Beyond Zero Trust: Protecting Data Wherever It Resides with Data-Aware Security

By Anand Ramanathan, Chief Product Officer, Skyhigh Security

Pressure is mounting among CIOs worldwide. Just as leaders are being called on to secure complex and changing infrastructures, it has also become imperative to operate under local and global compliance mandates with increasingly sharp teeth. Meanwhile, industries have transitioned to the cloud and data has proliferated, while perimeter-less environments are inviting exponentially more threats. In addition, the shift to remote and hybrid workplaces and increasing use of open devices among employees has created the need for a new and intelligent data-aware approach to security.

“Cybersecurity has become needlessly complex. At Skyhigh Security we give organizations complete visibility and control while seamlessly mitigating security risks by securing data access and data use,” said Anand Ramanathan, Chief Product Officer, Skyhigh Security.

Securing data beyond access points

Protecting remote workers’ access to cloud applications, public cloud environments, and private access networks is crucial. While organizations are thriving in highly collaborative environments with globally dispersed teams, partners, vendors, and suppliers – the sharing of data comes with risk. It is more imperative than ever to have a precise level of control and insight into the data sharing process. 

While each of these factors has caused seismic shifts in IT environments, the security need is plain and simple. Business success depends on the protection of mission-critical data wherever it resides, moves, or is used.

Beyond Access Controls and Zero Trust Frameworks 

Historically, organizations have utilized complex security solutions that require access controls tied to networks, devices, and data center locations. Solutions have evolved from firewalls and VPNs to include proxies, cloud access security brokers, and zero trust access networks to protect access to sensitive data. The concept of zero trust relies on the premise that an organization should not trust anything inside or outside its perimeters and must verify everything trying to connect to its system in order to grant access. Implementing zero-trust network access has been an important premise to addressing data security issues and is a key component to the Security Service Edge, but it’s not the end game.

The downside of zero trust frameworks is that by curtailing employee access to data, the organization risks taking a hit to productivity. When an employee’s access is blocked, their hands are tied, and collaborating efficiently is no longer possible.

Protecting data regardless of where it resides has become equally if not more important than controlling access. This is done by understanding how data is used and making it radically simple to manage. Through a precise understanding of data use, companies can now define the optimal data protection rules and then apply those rules everywhere across a network.

“Data-aware security moves beyond the access restrictions of zero trust networks.  At Skyhigh Security, we create one set of intelligent policies to surround a company’s data with complete protection,” said Ramanathan.

Data residing in the cloud requires a new approach to security. For additional details about data-aware security, click here. 

Cloud Security, IT Leadership