A new Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) survey reveals that 96% of IT and security professionals consider microsegmentation extremely or very important for cyber defense — a sentiment reinforced by CISA’s recent zero trust guidance. As ransomware and lateral movement threats escalate, organizations are prioritizing automated, identity-aware microsegmentation to contain breaches and meet compliance. Zero Networks emerges as a key enabler, offering agentless, rapid-deployment solutions aligned with both market demand and federal directives.
Microsegmentation Moves from Niche to Necessity
Once viewed as a complex, niche capability reserved for advanced security teams, microsegmentation has now become a foundational element of enterprise cyber defense. The EMA survey of 145 IT and security leaders across industries confirms this shift: nearly all respondents (96%) rated microsegmentation as “extremely” or “very” important.
This momentum aligns with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) updated zero trust architecture guidance, which explicitly calls for microsegmentation to prevent lateral movement — a primary enabler of ransomware and advanced persistent threats. Together, these developments signal a market inflection point: microsegmentation is no longer optional.
What Enterprises Value Most in Microsegmentation
EMA’s research highlights not just adoption intent, but also the specific capabilities driving investment. Respondents identified the following priorities:
- 33.1% ranked instant threat containment and quarantine as the top benefit — reflecting a strategic pivot from detection to rapid response.
- 20.7% emphasized halting lateral movement and stopping ransomware.
- 14.5% cited compliance and cyber insurance alignment.
- 11.7% prioritized ensuring operational continuity during attacks.
Beyond immediate containment, organizations are demanding future-ready features:
- 82.8% consider automated policy creation and lifecycle management critical within 1–2 years.
- 47.6% view automated asset discovery and tagging as a key differentiator.
- 50.3% rate integration with MFA for privileged access as extremely important.
“Microsegmentation has crossed the threshold from niche to essential,” said Chris Steffen, VP of Research at EMA. “Enterprises now expect it to be automated, integrated with identity systems, and capable of containing threats before they spread.”
Why Legacy Approaches Fall Short — And What Works
Traditional microsegmentation tools often require endpoint agents, manual rule configuration, and multi-year deployment cycles — making them impractical for most organizations. In contrast, Zero Networks delivers an agentless, automated solution that can be implemented in days, not years.
Key differentiators include:
- Deterministic automation engine — eliminates guesswork in policy creation and enforcement.
- Dynamic asset discovery & tagging — continuously maps and classifies network resources.
- Identity-aware segmentation — ties access controls to user and device identity.
- Network-layer MFA — enforces privileged access controls at the infrastructure level.
“Prevention is now the priority,” said Benny Lakunishok, CEO of Zero Networks. “With our platform, networks defend themselves by design. Attackers can’t move laterally — even if they breach the perimeter, they’re contained instantly.”
Next Steps: Education, Adoption, and Alignment with CISA
To help organizations navigate this transition, Zero Networks is launching its Containment Island webinar series in September. Attendees will hear from cybersecurity experts on aligning microsegmentation strategies with CISA’s zero trust framework — and can enter to win a trip to the Four Seasons Bahamas.
As cyber threats grow in sophistication and regulatory pressure mounts, microsegmentation is no longer a “nice-to-have.” With automation, identity integration, and agentless deployment, solutions like Zero Networks are making enterprise-grade cyber resilience attainable — even for mid-market and resource-constrained teams.
About Zero Networks
Zero Networks is revolutionizing network security with its effortless microsegmentation solution that stops ransomware and implements in days, not years. By automating asset tagging and policy creation, Zero Networks saves enterprises an average of 86% on total cost of ownership compared to legacy microsegmentation solutions that rely on time-intensive manual processes. Combined with advanced Identity Segmentation and Zero Trust Network Access solutions, and fortified by network-layer MFA, Zero Networks’ platform accelerates zero trust initiatives at companies of any size. This comprehensive approach enables organizations to stop lateral movement attacks, exceed compliance requirements, achieve top-tier audit scores, and pass every penetration test. For more information, visit zeronetworks.com.
