Castle-and-Moat Network Security Model for Enterprise Business: Is It Worth it?

Do you know how the security of corporate clients and their businesses is ensured? Many cybersecurity service providers build strong castles and dig deep moats to prevent all possible threats. According to Gartner, about 78% of surveyed entrepreneurs connect 16 different digital guards to their systems, and 12% connect more than 46. But quantity is not always synonymous with quality. On the contrary, systems may interfere with each other and cause vulnerabilities for attackers. 

Why is it necessary to keep corporate resources secure? All data stored on servers or local drives of companies are tasty prey for cybercriminals striving to make money. Digital sandboxes do not always solve the task, so cybersecurity experts look for new ways to protect against intruders. 

Rocketech experts analyzed the two most popular security models, castle-and-moat security and zero trust security, to choose the best one for corporate business. Here’s about these systems’ key differences, relevance, and availability.

What are the Castle-and-Moat Security and Zero-Trust Models?

Nowadays, there are two favorites among cyber protection models—the good old bastion and zero trust. They provide good security but differ fundamentally.

To begin with, the foundation of any protection is a trust policy. Its level depends on two parameters: conditional and unconditional. In the first case, the system determines the maximum user access border and opens only “white” areas for work.

In the second case, access is granted to the entire resource mechanism. Unconditional trust is primarily provided in localized systems that scan the user’s account, device, and location for compliance with initial information. In addition, without knowing the unique addresses, getting into them is impossible or at least problematic.

Let’s look at both models in the context of protecting corporate businesses from external threats.  

1. Castle-and-Moat Security

Let’s try to visualize this complex. Imagine a classic medieval castle surrounded by a deep moat filled with water. The gates of the fortress have a drawbridge that protects the bastion. Imagined? A castle with a moat and drawbridge is what the model looks like exactly. 

The idea of ​​a protective complex is built on six pillars:

• Isolation. High walls and a deep moat make it impossible to penetrate from the outside. The system is limited to a dedicated area (a place on the server). The infrastructure of the company is located inside.
• Tunnel entrance. The bridge principle allows you to authorize a user who, using a trusted account, enters the castle’s native environment and the internal structures (databases, files, etc.). 
• The right to visit. Only the admin can create verified accounts using special tools. Most often, they are supplied with electronic keys located on an external medium and protected by passwords.
• Firewall barriers. Virtual shields and force fields (we classify them as invisible barriers) stop any attack from the outside and hide the contents of the territory from prying eyes, encrypting or modifying it.
• Local freedom. After logging in, the authorized user is automatically considered a trusted person and can access the contents of the information castle.
• Activity monitoring. The all-seeing eye monitors both the inner and outer perimeter, tracking suspicious actions and activity. It helps to localize offenders who have penetrated the protection in illegal ways.

Even though this model has been around for quite some time, it still provides robust protection for corporate operations. The key is to strike a balance and avoid inadvertently compromising the security setup while constructing a closed-off environment, which could potentially expose weaknesses to hackers.

2. Zero Trust Model

This model is a tangible step forward for the entire cybersecurity sector. Moving away from the principles of the castle, it adheres to the extreme idea that no one and nothing can be trusted. Even in a localized environment, any danger must be eliminated with aggressive methods: block, terminate the connection, or even delete the account.

The zero-trust security model is built on seven main principles.

• Initialization. The access level is differentiated by the account type and distributed by the system with a wide range of filters. It includes all standardized security protocols.
• Infiltration. Since there is a risk of relapse at any point in the virtual space, the system localizes each potentially dangerous element and monitors it.
• Observation. By analogy with infiltration, this principle implies not so much monitoring a specific user as their actions in the ecosystem.
• Size. Even the smallest database cell matters. Therefore, activity control is implemented at all levels, regardless of the size of the container and its value.
• Time. Control over the time spent by the user in one of the elements of the structure. Suspicious activity or delay results in breaking the session.
• Monitoring. Constant searching for vulnerabilities in the corporate system. Regular tools help the admins check the reliability of individual units and the entire complex.
• Encryption. It stands as the ultimate defense against parsing, with blockchain emerging as the pinnacle of protection. These principles are integral to the zero trust model, rendering it exceptionally trustworthy.

While zero trust security principles might appear stringent, they’re highly effective in safeguarding products from external interference. Despite occasional slowdowns or errors stemming from diverse security protocols, such a system remains a dependable tool that efficiently gets the job done.

Zero trust security presents a contemporary strategy, while the castle-and-moat model boasts a time-tested defense, safeguarding isolated environments from external threats.

The Castle-and-Moat Network Security Model: Protecting Corporate Business

The final choice always depends on several factors. One thing is clear: the best virtual security system for an organization’s web resources is the one that can localize all potential threats, providing high performance, broad bandwidth, and streaming analysis.

The perfect list of protection principles:

• Isolation. Complete blocking of external interventions will allow the system to operate smoothly and provide better protection for the internal infrastructure.
• Access. The differentiation of rights to view or edit data in a restricted environment is vital for those who fear insiders or the interception of control over their accounts.
• Monitoring. Any action or suspicious activity must be observable. Implementing machine learning algorithms and tools improves productivity.
• Control. Each entry must be matched against GEOs, visit times, and interests. In case of suspicious account activity, block it before clarifying the circumstances.
• Encryption. The blockchain protocol is best suited because the encoders are located only in the system and on the user’s device. It excludes data parsing.
• Reflection. The system must be ready for potential attacks and respond to them automatically. Ideally, you can send malicious objects back or trap the source.

Usually, this checklist suffices to ensure comprehensive protection for corporate web resources. The castle-and-moat model matches it perfectly, enabling users to operate within a securely isolated environment, confident in their privacy and shielded from external product vulnerabilities.

The Relevance of Castle-and-Moat and Zero Trust Security for Enterprise Business

Both models, zero trust security and the castle-and-moat approach, offer relevant and reliable protection methods. Zero trust security presents a contemporary strategy, while the castle-and-moat model boasts a time-tested defense, safeguarding isolated environments from external threats.

Both systems provide secure connections through VPN, like Surfshark or NordVPN, and multi-factor user authorizations. Even basic solutions suffice to address the virtual security needs of corporate businesses.

However, for safeguarding against external attacks, the castle-and-moat model is a typical and most preferred choice. This system enables remote work for company employees via a secure web resource connection, ensuring productivity while mitigating concerns of excessive surveillance and control.