Intelligent CIO Africa Issue 66 | Page 39

CIO OPINION
The thing is , Zero Trust doesn ’ t mean seeding mistrust throughout an organisation ’ s networks . Companies shouldn ’ t have to rely on technologies alone for protection . Security is best applied when it ’ s a team effort . it into their culture . Alert employees as to what ’ s going on , what the process of Zero Trust entails , how it impacts and benefits them as well as the company , what to watch out for , and how they can support the Zero Trust process .
In other words , successful Zero Trust relies on a culture of transparency , communication and consistency across the board . When appropriately understood and applied , these efforts can create a sustainable Zero Trust work environment . So , how do we get there ?
Create a culture of transparency and communication
According to the World Economic Forum ’ s Global Risk Report , 95 % of cybersecurity breach incidents are caused by employee error . Humans are prone to clicking on phishing emails or unknowingly executing malware , rendering the entire company vulnerable to cyberattack . Zero Trust security solves this problem by covering all attack surfaces , including the human attack surface .
But Zero Trust also raises questions around trust and faith between the company and its employees . Won ’ t verifying every decision and every move create a ‘ Big Brother ’ culture of fear and paranoia ? Most organisations struggle with this dilemma . But in fact , the solution – or part of it – is quite simple .
Even as companies begin implementing Zero Trust technology into their systems , they must also integrate
By engaging employees and challenging them to embrace a healthy dose of scepticism towards potential threats , employers are planting the seeds of security across their organisational skeleton .
Once employees understand what ’ s going on and the value of Zero Trust , they too begin to feel trusted and are empowered to be part of the broader cybersecurity network . This pays in dividends as employees proactively identify insider and outsider threats to the enterprise , covering all surfaces and fostering good security hygiene .
Implement briefings and continuous training
Part of the security culture-building process is reliant on ensuring employees always feel prepared . This includes
Zero Trust doesn ’ t mean seeding mistrust throughout an organisation ’ s networks .
www . intelligentcio . com INTELLIGENTCIO AFRICA 39