Episode 14: ZTMM+ in Action: Practical Steps for Your Zero Trust Journey

• Host: Zach Pugh (LinkedIn)
• Co-Host Victor Monga (LinkedIn)
• Guest Jason Garbis (LinkedIn)

Highlights:

• Practical Zero Trust Implementation: Jason emphasizes the importance of adopting a realistic, incremental approach to Zero Trust, urging organizations to leverage existing capabilities before investing in new technologies.
• Introducing ZTMM+: Discover Jason’s enhancement of the CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model, designed to provide clearer definitions, practical guidance, and address critical gaps like secure internet access and data loss prevention.
• Simplifying Complexity: Learn how the ZTMM+ framework translates complex Zero Trust maturity assessments into straightforward, actionable questions, promoting collaboration across IT, security, and business teams.
• Avoiding Vendor Hype: Jason debunks vendor-driven myths and clarifies that no product is inherently "Zero Trust Certified," reinforcing the importance of strategic integration over reliance on vendor solutions.
• Secure Internet and DLP Strategies: Get insights into why comprehensive secure internet access controls and robust data loss prevention (DLP) strategies are essential yet often overlooked in standard maturity models.

Key Takeaways:

• Start with Practical Steps: Begin your Zero Trust journey by tightening policies around critical business assets, leveraging current technologies, and incrementally building your capabilities.
• ZTMM+ as an Actionable Tool: Use the enhanced maturity model (ZTMM+) to objectively measure your organization's true Zero Trust maturity and identify realistic improvement areas without overwhelming complexity.
• Vendor Realities: Recognize that true Zero Trust maturity involves strategic orchestration across existing processes and tools rather than dependency on a single vendor’s solution.
• Business-Focused Security: Zero Trust initiatives succeed when security leaders deeply align security improvements with clear, direct business benefits—supporting innovation, compliance, and strategic business expansions.
• Collaboration is Essential: Cross-functional collaboration between security teams, IT, and business stakeholders is critical for identifying real-world security gaps and practical, impactful solutions.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speakers.