ZDC22: Seamus Lennon, Threatlocker

## Why Zero Trust Matters

Seamus Lennon, a ThreatLocker solutions engineer, makes the case for zero-trust architecture in modern environments. Software powers everything from office apps to medical devices and rockets—expanding both opportunity and risk.

## Ransomware Has Evolved

Lennon contrasts early ransomware like WannaCry with today's double-extortion model: attackers encrypt systems and exfiltrate data, so payment no longer ensures destruction. He cites ongoing incidents costing victims over $100 million, where backups alone are insufficient.

## Beyond Firewalls and MFA

Traditional perimeter controls remain necessary but incomplete. Lennon advocates application allowlisting so only approved binaries run, Ringfencing to restrict what approved apps can access, and storage control to protect data from overly privileged processes.

## Least Privilege by Default

Zero trust means minimizing privileges for users and applications alike—Chrome, for example, inherits the same file access as the logged-in user. ThreatLocker's pitch: default-deny execution and granular policy reduce the blast radius when malware or stolen credentials enter the network.