Topic starter
08/06/2026 5:00 pm
TL;DR: Network segmentation reduces lateral movement by breaking flat networks into smaller trust zones, but poor segmentation, third-party overreach, and weak auditability still leave organisations exposed, according to StrongDM and IBM. The security case now depends on making legitimate access easier than illegitimate movement, not just adding more network boundaries.
Editorial analysis by NHI Mgmt Group, based on content published by StrongDM: “7 Network Segmentation Best Practices to Level-up Your Security”.
By the numbers:
- Data breach costs rose from $3.86 million to $4.24 million USD, according to IBM research cited by StrongDM.
Key questions
A: Start by mapping who needs access to which data and services, then design segments around those access needs rather than around organizational charts.
Q: Why do overbroad third-party permissions make segmentation less effective?
A: Because segmentation only contains risk if external access is tightly bounded.
Practitioner guidance
- Map access to segment ownership Define which users, services, and third parties are allowed into each zone and document the business reason for every path.
- Isolate third-party access portals Create dedicated access paths for vendors and contractors so their sessions are confined to only the systems they support.
- Instrument segmented paths with forensic logging Capture enough session detail to reconstruct commands, queries, and accessed targets inside each zone.
Bottom line: Network segmentation only reduces exposure when it is paired with disciplined access governance and clear boundaries for users, vendors, and services.
Explore further
View Full Forum → | NHI Foundation Course → | Our Services → | Read the full analysis →
This topic was modified 4 days ago by NHI Mgmt Group
08/06/2026 6:56 pm
Network segmentation is an access-governance problem before it is a network design problem. The article correctly treats segmentation as a way to contain movement, but the real failure mode is overly broad legitimacy inside the environment. When access paths are not mapped to actual need, segmentation becomes cosmetic and lateral movement remains possible through approved channels. Practitioners should read segmentation as a governance layer over identity and transport, not as a substitute for them.
A few things that frame the scale:
- 90% of IT leaders say properly managing NHIs is essential for a successful zero-trust implementation, according to the Ultimate Guide to NHIs.
A question worth separating out:
Q: Why do overbroad third-party permissions make segmentation less effective?
A: Because segmentation only contains risk if external access is tightly bounded. When a vendor can move through multiple internal zones from one entry point, the organisation has expanded the trust boundary instead of reducing it, and lateral movement becomes easier to hide.
👉 Read our full editorial: Network segmentation best practices and NHI access control
This post was modified 4 days ago by NHI Mgmt Group