Cyberattacks aren’t slowing down. In 2022 alone, the FBI received nearly 801,000 reports of cybercrime—and the trend has only accelerated since. For organizations managing sensitive data and remote devices, the old security model of “trust but verify” is no longer enough. Today’s threat landscape demands a new approach—one that assumes no one and nothing is inherently safe.
That’s where Zero Trust comes in.
Zero Trust isn’t a product or a rigid checklist. It’s a strategic security mindset—one that continuously verifies users, devices, and access at every point of interaction. Whether someone is inside your network or connecting from a remote device, the system doesn’t take their word for it. Every request must prove legitimacy, every time.
By shifting from implicit trust to continuous validation, Zero Trust reduces your attack surface, limits lateral movement, and helps you stay one step ahead of evolving threats. Its strength lies in five foundational pillars—core areas where Zero Trust principles are applied to enforce stricter, smarter security:
- Identity and Access Management (IAM)
- Network Segmentation
- Device and Endpoint Security
- Application Security
- Data Security
While some organizations—like NIST and CISA—may define these pillars slightly differently or add additional layers, the goal is the same: create a security framework built on verification, minimal access, and resilience.
In this guide, we’ll break down these five key pillars, explain how they work together, and help you decide how to adapt them to your organization’s needs. Let’s dive into the basics of Zero Trust—and why it’s no longer optional in today’s cybersecurity landscape.
What is Zero Trust security?
Zero Trust security is a comprehensive approach that focuses on verifying the identity and access rights of every user and device before allowing them to interact with sensitive data or systems. This model eliminates implicit trust, requiring that every access request—no matter where it originates—is authenticated, authorized, and continuously validated.
The pillars of Zero Trust security include identity, device, network, application and workload, and data. Each pillar works together to ensure that only authorized users can access the resources they need, and nothing more. By adopting Zero Trust security, organizations can enhance their security posture, reduce the risk of cyber threats, and protect sensitive data from unauthorized access. This approach ensures that every access request is scrutinized, granting access only when all trust principles are satisfied, and providing robust protection against both external and internal threats.
The five pillars of Zero Trust
Every Zero Trust system requires a few critical components to ensure a secure environment. Although the amount can vary, there are five pillars of Zero Trust that are used in most organizations.
Implementing these five pillars offers several key benefits, including enhanced security, reduced risk, and a comprehensive framework for protecting organizational data in complex digital environments.
Organizations typically embark on a zero trust journey, following a strategic, phased process to implement these pillars effectively.
1. Identity and access management
Identity and access management (IAM) is the process used to:
- identify users on your computer systems
- verify that users have permission to access information
A Zero Trust system never assumes permission—instead, each user is granted permission by continuously verifying their identity via strong authentication and verification tools that users access when signing on or moving around a system.
Users can sign into your organization using a single sign-on (SSO) protocol, which uses other system logins to verify identity and enables access to resources and applications within a single domain. The SSO will trigger a multi-factor authentication (MFA) system for a secondary login code, which will be sent to an authentication device.
This code is needed for final authorization to gain access to the organization’s resources. Continuous authentication is also implemented to ensure ongoing verification of user identity and maintain security throughout the session.
SSOs work in conjunction with federated identity management systems. In many organizations, users not only need access to the internal system but often third-party resources and tools as well. Federated identity central management systems contain all system users and roles, enabling the SSO process for outside domains and resources. These systems utilize multiple data points and available data points, such as location, device health, and application integrity, to verify and authorize users effectively.
Identity federation tools help IT teams:
- Assign permissions to users under the principle of least privilege (access to the minimal amount of resources a user and group need to function)
- Set all other files and network areas in the system as off-limits and invisible to the user, which ensures a secure and seamless point of access
2. Network segmentation
Network segmentation takes a computer network and divides it into smaller, more secure segments. In a traditional system, you may have a single network for all the devices in your organization. Computer servers, workstations, and user devices can all see each other as well as all of the files and data available.
Traditional network segmentation, such as using VLANs or firewalls, provides a foundational layer of security, but more modern approaches like microsegmentation offer finer-grained control and enhanced protection against lateral movement.
The problem with this connected network architecture is that one compromised device can impact the entire organization with malware. A small compromise can spread throughout the system—leading to company downtime and a huge data breach.
Network segmentation takes different units of your organization and separates them to stop lateral movement and data breaches from affecting a whole system. Networks can be segmented into sections like:
- Individual wifi networks for Bring Your Own Devices (BYOD)
- Small isolated areas where sensitive data is hidden from other segments that allow third-party access
- Micro-segments for proprietary company information that are only available to select employees
The exact configuration of your network will depend on your organization and its needs; however, segmentation will always minimize potential widespread damage. If a user with limited access becomes compromised, the attack can’t move through your network and make its way to other network segments without hitting another point of identity verification. Monitoring network traffic across these segments is also essential to detect anomalies and ensure secure communications within your infrastructure.
