Discover App Usage and plan for App Segmentation
Implementation Effort: Medium
User Impact: Low
Overview
Zero Trust principles begin with the understanding that effective segmentation and security controls are impossible without comprehensive visibility. Before launching any segmentation strategy, organizations must achieve deep insight into both their network infrastructure and the application usage patterns of their user population—regardless of location or device.
Application discovery is a foundational step in a Zero Trust approach, as it enables administrators to identify all applications in use, map user-to-application relationships, and uncover unsanctioned or high-risk applications that may bypass traditional perimeter defenses. This discovery process should include continuous monitoring, not just a point-in-time audit, to account for changes in business needs, user behavior, and evolving threats.
With this visibility, organizations can:
- Classify applications by risk and business criticality.
- Apply least privilege access controls, ensuring users and devices only access applications necessary for their role.
- Detect shadow IT and unauthorized access attempts, and take corrective action.
- Inform segmentation policies by grouping applications logically, not just by network location.