As cyber threats grow more advanced, relying on traditional IT security approaches just isn’t enough. As dealers we manage remote access, legacy business systems, multiple physical locations, and sensitive data, this makes us more vulnerable to security gaps. A Zero Trust Security Strategy, built on the principle of "never trust, always verify," delivers a smarter way to secure your IT environment.
Understanding Zero Trust
Zero Trust is not a singular product but a comprehensive security strategy that emphasizes the elimination of implicit trust. Every user, device, and application must continuously prove their legitimacy before gaining access to resources. This model is particularly relevant in today's digital landscape, where the traditional network perimeter has dissolved, and threats can originate from both external and internal sources.
The Role of Privileged Access Management (PAM)
Privileged Access Management is a critical component of the Zero Trust security strategy. Given that a significant percentage of security breaches involve compromised privileged credentials, implementing a robust PAM solution is essential. Effective PAM strategies include:
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Just-in-Time Access: Granting administrative rights only when necessary and revoking them immediately after use.
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Session Monitoring: Recording and analyzing privileged sessions to detect anomalous activities.
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Service Account Management: Securing non-human accounts - especially in cloud environments - to prevent unauthorized access.
By integrating Privileged Access Management into your Zero Trust approach, dealerships can significantly reduce your IT security risk.
Implementing Zero Trust in Dealerships
For dealers managing a mix of modern and legacy systems, adopting a Zero Trust model can address several security challenges:
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Diverse Device Management: Ensuring that all devices, including those brought by employees (BYOD), meet required security standards before accessing the network or application resources.
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Remote Access Security: Providing secure access to systems for remote employees and third-party vendors without relying on traditional VPNs. VPNs only authenticate the user and the device. If these credentials are compromised, your network and IT resources are vulnerable to a cyberattack. Zero trust adds uses Static IP addresses for access to be verified prior to access. This delivers a third layer of protection for remote access.
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Data Protection: Safeguarding sensitive customer and business data from unauthorized access and potential breaches. Added protection comes from well structure networks separating non-critical from critical resources; more complex user authentication (e.g., MFA); and always verifying access with just-in-time access delivers improved data protection.
Implementing Zero Trust requires a strategy holds to the principle, "never trust, always verify.” This starts with identifying a multi-tool Zero Trust security strategy and identifying the right vendors to partner with that align to that strategy.
Conclusion
At Sedona, we've spent years designing and testing a set of solutions that are geared to help dealers improve their IT security using a Zero Trust Security Strategy. As threat actors get more sophisticated in the way they attack our dealerships, the more important the Zero Trust becomes for dealers to incorporate into their overall IT security posture.