Identity-Based Microsegmentation

Cloud native applications require a new security design that does not rely on network addresses to protect workload communications. Prisma Cloud decouples microsegmentation from the network and couples security to workload identity for optimal protection. Everything within Prisma Cloud’s microsegmentation solution revolves around identity.

• Defining workload identity

  Workload identity is the key element that enables Zero Trust with Identity-Based Microsegmentation. Prisma Cloud assigns every protected host and container with a cryptographically signed workload identity.

• Workload identity comprises tags

  Each identity consists of contextual attributes, including metadata from cloud native sources across Amazon Web Services (AWS®), Microsoft Azure®, Google Cloud, Kubernetes® and more.

• Identity ensures network visibility accuracy

  Protected workloads send and receive identity upon each communication request. Identity is baked into network flow visibility so that you don’t have to rely on contextless IP addresses.

• Identity strengthens workload defenses

  Prisma Cloud verifies the identity of the communicating workloads, rather than IP addresses. If the workload is neither verified nor authorized, the network access request is denied.

Securing cloud native applications requires a purpose-built policy model providing simplicity and flexibility. Prisma Cloud delivers real-time and historical views into network flows across workloads.

• Use easy-to-understand policy language

  Take advantage of Prisma Cloud microsegmentation policies that use contextual, application-driven tags (e.g., service=frontend can talk to service=backend) instead of network-centric language (e.g., Allow 192.168.10.20 to 10.0.0.31).

• Choose centralized or decentralized management

  Have your security team centrally manage policies for all workloads in the environment, or let DevOps and app developers inherit responsibility and manage policy for their own apps.

• Automate policy suggestions for effortless management

  Through Prisma Cloud, take learned application behavior and couple it with identity attributes to automatically recommend microsegmentation policies with minimal user input.

• Program microsegmentation policy as code

  Keep up with developer processes through automated security. With Prisma Cloud, developer teams can codify microsegmentation policy without any knowledge of networking languages.