Security News > 2022 > February > How ready are federal agencies for zero trust implementation?

More than 70 percent of federal agencies are aggressively adopting zero trust principles, while another 26 percent are adopting where they feel it makes sense, according to a Merlin Cyber and MeriTalk report.

The report is based on a survey of more than 150 federal cybersecurity decision makers and explores the priorities, goals and anticipated challenges around the federal government's zero trust implementations.

The 2021 Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity, Office of Management and Budget's Federal Strategy for a Zero Trust Architecture, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's Zero Trust Maturity Model have outlined the application of zero trust principles for agencies.

In particular, while 92 percent say these recent federal initiatives have increased their confidence in the implementation of zero trust, 87 percent feel that the Executive Order and OMB Zero Trust Architecture pushes agencies to move too fast for effective implementation.

Zero trust adoption challenges for federal agencies Centralizing previously siloed cybersecurity tools/deployments.

"As agencies take steps to comply with the Executive Order, OMB Zero Trust Architecture and CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model, it is critical that the private sector understands the areas of confidence and concern among federal cybersecurity decision makers," said Miguel Sian, Senior VP of Technology at Merlin Cyber.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/02/01/federal-agencies-zero-trust/