As enterprises continue migrating workloads to the cloud, they must adapt
their security strategies to safeguard against evolving threats. StrongDM's latest survey of 600 cybersecurity professionals
highlights the significant progress organizations are making in adopting Zero
Trust for the cloud, as well as the challenges that still persist.
Key Findings from the Survey:
- Zero Trust Adoption: 81%
of organizations have fully or partially implemented a Zero Trust model,
with 19% still in the planning phase. 22% of respondents reported internal
resistance, while 48% cited cost and resource constraints as major
obstacles.
- Cloud-Specific Security: 84% of organizations are actively pursuing Zero
Trust for cloud security, with Identity and Access Management (IAM) and
data encryption identified as top priorities by 67% of respondents.
- Tooling and Implementation: While 52% of teams use a mix of tools, only 30%
rely on unified solutions. Additionally, 28% use the same tools for both
cloud and on-premises environments, underscoring the challenges in
achieving a unified security approach.
- Database Security: Despite
89% of organizations developing or applying Zero Trust for database
security, only 43% report having robust security measures in place.
- Challenges and Gaps: Managing
policies across multi-cloud environments remains a top challenge for 49%
of respondents, and 57% report minimal or no strict controls for database
and data access.
Zero Trust Adoption Soars, But Roadblocks Persist
81% of organizations have implemented Zero Trust, reflecting its increasing
importance in today's cloud-first world. However, 19% are still in the planning
phase, with 22% citing internal resistance and 48% pointing to resource
constraints as barriers.
Cloud Security: Zero Trust Takes Center Stage
84% of organizations are focusing on Zero Trust for cloud security, with
67% prioritizing IAM and data encryption to ensure user verification and data
protection.
Fragmented Tools Slow Down Zero Trust Success
52% of organizations use a mix of tools for Zero Trust, while only 30% rely
on unified solutions. Fragmented tools lead to inefficiencies, highlighting the
need for a unified approach.
Database Security: High Priority, But Gaps Remain
89% of organizations are applying or developing Zero Trust for database
security, but only 43% have robust measures in place, underscoring the need for
stronger controls.
Multi-Cloud Management: A Major Hurdle for Zero Trust
49% of organizations struggle to manage policies across multi-cloud
environments, highlighting the need for solutions that simplify policy
enforcement across different platforms.
Real-Time Monitoring and Simplified Policy Management Key to Zero Trust
60% of respondents prioritize real-time monitoring and anomaly detection,
while 45% seek simplified policy management to ensure consistent Zero Trust
across multi-cloud environments.
The Path Forward: Zero Trust as a Security Imperative
The survey highlights the growing adoption of Zero Trust as a key
cybersecurity strategy. Addressing implementation challenges and focusing on
critical features will be essential for successful adoption.
This survey highlights the rapid pace of Zero Trust adoption as
organizations face increased pressure from sophisticated cyber threats,
regulatory requirements, and the shift to hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
However, fragmented tools and inconsistent policies continue to undermine the
effectiveness of these efforts, underscoring the need for unified, real-time
solutions to ensure secure operations.
Complete study results: https://www.strongdm.com/blog/state-of-ai-in-cybersecurity-report