"Government Implementing Zero Trust Architecture Faster than Corporations"

According to a report released by the IT company Okta, government agencies are ahead of corporations in adopting and implementing zero trust security architecture. The report reveals that 72 percent of government organizations are already using a zero trust framework compared to 56 percent of companies. Okta surveyed 700 security leaders worldwide to assess where they are in moving toward a complete zero trust security posture. A zero trust framework is a security policy that distrusts all entities by default and requires all users, both inside and outside of a network, to be continuously authenticated, authorized, and validated for security protection as they navigate a network. Federal regulations pertaining to zero trust are one reason why the government has been ahead of industry counterparts. President Joe Biden issued an executive order in May 2021 to strengthen federal government computer systems and networks through zero trust architecture. The administration issued draft zero-trust architecture guidelines in September 2021. Agencies have until September 30, 2024, to meet the five zero trust goals of identity, devices, networks, applications, and data. Although the executive order does not provide funding on its own, 87 percent of government agencies have seen an increase in their budget to support these zero trust initiatives, according to the report. In particular, 16 percent reported a significant budget increase, while 71 percent reported a moderate budget increase. Agencies can also apply for funding from the Technology Modernization Fund to implement zero trust initiatives. The report also emphasizes the importance of identity measures in government agencies' zero trust initiatives. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) published guidance for Identity and Access Management (IAM), which includes the implementation and use of zero trust architecture. According to the report, the identity pillar is considered critical to 19 percent of government respondents. This article continues to discuss key findings from Okta's State of Zero Trust Security 2022 report regarding government implementation of zero trust security architecture.

NextGov reports "Government Implementing Zero Trust Architecture Faster than Corporations"