Gartner Study Finds 63% of Global Organizations Adopt Zero-Trust Strategy

A recent survey by Gartner, Inc. discovered that 63% of organizations worldwide have either fully or partially adopted a zero-trust strategy. Despite its popularity, most organizations allocate less than a quarter of their cybersecurity budget to this strategy. The survey revealed that many organizations embrace zero-trust because it’s considered a standard practice, yet they struggle to define best practices for its implementation.

Gartner highlights three key recommendations for security leaders implementing zero-trust strategies:

1. Define the scope of the strategy early on, understanding which parts of the organization it covers and how much risk it can mitigate. While most strategies cover only a portion of the environment, defining this scope accurately is crucial.
2. Establish metrics to measure the success of zero-trust initiatives, tailoring them to reflect the specific outcomes of these efforts rather than relying on traditional cybersecurity metrics.
3. Anticipate increased costs and staffing requirements associated with zero-trust implementation, as it may add to the organization’s operational burden. Despite potential challenges, having a strategic plan in place can minimize delays and disruptions.

Gartner advises organizations to adopt a zero-trust mindset and offers further insights in their report “Top 3 Recommendations From the 2024 State of Zero-Trust Adoption Survey.” Additionally, they provide guidance on real security strategy in their webinar “Cut Through Zero Trust Hype and Get Real Security Strategy Advice.”