Zero Trust is a security model that assumes no implicit trust and continuously validates every transaction and access request, regardless of location or network. This approach requires verification of all users, devices, and applications before granting access to resources, fundamentally changing the traditional perimeter-based security model.
Core Principles
- Never Trust, Always Verify: No implicit trust is granted based on location or network
- Least Privilege Access: Users and devices are granted minimal access necessary
- Micro-Segmentation: Network segmentation to limit lateral movement
- Continuous Monitoring: Ongoing assessment of security posture
- Device Verification: Validation of device compliance and security posture
- Application Verification: Verification of application identity and integrity
Key Components
- Identity Verification: Strong authentication and authorization mechanisms
- Device Trust: Validation of device health and compliance
- Network Security: Micro-segmentation and secure communications
- Data Protection: Encryption and access controls for data
- Visibility and Analytics: Continuous monitoring and threat detection
Benefits
- Reduced Attack Surface: Limiting access based on need-to-know
- Improved Security Posture: Continuous validation of trust
- Enhanced Compliance: Better access controls and audit trails
- Increased Visibility: Better understanding of network traffic and access patterns
- Resilience: Reduced impact of security breaches
- Scalability: Can adapt to changing network architectures
Common Use Cases
- Remote workforce security
- Cloud infrastructure protection
- Multi-cloud environments
- Network segmentation
- Compliance requirements
- Data center security
- Third-party access management