What is Zero Trust?
Zero Trust is a security framework based on the principle "never trust, always verify." It assumes that threats exist both inside and outside the network.
Core Principles
1. Verify Explicitly
Always authenticate and authorize based on:
- User identity
- Device health
- Location
- Data classification
2. Use Least Privilege Access
Limit user access with:
- Just-In-Time (JIT) access
- Just-Enough-Access (JEA)
- Risk-based adaptive policies
3. Assume Breach
Minimize blast radius by:
- Segmenting networks
- Encrypting data end-to-end
- Using analytics to detect anomalies
- Implement strong authentication (MFA)
- Deploy identity governance
- Enable single sign-on (SSO)
- Establish device management
- Implement device health checks
- Enable conditional access
- Micro-segment workloads
- Implement software-defined perimeters
- Deploy secure access service edge (SASE)
- Classify sensitive data
- Implement data loss prevention
- Enable encryption everywhere
- Identity: Azure AD, Okta, Ping Identity
- Network: Zscaler, Cloudflare, Palo Alto
- Endpoint: CrowdStrike, Microsoft Defender
- Data: Varonis, Digital Guardian
Implementation Roadmap
Phase 1: Identity Foundation
Phase 2: Device Trust
Phase 3: Network Segmentation
Phase 4: Data Protection
Technologies to Consider
Conclusion
Zero Trust is essential for modern security. Start with identity, expand to devices and networks, and continuously improve your posture.