Page 53 - Cyber Defense eMagazine July 2024

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These risks, known as insider threats, account for 60% of data breaches and can be malicious or
accidental.

Zero trust is about managing the blast radius – meaning, if and when something bad happens, what is
the size and amount of the damage; likewise, how long does it take teams to detect the breach and
perform remediation? This model maintains strict access controls, verifies everything and monitors
continuously. Zero-trust architecture also divides the network through microsegments to isolate and block
attacks, restricting the lateral movement of bad actors should they gain access.

A zero-trust model transforms a simple castle into a labyrinth of passageways, gates, and checkpoints,
minimizing the damage from intentional and unintentional threats. While this approach may seem overly
distrustful of employees, it is more than appropriate in today’s unpredictable threat environment.

Every Individual Has a Role to Play in Security

Cybersecurity is constantly evolving with the introduction of new technologies. Generative AI, for
instance, benefits businesses and bad actors alike, forever changing the landscape. Although technology
continuously evolves, causing techniques and best practices to become irrelevant overnight, humans will
always be a core element of any risk management strategy. As such, businesses must remember the
influence each member of the organization has on the organization’s security wellness or lack thereof.

About the Author

Sam Rehman is Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Head of
Cybersecurity at EPAM Systems, where he is responsible for many
aspects of information security. Mr. Rehman has more than 30 years of
experience in software product engineering and security. Prior to
becoming EPAM’s CISO, Mr. Rehman held a number of leadership roles
in the industry, including Cognizant’s Head of Digital Engineering
Business, CTO of Arxan, and several engineering executive roles at
Oracle’s Server Technology Group. His first tenure at EPAM was as Chief
Technology Officer and Co-Head of Global Delivery.

Mr. Rehman is a serial entrepreneur, technology expert and evangelist with patented inventions in
software security, cloud computing, storage systems and distributed computing. He has served as a
strategic advisor to multiple security and cloud companies and is a regular contributor in a number of
security industry publications.

Website: https://www.epam.com/

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