Navy Launches Zero Trust Deployment Initiative Flank Speed
/ 4 min read
Quick take - In 2022, the U.S. Department of Defense released its Zero Trust Strategy, with the Navy’s Flank Speed initiative successfully achieving high-level zero trust outcomes ahead of schedule, demonstrating the effectiveness of collaborative security approaches and the feasibility of large-scale zero trust deployment.
Fast Facts
- The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) released its Zero Trust Strategy in 2022, aiming for full implementation by September 30, 2027.
- The U.S. Navy’s Flank Speed initiative protects over 560,000 identities and devices, achieving a 100% success rate in security assessments for Target Level activities.
- Flank Speed, initially developed for remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, is built on a cloud-native platform integrating Microsoft 365 and Azure technologies.
- The Navy’s approach aligns with the DoD’s seven zero trust pillars, enhancing security across various environments without needing to modernize legacy systems.
- Continuous collaboration with Microsoft and other partners ensures the effectiveness of zero trust environments against evolving cyber threats.
United States Navy Launches Flank Speed for Zero Trust Implementation
In 2022, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) formally released its Zero Trust (ZT) Strategy. The strategy aims for enterprise-wide Target Level ZT implementation by September 30, 2027. To advance this initiative, the United States Navy has launched a large-scale zero trust deployment known as Flank Speed.
Flank Speed Overview
Flank Speed is designed to protect over 560,000 identities and devices while enhancing user experience. The DoD Zero Trust Portfolio Management Office (PfMO) sponsored security assessments for Flank Speed. These assessments demonstrated the Navy’s capability to meet the DoD’s ZT goals ahead of schedule, achieving a 100% success rate in the 91 Target Level activities tested. Success was noted in nearly all (60 of 61) advanced Target Level activities in further testing.
This comprehensive evaluation approach expanded beyond traditional penetration testing, covering all 152 zero trust activities. Prior to the assessments, military personnel underwent six months of training on the zero trust solution, equipping them to effectively detect and mitigate attack vectors presented by adversary assessment teams.
Key Features and Alignment with DoD Pillars
Mr. Randy Resnick, the Chief ZT Officer for the DoD, emphasized Flank Speed’s effectiveness in achieving high-level ZT outcomes. Initially developed to securely support remote workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, Flank Speed is built on the Navy’s unclassified combined Azure and Microsoft 365 Impact Level 5 (IL5) cloud. The Navy’s security approach aligns with the DoD’s seven zero trust pillars, which include:
- Users
- Devices
- Applications and workloads
- Data
- Networks
- Automation and orchestration
- Visibility and analytics
The Microsoft 365 E5 package integrates productivity solutions with security technologies that address these seven pillars. The zero trust platform supports various environments, including hybrid cloud, multicloud, and multiplatform needs, featuring extended detection and response (XDR) services, cloud-based device management, and identity and access management.
Collaborative Success and Future Implications
Microsoft’s role includes providing technical expertise to align technologies with the DoD ZT strategy, following a White House Executive Order on cybersecurity. The success of Flank Speed illustrates the effectiveness of collaborative approaches to zero trust implementation. The Navy’s achievement in meeting both Target Level and nearly all Advanced Level criteria ahead of the 2027 deadline indicates the feasibility of large-scale zero trust deployment.
Flank Speed is cloud-native but extends usability and security to both cloud-only and existing on-premises workloads and devices, allowing for increased security without the need to modernize or sunset existing legacy assets. This capability may benefit organizations seeking a consistent security baseline.
Microsoft’s support for the DoD’s zero trust implementation directly informs its Secure Future Initiative, which aims to improve security practices across sectors. Continuous collaboration with the Navy and other partners ensures that zero trust environments remain updated against evolving cyber threats. Microsoft has commended the United States Navy for its milestone achievement in zero trust implementation, demonstrating that zero trust is a proven security methodology with tangible results.
For more information on accelerating zero trust implementation, best practices, and Microsoft Security solutions, resources are available on Microsoft’s website and security blog.
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