• 23 July, 2025
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The Evolution of Cybersecurity and the Importance of Zero Trust Architecture

So here I am – third cup of coffee, barely any sun up, tapping out on the keyboard remembered musings of what threats looked like when I began in ’93 as a network admin and how they’ve changed to where we are today. Yeah, those were the days – routers shouting with voice and data muxed over PSTN connections, dial-up sounds that made your ears explode, all the while muttering to oneself “How on earth can this scale?” Fast forward to today. I am founder of P J Networks Pvt Ltd-a Cybersecurity firm but still the same old guy interested ( sometime not!) in fast changing world of IT Security. Just returned from DefCon—still amped up from the hardware hacking village—and I want to rap about zero trust architecture. Spoiler alert: it’s no mere buzzword.

Starting Out: Networking in Early ’90s

I began in the trenches, keeping networks running on PSTN lines, watching the Slammer worm in action. Remember that chaos? It was easier to ask for forgiveness once Slammer busted through all defenses like a bull in a china shop. That moment taught me something essential: Security is not static. It can’t be. It has to be responsive, evolutionary and anticipatory.

What is Zero Trust, Really?

Zero Trust is not simply trust no one in some Orwellian way. It’s really more about never, ever assuming a safe network environment.

So many organizations have the approach that security is like you need a fortress wall and your firewall’s the wall. But here’s the news: That wall’s got gates and windows, and it has a big open door.

Zero Trust means:

• All users, devices and connections should be considered untrusted until proven otherwise.
• Continuous authentication and authorization.
• Principle of least privilege access —accounts no longer have all-you-can-eat buffet.

The problem is that it’s more difficult than it looks. But when I recently assisted three banks with the implementation of zero-trust architectures, it was painfully apparent that a lot of organizations are nowhere near ready. Here’s a brief overview of what happened.

Real Talk: Assistance to Help Banks to Walk the Talk of Zero Trust

Banks are a great place to start zero trust because the stakes are insane. We addressed identity verification, endpoint security and network segmentation—those are all traditional zero-trust pillars.

But here’s what stood out:

• Legacy systems that just can’t bring themselves to play nice. Some have been around as long as my career (yes, mainframes, I’m talking about you).
• People who believe MFA (multi-factor authentication) by itself indicates that you’ve got zero trust licked. Nope.
• Overcomplicated policies so confusing that the users they’re meant to protect are befuddled.

One bank was attempting to roll out fancy AI-driven security tools. I respect innovation — but I’m skeptical about anything that simply calls itself AI-powered without these bedsrock go-to-market promises about transparency. If you’re confused about the logic, it’s equivalent to giving your car keys to a robot who has no driver’s license.

Bottom Line: Zero trust is a mix of technology, process and culture change. It’s not as if you can simply purchase software and call it a day.

What I learned from DefCon’s Hardware Hacking Village

Just returned from DefCon, and the hardware hacking village was a treasure trove or information. It was a reminder that the physical denial side can be forgotten in the security world. You can have a fortress of code but a window through the hardware.

One demo? How a super simple USB device could get around corporate security measures. It’s a bit creepy — and yet so obvious if you think about it.

Security is like a car’s brakes. The software is your ABS and traction control, but if your tires are threadbare and your brakes are leaking fluid, no amount of techno-pop equipment will save you.

Quick Take: What You Should Know About Zero Trust Now

If you’re pressed for time, here’s espresso-shot my summary:

• Zero Trust = Assume breach. Always.
• M.F.A. required, but not sufficient.
• Regular surveillance trips beat spot checks.
• Legacy infrastructure = huge speed bump.
• User training is non-negotiable.
• The downside of hardware control is its weakest link is often its hardware control.

Some of what I’ve learned you might find useful (typed by a grizzled network admin).

• Start small. You don’t have to reverse everything overnight. Choose a crucial app or service, and lock it down.
• Invest in identity management. Rules around password complexity only work if users aren’t writing them down on sticky notes. I complain a fair bit about passwords — here’s the thing: they’re the first and last line of defense.
• Be pragmatic. You can’t boil the ocean. Prioritize based on risk.
• Segment networks like they are your life because they are.
• Don’t automatically trust A.I. solutions. There’s a temptation to think of A.I. and machine learning as a transparent solution that can always reveal valuable information. They’re tools, not magic bullets.

Reflecting on My Journey

I’ve made mistakes. Worms like Slammer would hit me faster than I had expected in the beginning of my career0 I was under the impression that ISO standards were sufficient. Spoiler: they’re not.

Now I know that cybersecurity is a marathon, not a sprint. A fast course that is always changing. But that’s part of the thrill of it.

In lots of ways, cybersecurity today smacks of the old days of PSTN— constant adjusting, fixing and riding the seesaw allocating resources between voice and data traffic. Except now, the stakes are greater still.

Why Your Company Needs to Embrace Zero Trust

Look, every company has a network. Every network has vulnerabilities. The equivalent of running a race with one shoe laced behind your back is being negligent about zero trust.

Nowadays, the amount of ransomware, insider threats, and sophisticated nation-state actors extenuates, existing around the perimeter. And that’s why it’s not a good idea to think of zero trust as a silver bullet but as an obligatory step in development. That’s why it’s all brought to the table by P J Networks Pvt Ltd:

• Managed NOC services to ensure your network is monitored twenty-four by seven.
• Firewalls, routers, server security paid in offering zero-trust principle.
• Customized security architectures based on your business actualities.

We, sometimes, are too paranoid, but the cybersecurity issue is such that it develops so swiftly and dynamically that when someone tells you that he’s one step further with BEC-solutions, you can be sure there is cause for concern. I’ve been nearly 30 years in for so long to say cybersecurity is still about people. There is a security culture that can matter along with your awareness. Get your network well-segmented, your firewalls tightly secured, your suspicious attitude over fusty vendors, and brew another cup.

Best wishes from the desk,

Sanjay Seth
P J Networks Pvt Ltd
Still buzzing from DefCon and everything to get the better of whatever’s next.