Starting a Practical Zero Trust Program

Zero trust initiatives often stall when they focus only on tools. The stronger path is to map the program to real assets: identity, applications, data, and the network services that support them.

1. Begin with identity

Inventory the identities that matter most. Establish strong authentication, conditional access, and continuous monitoring before moving deeper into the stack.

2. Secure applications by design

Modern application delivery is inseparable from security. Build assessment checkpoints into development workflows and align with NIST and CIS guidance.

3. Protect data flows

Identify your critical data paths, then enforce least privilege and visibility across cloud and on-premises environments.

4. Measure, then iterate

Zero trust is a program, not a one-time project. Use clear metrics to track adoption and security posture improvements.