Walk through any cybersecurity conference or listen in on a corporate strategy session, and you are likely to hear two words: Zero Trust. The term has become an inescapable part of the business lexicon — shorthand for a modern, robust security posture. The data confirms this ubiquity. Gartner® says 63% of organizations worldwide have deployed a Zero Trust strategy1 — a number clearly on a sustained upswing. Yet, beneath this veneer of consensus, Zero Trust is often an overused, but misunderstood term.
At its core, Zero Trust is not a product or a piece of software. Rather, it’s a fundamental shift in how organizations approach cybersecurity. It’s a model, a mindset, a strategy built on the simple yet profound principle: “Trust nothing, inspect every transaction.” The best Zero Trust outcomes are achieved when a model is deployed in a way to protect everyone and everything in an organization: users (both internal and external), applications, data, and infrastructure.
In a digital landscape rife with threats, this is no longer an optional extra; it’s core to a successful cybersecurity strategy.
Why Zero Trust Is Critical
Simply put, the digital world is a much more dangerous place today than ever before. Gone are the days when a simple password could safeguard an organization’s data. The digital world has grown exponentially more complex and dangerous. Device proliferation, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) — all have expanded the potential pathways for malicious actors. Hackers, armed with increasingly sophisticated tools like generative AI and machine learning, are relentless in their pursuit of vulnerabilities.
This has propelled Zero Trust into the mainstream. No user or device is automatically trusted, regardless of network location. Every access request must be verified, often through multifactor authentication.
Zero Trust helps organizations manage an increasingly wide array of threats, especially zero-day attacks. It means exactly what it says: Trust no one and nothing when accessing digital assets. All requests are evaluated and validated.
In a Zero Trust environment, the goal is a robust security posture without hindering user experience. Balancing security with usability is key. Done correctly, Zero Trust delivers better security, simplifies infrastructure, lowers costs, improves security operations, AND delivers a better overall user experience.
Zero Trust Is Working
The important news is that organizations have seen tangible benefits from their initial and follow-on Zero Trust deployments. Take Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), a vital part of Zero Trust strategies to help employees and other users safely connect to network infrastructure, apps and services. According to Enterprise Strategy Group, 87% of organizations say Zero Trust has met all or most of the outcomes they expected when beginning their initiative, and the vast majority of those organizations use ZTNA for all of their remote access needs.2
Zero Trust’s success stems from being an ecosystem of tools and processes, not a single product. It includes identity verification, least privilege access, continuous monitoring and device management.
Not all Zero Trust Deployments Are Equal
Zero Trust has become an essential baseline for security, but narrow adoption is not enough. The true differentiator lies in the quality of implementation, which significantly impacts an organization’s readiness and resilience against modern threats. While many claim to have embraced Zero Trust, the reality often reveals wide variations. Some implementations lack the necessary depth of functionality and verification, failing to include all vital components, or are confined to specific use cases rather than the organization as a whole. This oversight leaves vulnerabilities exposed.
Similarly, endpoint coverage is crucial, yet frequently inadequate. Extending protection beyond traditional desktops and laptops to encompass smartphones, tablets, IoT devices and other connected assets is non-negotiable. Neglecting this expansion leaves a significant attack surface ripe for exploitation. Furthermore, the exclusion of third parties, such as developers and cloud providers, creates blind spots. These external entities often have access to sensitive resources and must be included in the Zero Trust framework.
Finally, any effective Zero Trust model must acknowledge the inherent weakness of passwords. Relying solely on them is a recipe for failure. Biometrics, digital certificates and passkeys are no longer optional; they are essential to a robust security posture. A thorough, comprehensive approach is the only way to ensure Zero Trust delivers on its promise of security.
What to Do in Your Organization’s Zero Trust Journey
If your organization hasn’t started Zero Trust, begin immediately. If it has started, it must accelerate its efforts. Cyber adversaries are continuously trying to bypass your defenses.
Here are the steps for a successful journey:
- Strong identity access management.
- East-west controls to limit lateral movement.
- Automated security responses to threats.
- Performance indicators to measure Zero Trust effectiveness.
- Continuous monitoring, evaluation and updates that align with threat intelligence.
- Clear communication of Zero Trust goals to all personnel.
Still curious about what Zero Trust can do for your business? Check out our Zero Trust Enterprise: Design Guide.
1 “Top 3 Recommendations From the 2024 State of Zero-Trust Adoption Survey”, Gartner, March 18, 2024.
2 “Organizations Should Prioritize VPN Replacement With Zero-trust Network Access,” Enterprise Strategy Group, May 28, 2024.
