Zero Trust: Building a resilient access strategy

With cyber threats growing in sophistication, organisations can no longer rely on traditional perimeter security to protect critical assets. The rapid shift to cloud environments, remote work and hybrid IT landscapes has dismantled the traditional network boundary, making identity the new security perimeter.

“Modern security demands a Zero Trust approach - one that assumes breach and verifies every access attempt.”

With employees accessing corporate resources from various locations and devices, the attack surface has expanded, making it vital for organisations to adopt a Zero Trust approach. Unlike legacy security models that assume everything inside the corporate network is safe, Zero Trust mandates continuous verification of users, devices, and access requests. Microsoft Entra Global Secure Access enables organisations to implement a Zero Trust framework by enforcing strict access controls, minimising risk exposure, and enhancing visibility across cloud and on-premises environments.

Key pillars of a resilient Zero Trust access strategy

Identity centric security
Every access request is verified based on risk signals, device compliance and user behaviour. Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) provides adaptive authentication, Conditional Access, and passwordless (phish-resistant) authentication methods to strengthen identity protection.
Least-privilege access
By applying Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management (PIM), we help organisations enforce just-in-time and just-enough-access principles, significantly reducing the attack surface.
Secure access controls
Microsoft’s Global Secure Access, offers advanced security capabilities such as Traffic Inspection, Identity-Aware Proxy, and Secure Web Gateway to prevent lateral movement and secure data access.
Comprehensive visibility & threat detection
We integrate Microsoft Defender for Identity and Microsoft Sentinel to provide real-time visibility into identity threats, ensuring security teams can respond proactively.

The role of Microsoft Entra Global Secure Access in enforcing adaptive access policies

Microsoft Entra Global Secure Access (GSA) leverages conditional access, which evaluates signals such as user identity, device compliance, and location to make real-time access decisions. By integrating with the broader Microsoft Entra platform, GSA ensures that access policies are dynamically adjusted based on the current risk level. This adaptive approach enhances security and provides a seamless user experience by allowing legitimate access while blocking suspicious activities.

How to streamline secure access across hybrid and multi-cloud environments

One of the key challenges in modern IT environments is managing secure access across hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructures. Microsoft Entra GSA addresses this challenge by providing a unified solution that spans on-premises, cloud and multi-cloud environments. It offers capabilities such as secure web gateway and private access, which enable secure connectivity without the need for traditional VPNs. By tunnelling traffic through Microsoft's global network, Entra GSA ensures that all access requests are subject to the same rigorous security controls, regardless of the user's location or the resource being accessed.

Consolidating solutions into a unified Zero Trust framework

Consolidating security solutions into a unified Zero Trust framework offers significant cost and security benefits. By integrating various security functions into a single platform, organisations can reduce the complexity and overhead associated with managing multiple disparate tools. This consolidation also enhances visibility and control, allowing for more effective threat detection and response. Additionally, a unified Zero Trust framework helps organisations achieve compliance with regulatory requirements by providing comprehensive security controls and audit capabilities.

Zero Trust in action: The role of Microsoft Entra

A resilient access strategy under Zero Trust is about preventing breaches, ensuring business continuity, minimising risk and improving user experience. As a Microsoft partner, we help organisations navigate the complexities of Zero Trust implementation. Our expertise lies in designing, deploying and managing access strategies tailored to business needs. Here’s how we make an impact:

Case study 1: Securing a global financial institution

A leading financial services firm faced challenges securing access for its remote workforce while ensuring compliance with stringent regulatory requirements. Our team deployed Microsoft Entra ID Protection and Conditional Access policies to:

Identify and remediate high-risk sign-ins automatically.
Enforce multifactor authentication using passwordless methods.
Implement Just-in-Time privileged access for critical applications.

The result? A 75% reduction in unauthorised access attempts and improved user experience without compromising security.

Case study 2: Strengthening identity security for a large retailer

A global retailer sought to protect customer and employee identities from credential-based attacks. Leveraging Microsoft Entra, we:

Deployed Entra Verified ID for secure customer authentication.
Introduced Entra Workload Identities to secure non-human access.
Strengthened identity governance with automated lifecycle management.

Following implementation, the retailer saw a 60% drop in identity-related security incidents and enhanced compliance with data protection laws.

The Future of Secure Access

With Microsoft Entra, organisations can achieve a secure, seamless access experience that protects against evolving threats without compromising productivity.

Ready to build a resilient access strategy?

Let’s start your Zero Trust transformation today.