The Urgent Need for Zero Trust: How to Tackle AI and Other Cyber Threats

When government networks became more complex and sprawling, the traditional, firewall-based approach to cybersecurity was a poor fit. The zero-trust model — “never trust, always verify” — that emerged certainly does a better job protecting users, devices and networks. But it’s a mistake to think that zero trust is a one-time project. It is a process, and the increasing sophistication of systems and bad actors, plus advancements in AI and quantum computing, have made zero-trust implementation more urgent.

Rather than boil the ocean, tackling their biggest, hardest problems first, agencies should start small. For instance, they could begin by focusing on contractor access, rather than access for every user. Equipment built around open standards can help overcome the integration gaps created by legacy IT. And, among other considerations, it’s best to establish consistent policies in multi-environment systems, but enforce them in individual environments.

“With zero trust, we were addressing the dispersion of assets throughout [networks] and the world,” said Ken Rich, Federal CTO at HPE Networking. “Now we’re dealing with AI, which I see as an immediate concern for cybersecurity. AI accelerates almost every activity inside cybersecurity, both on the adversarial and on the defensive side.”

In this video interview, Rich discusses the accelerating need for zero-trust adoption and how to overcome AI and other implementation challenges. Topics include:  

• Why feedback loops are so important to zero-trust success
• How AI and quantum computing are affecting zero trust
• Specific best practices for adopting zero-trust protections