Network Segmentation, Microsegmentation, Zero Trust Security

6 Zero Trust Takeaways: Learnings from the Forrester Microsegmentation Solutions Landscape, Q2 2024 Report

Published May 31, 2024 by Jaz Fulton

As ransomware attacks double, microsegmentation has been hailed by Gartner, the NSA, Dark Reading, Forbes, Forrester, and CSO as the most promising solution for halting lateral movement and satisfying zero trust guidelines. You can’t have a zero trust architecture without microsegmentation – but how do you implement a solution quickly, without breaking anything, and without extensive costs and complexities?

Forrester recently published a big list of microsegmentation solutions, urging security professionals to “select from a diverse set of vendors that vary by size, type of offering, geography, and use case differentiation” to realize the benefits of network segmentation.

Read on for the abbreviated version: what you need to know, and how to save yourself a lot of time when selecting a microsegmentation solution.

Key Takeaways from Forrester’s List of Zero Trust Solutions in “Microsegmentation Solutions Landscape, Q2 2024”

Forrester's recently published report provides a lengthy overview of 23 vendors in the microsegmentation space and highlights the importance of microsegmentation in championing zero trust architecture.  

We agree with the latter, but when it comes to zero trust, there should be zero bullsh*t. CISOs and Security Architects shouldn’t have to sift through 23 vendors and patch together multiple solutions to fulfill that zero trust buzzword, actually achieve network segmentation, and halt lateral movement attacks.

While we agree with Forrester’s defined business values of microsegmentation and their grading structure – the ability to secure critical resources, block or defend against ransomware, and achieve regulatory compliance imperatives – we’d like to narrow your search.

Save yourself a lot of time and headache – start with Zero Networks.  

1. Agentless, Automated, and MFA-Powered: The Zero Networks Difference  

Zero Networks' microsegmentation solution provides agentless, automated, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) powered architecture. Unlike traditional “zero trust” solutions that require extensive manual setup and maintenance, Zero Networks offers a set-and-forget deployment that simplifies and accelerates the microsegmentation process. This not only reduces operational expenses but also ensures comprehensive security across all network assets. 

In case you were wondering, we implement in 30 days.

2. Securing Critical Resources 

Forrester emphasizes the necessity of isolating critical resources to block lateral movement and ransomware attacks. Organizations need to microsegment their networks and restrict network access to essential assets only – but they can’t waste time on manual rule creation and policy management.  

By monitoring and learning all network connections over a 30-day period, Zero Networks creates precise firewall rules that are centrally applied to all assets. This agentless architecture ensures that every asset, whether on-premises or in the cloud, including OT/IoT devices, is segmented without disrupting normal operations.

Chris Turek, CIO of Evercore, spoke to Zero Networks' effectiveness: “Zero Networks is creating a new sphere of security capabilities. The combination of Zero’s capabilities redefines least privilege architecture, providing a level of protection that the market has never seen before.”

3. Defending Against Ransomware 

Ransomware attacks have become increasingly sophisticated, targeting sensitive data by moving laterally through networks. According to Forrester, defending against lateral movement attacks is a primary driver for adopting microsegmentation solutions.

Zero Networks' microsegmentation solution locks down lateral movement, effectively stranding hackers and preventing them from spreading ransomware. For an added layer of security, we apply MFA authentication to the network layer, allowing organizations to protect assets that could not be easily protected by MFA before: legacy applications, databases, OT/IoT devices, mainframes, on-prem VMs, and IaaS VMs.

Our just-in-time MFA also applies an additional layer of security to privileged remote admin protocols like RDP, SSH, and WinRM – commonly exploited by attackers. 

4. Achieving Cyber Security Compliance Imperatives 

With the growing emphasis on cybersecurity regulations and cyber security insurance requirements, achieving compliance is more critical than ever – and the right microsegmentation solution can be the lynchpin to achieving cyber security compliance. Zero Networks simplifies compliance by offering a single platform that combines MFA-enabled microsegmentation with zero trust remote access, ensuring that all remote connections are authenticated and authorized. That’s right, “never trust, always verify” comes automatically with Zero Networks.  

5. BONUS POINTS: Effortless Scalability and Reduced Costs 

One of the key challenges with traditional microsegmentation solutions is their complexity and associated costs. Forrester highlights the difficulty in quantifying the business benefits of microsegmentation due to its indirect impact on productivity and user experience. However, Zero Networks addresses these concerns with its fully automated, agentless, 30-day deployment. This approach eliminates the need for professional services and ongoing maintenance, significantly reducing both time and cost. 

Reduce your security OpEx with Zero →

6. Flexible Architecture for True Zero Trust 

Forrester's report also touches on the evolution of microsegmentation solutions in various environments, from static on-premises data centers to dynamic, containerized, and serverless environments. Zero Networks' flexible and scalable architecture ensures that it can adapt to these changing environments, making it a future-proof choice for businesses across any sector. 

Conclusion: The Clear Choice  

Forrester's report underscores the critical role of microsegmentation in modern cybersecurity strategies. Zero Networks not only meets but exceeds the criteria outlined by Forrester: our agentless, automated, and MFA-powered solution offers unparalleled security, scalability, and simplicity. By choosing Zero Networks, businesses can effectively secure their critical resources, defend against ransomware, and achieve cyber security compliance, all while reducing operational costs and complexity. 

In the landscape of microsegmentation solutions, Zero Networks truly stands out as the best option for businesses looking to safeguard their digital assets and future-proof their cybersecurity strategies. Accelerate your zero trust journey with Zero Networks. Speak to a solution expert today →