Zero Trust Takes Over: 63% of Orgs Implementing Globally

According to the latest research by Gartner Inc., 63% of organizations globally have implemented a zero-trust strategy into their operations, whether that be partially or fully. 

More than half (56%) of that group said they were doing so because a zero-trust approach is considered to be "an industry best practice." However, a zero-trust strategy often addresses only half of an organization's environment, at most, in many cases, said John Watts, vice president analyst and KI leader at Gartner. 

"Enterprises are not sure what top practices are for zero-trust implementations," he noted in the firm's announcement on the survey, which was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Gartner has three recommendations for security leaders looking to implement a zero-trust strategy: recognize the scope of what it can reasonably cover (which usually is not the entirety of an organization); incorporate metrics to measure success and risk, and keep your audience in mind when communicating such information; and prepare for an increase in staffing and costs.

These practices potentially can make the transition to zero trust more successful and beneficial to organizations. While 35% of organizations reported failures that interrupted their implementation of zero-trust strategies, Watts added that "organizations should have a zero-trust strategic plan outlining operational metrics and measure the effectiveness of zero-trust policies in order to minimize delays."