Zero trust security architecture for modern enterprises

The traditional castle-and-moat security model is obsolete. According to Verizon's 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, 82% of breaches involve the human element, and lateral movement within networks is a primary attack vector. Zero trust architecture addresses these realities by assuming breach and verifying every access request.

The case for zero trust

Breaches Involving Human Element

$0M

Avg Breach Cost

0 days

Time to Identify Breach

Cost Reduction with Zero Trust

According to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach Report, organizations with mature zero trust implementations save an average of $1.76 million per breach compared to those without.

Zero trust principles

Verify Explicitly

Always authenticate and authorize based on all available data points

Least Privilege

Limit access to only what's needed, when it's needed

Assume Breach

Minimize blast radius and segment access

Continuous Verification

Don't trust once—verify continuously throughout session

Device Health

Consider device state in access decisions

Data-Centric

Protect data regardless of location

Never Trust, Always Verify: Zero trust isn't a product—it's a security philosophy. Every access request must be validated regardless of where it originates, even from inside the network.

Zero trust vs traditional security

Traditional Perimeter vs Zero Trust Security

Feature	Traditional Perimeter	Zero Trust
Network Perimeter Focus	✓	✗
Identity-Centric	✗	✓
Continuous Verification	✗	✓
Microsegmentation	✗	✓
Remote Work Ready	✗	✓
Cloud Native	✗	✓

Zero trust architecture components

Pillar 1

Identity

Strong authentication, SSO, MFA, identity governance. The new perimeter.

Pillar 2

Devices

Device inventory, health checks, endpoint detection and response.

Pillar 3

Network

Microsegmentation, encryption, software-defined perimeter.

Pillar 4

Applications

Secure access to apps, API security, shadow IT discovery.

Pillar 5

Data

Classification, encryption, DLP, access controls.

Identity: the new perimeter

Identity Control Effectiveness at Preventing Breaches (%)

Authentication

Verify user identity with strong MFA

Authorization

Determine access based on role and context

Context Analysis

Evaluate location, device, behavior patterns

Risk Scoring

Calculate real-time risk level

Access Decision

Grant, deny, or require additional verification

Continuous Monitoring

Monitor session for anomalies

Network microsegmentation

Typical Enterprise Network Traffic Distribution

Lateral Movement: 75% of network traffic is east-west (between internal systems). Traditional firewalls only protect north-south traffic, leaving lateral movement unchecked.

Implementation roadmap

Phase 1

Assessment and Planning

Inventory assets, map data flows, identify protect surfaces, define policies.

Phase 2

Identity Foundation

Deploy strong authentication, MFA, SSO, conditional access.

Phase 3

Device Trust

Implement endpoint protection, device health checks, compliance policies.

Phase 4

Network Segmentation

Deploy microsegmentation, software-defined perimeter.

Phase 5

Application Security

Secure application access, API gateway, CASB for SaaS.

Phase 6

Data Protection

Classification, encryption, DLP, monitoring.

Zero trust for cloud and SaaS

Zero Trust Tools by Category

Feature	Microsoft	Google	Best of Breed
Identity Provider	✓	✓	✓
CASB	✓	✓	✓
SASE	✗	✓	✓
Microsegmentation	✓	✓	✓
EDR	✓	✗	✓
SIEM/SOAR	✓	✓	✓

Measuring zero trust maturity

Zero Trust Maturity by Pillar

Orgs at Initial Stage

0 years avg

Time to Full Implementation

MFA Adoption Rate

Breach Cost Reduction

Common challenges

Zero Trust Implementation Challenges (%)

FAQ

Q: Where should we start with zero trust? A: Start with identity—it's the foundation. Implement MFA everywhere, deploy conditional access, and establish strong identity governance. This provides immediate security benefits.

Q: How does zero trust work with legacy applications? A: Use identity-aware proxies or application gateways to front legacy apps. This adds modern authentication without modifying the application. Plan gradual modernization.

Q: What's the cost of implementing zero trust? A: Costs vary widely based on current state and scope. However, organizations typically see ROI within 2 years through reduced breach costs and operational efficiency.

Q: How do we balance security with user experience? A: Modern zero trust tools use risk-based authentication—only challenge users when risk is elevated. Passwordless and SSO can actually improve UX while increasing security.

Sources and further reading

Implement Zero Trust Security: Building a zero trust architecture requires expertise in identity, network, and data security. Our team helps organizations design and implement comprehensive zero trust strategies. Contact us to discuss your security architecture.

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