A recent analysis by cloud security leader Zscaler reveals that adopting zero trust security architecture could prevent nearly one-third of global cyberattacks annually—translating into potential savings of up to $465 billion.

The report, based on hundreds of thousands of cyber incidents, indicates that the impact of zero trust is particularly strong in Europe, where it could have prevented 41% of incidents, compared to 31% in North America. Enterprises generating over $1 billion in revenue stand to benefit the most, with findings suggesting that zero trust could have averted up to 60% of incidents involving firms earning more than $100 billion.

Industries such as construction, wholesale trade, manufacturing, and IT are poised to gain the most from this approach. While sectors like finance, mining, and utilities may see comparatively less benefit, even they could have avoided at least 20% of breaches through zero trust implementation.

Stephen Singh, Global VP at Zscaler, emphasized the framework’s growing relevance, calling it a “fundamental cybersecurity control” that significantly reduces exposure by eliminating outdated tools like firewalls and VPNs. This shift is particularly crucial as ransomware attacks have surged by 126% over the past year.

Zero trust also affects cyber insurance pricing. Insurers are increasingly factoring in its presence when calculating premiums, offering reduced rates to companies that adopt it. Darin Hurd, CISO at Guaranteed Rates, noted that organizations prioritizing zero trust gain a notable defensive edge. Tim Riley, SVP at cyber insurer Resilience, echoed this, stating that zero trust strengthens both prevention and recovery efforts.

Despite growing adoption—more than half of organizations have at least partially implemented zero trust—a fifth remain in the early stages, struggling to translate its principles into clear policies, especially across complex multi-cloud setups.

Scott Stransky of Marsh McLennan and lead author of the study concluded, “The financial impact of not deploying zero trust highlights just how valuable it truly is in today’s cyber landscape.”

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News Source: ITPro.com