Zero Trust in the Private Cloud

Zero Trust in practice

Zero Trust is exactly what it says on the tin. It is based on a simple principle: Trust no one –  inside or outside the network. Every access must be verified, every authorisation justified and every activity traceable. At CONVOTIS Swiss Cloud, we offe a private cloud that is designed to be secure from the ground up – technologically, organisationally and strategically.

We work with customers in regulated industries, including financial service providers, healthcare and public administration, to meet their high security and compliance requirements. Central to this: Zero Trust as our guiding principle.

Technologies and processes: How Zero Trust is implemented at CONVOTIS Swiss Cloud

Least-Privilege Access & Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Every user receives exactly the permissions they need for their role – no more, no less. Particularly sensitive areas, such as the server rooms, are only accessible to a very small, selected group of people. This greatly reduces the risk of an internal security incident.

Approval processes & access control

Authorisations – especially privileged rights – are not simply granted, but must be approved through an approval process involving the direct supervisor. The extension of a role, for example for temporary maintenance work, can only be done with explicit approval.

TPA – Temporary Privileged Access

With the concept of Temporary Privileged Access (TPA), a user is only granted extended rights for a limited period of time – for example two hours. These access rights are granted and revoked automatically. This process is also subject to approval and is fully auditable.

Password management & transparent access documentation

We rely on password management tools that are linked to a role architecture. This means that employees only see the access data they actually need. Access to other passwords is technically possible within the framework of predefined exception processes – but is always documented in an audit-proof manner. This ensures that every action remains traceable.

Periodic checks & external monitoring

Zero Trust does not end with the technology – strict organisational measures are also implemented:

• Joiner-mover-leaver processes govern user administration when someone joins, changes roles or leaves.
• In addition, regular audits of privileged groups take place, particularly for internal employees and suppliers.
• The results and evidence of these audits are a key component of our ISO 27001 certification, ISAE 3000 audits and FINMA audits.

Hardware-based key management: Relying on HSM and Vault

An essential building block of our Zero Trust approach is the integration of identity-based security with a hardware-based key management system: HashiCorp Vault Enterprise, secured by a PCQ-ready hardware security module (HSM), is the backbone of our cryptographic infrastructure.

This solution provides:

• Hardware-based key storage and management
• separation of keys and applications for maximum security
• centralised access controls for cryptographic operations
• seamless integration with existing security processes and policies

This architecture provides additional hardware-level protection for the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive data – a critical advantage in the private cloud. Learn more about our Key Management Service here.

Zero Trust as a de facto security standard

For us, Zero Trust is not a futuristic vision, it is a reality. With an integrated, layered security approach, certified processes, strict access controls and state-of-the-art technology, we create a cloud environment that meets the highest standards.

This security approach is an essential part of future-proofing IT operations, especially in the private cloud, where customer data is particularly sensitive. Because trust is good, but Zero Trust is better.

Further reading:

Implementing Zero Trust: Secure youe IT infrastructure now (convotis.com)