What is Zero Trust?
Table of contents
Under the Zero Trust security model, all users, devices, and systems must be continuously verified before being granted access to resources. This “never trust, always verify” approach enhances security by enforcing strict access controls, using principles like least privilege, multi-factor authentication, and real-time monitoring. Zero Trust helps organizations protect sensitive data and systems against modern threats, regardless of where users are or what devices they use, by minimizing trust assumptions and requiring validation at every access point.
This approach is especially relevant in today’s environments, where users may work remotely and rely on cloud services, creating more potential vulnerabilities in traditional network defenses.
Zero Trust principles
- Verify explicitly
Zero Trust requires explicit verification of user identity, location, and device health for every access request. This means consistently validating identities through multi-factor authentication (MFA), biometric verification, or other robust identity checks.
- Principle of least privilege
Users and devices are given only the minimum access necessary to perform their tasks. Role-based access control (RBAC) and just-in-time access (where access is granted only when needed) are typical applications of this principle.
- Micro-segmentation
Instead of a single network perimeter, Zero Trust divides the network into isolated segments (micro-perimeters) for different resources. For example, sensitive customer data might be kept in one segment, with strict access controls, while general marketing data can be stored in another.
- Continuous monitoring and logging
Real-time monitoring of user behavior and activity logs enables rapid detection of suspicious activities, helping organizations act quickly if a breach is attempted or suspected, regardless of user location.
- Assume breach
Breaches are inevitable. And Zero Trust operates under this assumption. It encourages organizations to have a proactive mindset, preparing for intrusions by limiting their impact and strengthening detection capabilities.
Zero Trust examples
- Remote Work Security: With Zero Trust, remote employees must verify their identities through MFA and access sensitive company resources through secure virtual private networks (VPNs) or, increasingly, via secure access service edge (SASE) frameworks, which combine networking and security functions.
- Healthcare: In hospitals, a Zero Trust model would require doctors and nurses to authenticate their identities before accessing patient records. Access would be limited to only those patients they are authorized to treat, with logs tracking every access attempt.
- Financial Services: Banks often implement Zero Trust by requiring all employees to use MFA, while critical applications—such as those managing financial transactions—are segmented from general systems. Continuous monitoring helps detect potential anomalies like unusual transaction volumes or access from unexpected locations.
- Device Verification: Organizations using Zero Trust often implement endpoint protection policies that verify the security posture of devices before granting access. For example, only company-managed devices that meet specific security criteria (e.g., antivirus installed, latest patches applied) are allowed access to corporate resources.
Benefits of Zero Trust
- Enhanced security: By limiting access to the minimum necessary and requiring continuous verification, Zero Trust reduces the risk of unauthorized access.
- Reduced attack surface: Micro-segmentation minimizes the extent of any potential breach, keeping critical resources isolated and less vulnerable.
- Greater flexibility for remote work: Zero Trust’s principles align well with remote work policies, where employees access resources from multiple locations and devices.