By Grant Eckstrom, vCISO at Succurri
For most of my career, the standard cybersecurity stack was made up of the usual suspects: firewalls, antivirus, VPNs, and (more recently) multi-factor authentication (MFA).
And for a while, that worked.
But the reality is this: the way we’ve always done cybersecurity is no longer enough to keep businesses safe.
The threats have changed. The technology landscape has changed. And so must our approach.
That’s where Zero Trust Security comes in.
In this blog, I’ll break down, in plain language, the difference between traditional cybersecurity services and Zero Trust. I’ll also explain why I believe Zero Trust is the future for every business, no matter the size.
Traditional Cybersecurity: A Quick Recap
Traditional cybersecurity operates on what we call a perimeter-based model.
Here’s how it works:
- You set up a firewall at the “edge” of your network to keep the bad guys out.
- You install antivirus software on company computers to catch malware.
- You give employees usernames and passwords (maybe even MFA).
- If someone gets inside the network, they’re mostly trusted.
That model made sense in a world where:
- People worked in a single office building
- All data lived on a server in the back room
- Devices were issued and controlled by IT
- The biggest threats were viruses from sketchy emails
But that world doesn’t exist anymore.
Why Traditional Cybersecurity Fails Today
Here’s the problem: the perimeter is gone.
Employees work from home, hotels, airports, and coffee shops. Your data lives in the cloud. People access your network from personal phones, laptops, and tablets. And attackers don’t care where your firewall is; they just need one weak link.
And let’s be honest, even with MFA and antivirus in place, here’s what I still see all the time:
- Compromised credentials from phishing attacks
- Malware is getting past outdated antivirus engines
- Ransomware spreads internally once one user is compromised
- VPNs give attackers a front-row seat to your network
In today’s threat landscape, the old “trust but verify” model is a liability.
Enter: Zero Trust Security
Zero Trust Security turns the traditional model on its head.
Instead of assuming users and devices inside your network are safe, Zero Trust assumes nothing and no one is safe by default.
That means every access request, from a user, device, app, or system, must be:
- Authenticated
- Authorized
- Continuously validated
In other words: never trust, always verify.
What Makes Zero Trust Different?
Let me break it down with a side-by-side comparison:
| Traditional Cybersecurity | Zero Trust Security |
|---|---|
| Trusts users once inside the network | Treats every user and device as untrusted |
| Relies on perimeter defenses | Enforces access policies at every entry point |
| One-time authentication (login only) | Continuous verification based on behavior |
| Broad access once logged in | Least privilege access—only what’s needed |
| Minimal internal segmentation | Network and app segmentation everywhere |
| Focus on endpoints | Focus on identity, device, and context |
A Real-World Example
Let’s say a team member clicks a phishing link, enters their credentials, and you don’t have Zero Trust in place.
The attacker now has access to your systems. If that user had access to your finance system, HR files, or vendor contracts, so does the attacker.
Now imagine the same scenario with Zero Trust:
- The attacker logs in from a new device.
- They don’t pass device health checks.
- They fail conditional access based on location.
- They try to access files outside the normal behavior pattern.
Access is blocked.
And even if they somehow get in, network segmentation keeps them from moving laterally.
The Role of MFA, Firewalls & Antivirus in Zero Trust
Now, I’m not saying traditional tools are useless. In fact, Zero Trust uses those tools; it just uses them better.
Here’s how:
- MFA becomes one piece of a larger identity verification strategy, not the only gatekeeper.
- Firewalls are used in internal segmentation, not just at the network edge.
- Business Antivirus is layered with AI-based endpoint detection and response (EDR) to catch more advanced threats.
Zero Trust isn’t about throwing away your tools; it’s about changing your mindset and adding layers of context and verification.
So, Is Zero Trust Just for Big Companies?
Absolutely not.
One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that Zero Trust is only for Fortune 500 companies. The truth? Small and mid-sized businesses are some of the most common victims of cyberattacks, and they often have the most to lose.
And here’s the good news: you don’t need a $500K security budget to get started with Zero Trust.
At Succurri, we help businesses take simple, actionable steps to adopt Zero Trust principles using tools they already have, like Microsoft 365, endpoint protection, and cloud identity platforms.
Not sure where to begin? Grab our Business Network Security Checklist
Or request a Free IT Audit to see where you stand
Where to Start with Zero Trust
Here’s a practical 5-step roadmap we use with clients:
- Inventory your users and devices: Know what’s accessing your network and where from.
- Implement MFA everywhere: No exceptions, especially for admin accounts and email.
- Segment your network: Break it into zones to contain any breach.
- Apply least privilege access: Give people only the access they need to do their jobs.
- Monitor and log everything: Use behavioral analytics to catch threats early.
Final Thoughts from a vCISO
I’ve seen businesses lose hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of trust because they assumed “basic security” was enough.
Zero Trust isn’t a buzzword. It’s a blueprint. One that’s built for today’s hybrid work environment, cloud-first operations, and AI-powered threats.
If your security strategy still depends on old assumptions, it’s time to evolve. Zero Trust might sound intimidating, but with the right plan and partner, it’s completely achievable and absolutely worth it.
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