In the last year, you’ve probably heard ‘Zero Trust’ creep into more and more of your conversations. So what does that mean? Is it “trending” as the kids say these days, or is it becoming a pillar of cybersecurity as we know it? (Here’s a hint: it’s the latter!)
The need to implement a Zero Trust approach may be a bandwagon you want to hop on–and should–but to effectively do so, you need to understand the 3 key principles of a Zero Trust Network Architecture.
So, grab a pen and paper (or ink and quill if you prefer) to take notes as we break down each principle’s objective and highlight why PrinterLogic aligns with your Zero Trust strategy.
1. Always Verify
When you hear “trust issues” you probably associate it with a bad breakup, right? While we’re not trying to drum up old feelings, we are attempting to highlight how not innately trusting users in a cybersecurity context is actually a very good thing.
The backbone of a successful Zero Trust approach is simple: Never trust, always verify. This means never trusting any network between a device/user and the applications/data they’re attempting to access by implementing continuous verification of credentials and devices.
That may sound like excessive backend work for you and a time-consuming experience for end users, but it’s far less complicated and frustrating than legacy print processes. In a Zero Trust Architecture, each user, service, and device requires a unique identity used to decide who/what should be granted access to data or services. This is made possible with the help of Identity Providers (IdPs) which verify if the entity trying to gain access is who/what they say they are.
A recent verification–that’s also relevant to today’s workforce–is based on adaptive identification in which trust is earned based on the location of the user. Adaptive ID provides an extra level of authentication to end users and is an integral part of managing a remote or hybrid work environment. To put it plainly, an employee who typically works from home (still in yesterday’s pajamas most likely) is trusted more than a worker who is suddenly working from a vacation resort.
“We have built full IdP integrations* into all the leading Identity Providers in the Gartner Identity leading quadrant as well as customer SAML support. When we say full support, we not only support IdP native authentication support allowing for MFA, but we also support the IdPs SCIM implementation allowing for all the best user provisioning practices.” – Corey Ercanbrack, Chief Technology & Product Officer
*PrinterLogic supports all major IdPs and ensures that each user, device, and location are always under scrutiny by checking with each IdP’s authorization and authentication policies.
2. Minimize Impact
We’re sorry to mention both bad breakups and PrintNightmare in one blog, but we promise it’s necessary. Looking back to July 2021, PrintNightmare is the perfect example of an explosive blow with no containment. The attack caused an unprecedented level of damage to print environments with lingering threats more than a year later.
While you’re unable to fully prevent this kind of attack, it is in your control to minimize the impact of the breach. For example, eliminating your print servers is a proactive move to minimize attack surfaces by shrinking your network for less exposure. As an added bonus, IT teams are relieved of the burdens of manual updates and patch installations.
We can’t discuss Zero Trust without highlighting microsegmentation as a core principle. The beauty of microsegmentation is that you don’t have to re-architect your infrastructure and gain complete visibility into your network environment, helping you contain breaches when they do happen. Microsegmentation for printing is achieved through direct IP printing which sends print jobs from the user’s workstation directly to their desired printer.
Built on the security of AWS, PrinterLogic supports microsegmentation as a cloud solution that offers serverless direct IP printing and keeps your data secure with native Identity Provider (IdP) integrations based on SAML 2.0 and JIT Provisioning.
3. Automate Processes
Still with us? We hope so, because we’re about to get to some good stuff. So far, we’ve outlined what feels like never-ending work on your part to consistently verify and prevent attacks–which we know sounds daunting. However, we’re here to help you work smarter, not harder. Think of it this way: to keep a building or space secure, you’d hire 24/7 security guards to prevent attackers entering the premises. Even with around-the-clock security, attackers are still going to try to find a way in if given the time and resources.
The same goes for cyber attackers trying to breach your network, but we’re talking more powerful and protective than a mall cop on a Segway. To maintain airtight security, it’s important to employ solutions that are constantly updating behind the scenes to thwart potential attacks and close security gaps with no manual labor required on your end. Automatic processes like these are the star player in any Zero Trust Architecture that reduces your workload and increases security–a literal win-win!
As we’ve outlined, Zero Trust Printing involves a revolving door of data. Data is power–the more you have the more you know, you know? But, data isn’t as powerful if you can’t process it in real-time to make precise decisions and take immediate action when a data breach does occur.
With PrinterLogic, your IT team can implement automatic processes for:
Deploying printer updates
Changing user access
Creating user accounts
Managing user credentials (including SSO and MFA)
Surveilling endpoints (devices trying to access your data)
You’ll now have a bird’s eye view around the clock of your network, putting you in a position to better prevent and protect against future breaches. Implementing a Zero Trust approach into your overall security strategy, including your print environment, is anything but a trend. With PrinterLogic’s Zero Trust Printing solution, you’re setting yourself up for long-term protection.
“PrinterLogic can be configured to support multiple IdPs at a time. This helps companies to seamlessly migrate/transition between IdPs as they scale or change directions. It supports companies as they scale through acquisition by connecting to old and new IdPs. Support for multiple IdPs also helps companies scale when they need to have different security controls between administrators and end users.” – Corey Ercanbrack, Chief Technology & Product Officer
Brooke has been professionally writing since 2015, including B2B and B2C marketing. She got her start in journalism and has since transitioned into tech, where she’s spent the last few years both writing and managing content strategies. Her core focus is content creation and she specializes in transforming informative material into enjoyable, easily digestible content.