTNA

At Sedona Technologies, our Sedona Safeguard ZTNA solution integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, leveraging these Zero Trust principles to protect your organization's data and applications. Our solution offers advanced conditional access policies, ensuring that access is granted based on robust criteria, thereby significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access and potential breaches. But we don’t stop there. Our comprehensive cybersecurity suite also includes Sedona Safeguard True Managed Detection and Response (TMDR) for incidents where attackers manage to bypass initial defenses. TMDR ensures that any breach is quickly detected, isolated, and mitigated, providing an additional layer of security for your peace of mind.

Conclusion

Adopting Zero Trust Network Access is crucial for protecting your Microsoft 365 environment from sophisticated cyber threats. By continuously verifying user identities, enforcing least privilege access, and assuming breaches, ZTNA creates a robust defense mechanism that significantly reduces the risk of cyberattacks.

For more details on implementing ZTNA with Microsoft 365, explore the Microsoft Digital Defense Report and the Microsoft Security Blog. To learn more about how Sedona Safeguard can protect your organization with ZTNA, contact us.

By adopting these practices, your organization can not only protect its digital assets but also ensure a resilient and secure operational environment.