Zero Trust – Explained in Simple Terms

Zero trust is a security model that treats every user and device as untrusted, whether inside or outside an organization’s network. Each one must be authenticated and authorized before it can reach any resource. The point is to stop attacks such as data breaches and malware by removing the old assumption that anything inside the network is safe.

A core idea of zero trust is “never trust, always verify.” Every request to access a resource must be checked before access is granted, whether it comes from an employee or an outside device. Traditional security models worked differently. They often trusted anything on the internal network.
To put zero trust in place, organizations combine multi-factor authentication with network segmentation and application-level access controls. These controls confirm who users and devices are and whether they’re allowed to reach specific resources.
One big benefit of zero trust is protection against insider threats. That includes employees with bad intentions and employees who make honest mistakes. Because everyone has to be authenticated and authorized, zero trust limits the damage.
Zero trust can also help with compliance. Standards such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) require strong protections against data breaches.
Zero trust has challenges, too. The biggest is complexity. Organizations have to set up and manage many security controls and processes, which takes time and money, and it can mean hiring more security staff.
User experience is another challenge. Extra authentication steps slow people down. That’s a bigger problem for organizations with many remote or mobile workers, who may push back against added friction.
Even so, many organizations are adopting zero trust. Analysts at firms such as Forrester and Gartner have promoted it for years as a better fit for how people work today, when staff and applications are spread across many locations.
Zero trust fits the way modern networks work, with more remote users and more threats coming from every direction. It takes effort. For many organizations, the gains in security and compliance make it worth it.

John King, CISSP, PMP, CISM

John King currently works in the greater Los Angeles area as a ISSO (Information Systems Security Officer). John has a passion for learning and developing his cyber security skills through education, hands on work, and studying for IT certifications.