Zero Trust operates on one principle: never trust, always verify. Every user, device, and network connection is treated as potentially hostile — even inside your own network. This is the NIST 800-207 framework in practice.
Core Pillars
1. Verify explicitly — authenticate and authorize based on all available data points.
2. Use least privilege access — limit user access with Just-In-Time and Just-Enough-Access.
3. Assume breach — minimize blast radius, segment access, encrypt everything.