Case Study - Navigating Ambiguity in Zero Trust Implementation

Overview

The Defense Health Agency (DHA) faced a significant challenge in aligning its systems and processes with the Department of Defense's (DoD) strategic direction towards a Zero Trust (ZT) architecture. The initial phase of this initiative was marked by considerable uncertainty, including an absence of explicit parameters and detailed guidance for ZT implementation within the DHA context. Zero Trust itself represents a paradigm shift, demanding a deep understanding and integration across various security pillars and capabilities. Furthermore, the project was mandated to ensure its efforts directly supported the broader DoD ZT strategy, as outlined in the "DoD Zero Trust Overlays" document. This inherent ambiguity necessitated a flexible yet systematic approach to transform abstract goals into actionable objectives.

To navigate these complexities, a systematic methodology, adapted from established cybersecurity framework implementation principles, was adopted. This iterative process involved several key steps:

• Step 1: Prioritization and Scoping in Ambiguity: Proactively leveraged the "DoD Zero Trust Overlays" as the authoritative guide to establish a workable scope and priorities, bringing order to the initial uncertainty.
• Step 2: Orientation via DoD Guidance: Thoroughly analyzed the nearly 400-page "Zero Trust Overlays" document to gain essential definitions, goals, and context, enabling alignment with established ZT pillars and desired outcomes.
• Step 3: Defining the Target State: Set a clear objective: achieving the capabilities and outcomes defined as "Target Phase 2" within the DoD document, providing a specific, measurable, and DoD-aligned target.
• Step 4: Assessing Risk Against the Target: Conducted comprehensive risk assessments of in-scope systems and processes to identify potential risks and vulnerabilities impeding Target Phase 2 ZT objectives.
• Step 5: Profiling the Current State: Documented the initial state of systems relative to the Target Profile, mapping existing security controls and processes to relevant ZT pillars, establishing a baseline for gap analysis.
• Step 6: Iterative Gap Analysis & Adaptation (The Core Challenge): This phase was highly iterative, requiring eight distinct cycles of refinement. Initial plans to align with standard Risk Management Framework (RMF) processes and eMASS artifact preparation proved problematic due to eMASS's limitations with ZT-specific evidence. A strategic pivot was made away from relying solely on the standard RMF/eMASS workflow. To manage the immense complexity of mapping 7 ZT pillars, 45 capabilities, and numerous activities to hundreds of RMF controls, a custom application was developed, providing essential structure and efficiency. Iterative analysis and RMF tooling limitations also informed critical discussions with leadership, leading to a strategic refinement and down-scoping of the project to a more focused implementation under the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), ensuring achievable objectives.
• Step 7: Developing the Action Plan (The Result): Based on the final Gap Analysis, a targeted action plan was developed. This confirmed strong foundational security (aligned with Salesforce Well-Architected principles) and focused on specific ZT enhancements:
  • Enhanced Monitoring: Implementing Salesforce transaction security policies for anomalous activity detection.
  • Configuration Hardening: Modifying Salesforce configurations to adhere to industry best practice security baselines.
  • Compliance Verification: Implementing a robust reporting system to prevent configuration drift.
  • Data Governance: Developing a formal Data Classification Standard and handling procedures to enable granular security controls.

What we did

Despite the initial uncertainties and inherent complexities, the project delivered significant value:

• Navigated Ambiguity: Successfully established clear direction and structure from an initially ambiguous state.
• Leveraged Authoritative Guidance: Effectively utilized the DoD Zero Trust Overlays as a foundational framework.
• Overcame Process Hurdles: Identified and adapted to limitations in existing RMF/eMASS tooling for ZT.
• Developed Innovative Solution: Created a custom application to manage complex ZT mappings and tracking, significantly enhancing project efficiency.
• Facilitated Strategic Scope Refinement: Played a crucial role in adjusting project scope for feasibility and alignment with leadership.
• Achieved Stakeholder Consensus: Successfully navigated multiple iterations to gain agreement on the final scope and action plan.
• Produced Actionable Remediation Plan: Delivered a clear, prioritized plan for high-value improvements in monitoring, configuration, compliance, and data governance.
• Validated Foundational Security: Confirmed alignment with Salesforce Well-Architected principles, providing assurance on existing controls.
• Advanced Zero Trust Posture: Significantly moved relevant DHA systems closer to achieving DoD's Target Phase 2 Zero Trust objectives.
• Provided Roadmap for Future Initiatives: Established a clear roadmap for achieving future ZT targets through complementary tool implementation.