{"id":5680,"date":"2021-04-19T10:37:27","date_gmt":"2021-04-19T08:37:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.retarus.com\/blog\/en\/zero-trust-recent-cyber-attacks-call-for-modular-email-security-platforms"},"modified":"2024-05-07T11:28:35","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T09:28:35","slug":"zero-trust-recent-cyber-attacks-call-for-modular-email-security-platforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.retarus.com\/blog\/en\/zero-trust-recent-cyber-attacks-call-for-modular-email-security-platforms\/","title":{"rendered":"Zero Trust: Recent Cyber Attacks Call for Modular Email Security Platforms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The need for more IT security has never been more apparent. We are increasingly opening ourselves up to the globally networked world \u2013 to communicate with each other, to trade, and to work together. Yet the more we open up, the more vulnerable we become, as made evident by the recent attacks in early March on organizations using Microsoft Exchange Server<\/a>. A hole in the Exchange environment\u2019s security initially led to attacks in the USA. It was not long before the hackers started launching attacks in Europe as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The security mechanisms offered by inflexible on-premises infrastructures or the usual cloud office solutions are often insufficient in protecting your organization and combating such attacks. For the protection they crucially require, companies are better advised to look to flexible cybersecurity services which are focused on email security and the increasingly prevalent Microsoft 365 Security.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Zero Trust concept originates from the assumption that you should fundamentally not trust anyone or anything \u2013 not even yourself. The Zero Trust model<\/a> was already formulated and recommended by Forrester twelve years ago for digital ecosystems. Zero Trust prescribes a basic principle of mistrust as a way of ensuring that maximum security can be achieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The example of the attacks on Exchange servers mentioned above illustrates that security mechanisms provided by on-prem or one-vendor approaches are insufficient for ensuring adequate protection for business communication. A secure, global exchange of information can only be accomplished by opting for modular and integrated ecosystem approaches. Outdated, insular solutions or simply pulling up the drawbridge by isolating the network is no longer enough. Modular platforms are best suited for enabling the selection of various components and meshing them together to achieve the highest possible degree of security for modern communication traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gartner says, \u201cTraditionally, security products architectures have been built on proprietary ecosystems with minimal built-in integrations across different providers and products. This silo approach has been reinforced by end users\u2018 strategies focusing on best-of-breed capabilities from specialist providers. Digital transformation initiatives will increasingly require solutions that support deployment of more dynamic and effective controls across disparate environments and ecosystems. The emergence of approaches such as passwordless authentication and decentralized identity are examples of new security answers to the need of having security more localized and decentralized.\u201d 1<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n The trend towards the cloud has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as evidenced by a recent IDC study:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A growing number of companies are now deciding to move over to the cloud office services offered by Microsoft or Google. According to the Zero Trust principle however, companies using these services should be careful not to rely exclusively on a single cloud office solution and its integrated security mechanisms. It is advised that companies employ additional modern security technologies and services offered by third-party providers. Many companies have chosen this route already. A recent Gartner study<\/a>2<\/sup> shows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n As it can be seen from the Gartner graphic above:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most harmful attacks make their way into the company network via email. However, since the GDPR<\/a> came into force, the sharing of sensitive data – especially via email – is now afforded special protection. For this reason, it is highly recommended to take a best-of-breed approach, which consciously relies on technologies from a range of providers and takes the various dimensions of email into account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following dimensions should be considered when selecting a modular Secure Email Platform:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Third-party providers such as Retarus provide security services that complement Microsoft 365<\/a> substantially in these aforementioned dimensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More details about the Retarus Secure Email Platform can be found here<\/a> or from your local<\/a> Retarus contact person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to ensure that security vulnerabilities in Exchange do not become a problem: Zero Trust as a strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cloud trend in the pandemic fuels demand for appropriate security solutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Zero Trust thanks to a modular Secure Email Platform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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