Zero trust replaces the old “trusted internal network” with a simple rule: never trust, always verify. Every request is authenticated and authorized regardless of where it originates.
The core principles
- Verify identity explicitly for every request.
- Grant least-privilege access, scoped and time-limited.
- Assume breach and segment so one compromise does not become total.
Where to start
You do not need to buy a platform on day one. Start with strong identity and multi-factor authentication, then progressively remove implicit network trust. Each step reduces blast radius even before the full model is in place.