3. Device and endpoint security
Securing individual devices on your computer network is a critical part of the Zero Trust model. This process includes:
- installing antivirus software
- installing antimalware software
- setting up computer firewalls
- maintaining software updates
- guarding against phishing attacks with spam detection
In a Zero Trust environment, you only give individual devices as much trust as they need to function. Take desktop computers, for instance. If you want to control the software on the machines and prohibit unknown programs to run, limit the user’s permissions to prevent them from being able to install unapproved software and to control accessing sensitive data on those devices.
Your authentication procedures also apply to endpoint devices. Each device on your network should be identifiable before it is authorized to access resources. Once you secure your devices, it then becomes a matter of watching over them.
You’ll experience external and internal threats constantly as you add more complexity. Monitoring and logging tools will enhance your endpoint security by showing you what’s happening on your network, identifying malicious attacks and unauthorized users attempting to compromise endpoints, and offering remedies for security breaches.
4. Application security
Application security is essential for all of the applications your organizations use to run—including desktop and web applications as well as the servers that host the application backends and data.
In a Zero Trust model, no application should have access to computers or servers that don’t relate to its function. Secure access control and access control are key components here, ensuring that applications are restricted to only the resources necessary for their operation.
A Customer Relationship Management (CRM), for instance, should only have access to the database that stores customer information. Your device security should block the application from accessing other servers and file systems that contain data it doesn’t need.
Apply the principle of least privilege to applications by:
- wiping the access an application has
- then gradually adding access to specific resources it needs to function correctly
- setting up micro-segmentation of networks to ensure that a third-party app can’t access the most sensitive proprietary information
If an application you use has a security flaw that compromises your devices, this application security will contain the damage to the impacted apps.
If you have custom applications in your organization, you may need to hire developers to:
- write programming code to create custom workflows and reduce the attack surface since some commercial applications won’t meet unique business requirements.
- establish secure practices for future development teams
- test applications before launch to make sure they follow your Zero Trust security procedures
5. Data security
The last of the 5 pillars of Zero Trust is data security. These are the procedures you put in place to limit access to organizational data to the users who need it to function.
Protecting data should be one of your most important considerations when implementing Zero Trust—you don’t want attackers to access sensitive information like social security numbers, credit card information, or proprietary company secrets.
To start:
- Identify your critical files
- Classify the data and label the files by how valuable they are
- Set permissions for users and groups that should have access to them
- Encrypt all network data when it’s not in use so an unauthorized user can’t read it (even if they somehow gain access)
A cloud access security broker can help manage and protect data in cloud environments by providing centralized security policies and controls.
After setting up data security protocols and processes, Zero Trust teams will need to focus on monitoring the network data with the help of data loss prevention (DLP) tools. These tools allow you to:
- constantly monitor data to look for abnormalities
- see if information goes missing
- identify users who misuse data
- flag abnormal access patterns
- find gaps in your environment that you need to patch
Threat prevention in Zero Trust
Threat prevention is a foundational element of Zero Trust security. By operating under the assumption that any user or device could be compromised, organizations can take a proactive stance against potential breaches. Zero Trust security enables continuous monitoring and verification, making it possible to detect and respond to threats before they can cause significant harm. This proactive approach not only helps prevent unauthorized access but also minimizes the impact of any security incidents that do occur.
Addressing insider threats and the assume breach mindset
A core principle of Zero Trust security is the “assume breach” mindset. This means organizations operate under the expectation that breaches are inevitable and that threats can originate from both outside and within the organization’s network. By assuming that insider threats are a real and ongoing risk, organizations can implement strict access controls and enforce least privilege access, ensuring that users only have access to the resources essential for their roles.
Continuous monitoring of user activity and access controls is essential for detecting unusual behavior and preventing data breaches. The Zero Trust maturity model, or trust maturity model, provides a structured framework for organizations to assess and improve their Zero Trust implementation over time. By following this model, organizations can systematically enforce least privilege access, apply strict access controls, and continuously enhance their ability to prevent and respond to insider threats. This proactive, layered approach is key to protecting sensitive data and maintaining a resilient security posture in the face of evolving cyber threats.
Additional considerations and best practices
In addition to the five pillars of Zero Trust, there are some other considerations to make during Zero Trust implementation—based on your organization’s structure.
Securing cloud environments for Zero Trust
You may not have complete control over your environment if you use cloud tools in your organization.
To make your cloud environments more secure and inline with your Zero Trust protocols:
- Look at the data you plan to store in the cloud, the people who have access to that data, and any security precautions offered by your cloud provider.
- Then add services that enhance the cloud provider’s security precautions and that offer a granular level of control to account administrators so they can restrict access and set up policies.
Zero Trust in remote and hybrid environments
While some organizations have returned to in-office work, hybrid or remote work environments are still prevalent with 48% of knowledge workers engaging in remote work globally. However, in a remote or hybrid work environment, there is less control over the network. Securing remote access to critical systems and resources becomes essential, ensuring that only authorized users can connect to sensitive environments through secure, controlled, and verified connections.
To follow Zero Trust principles in a remote work environment, remember to:
- create a secure environment for your remote workers by requiring them to use a VPN to decrypt data
- assign devices as company devices so that you can allow IT teams to access and control them when needed
- require MFA before signing in to use company resources
- educate your workforce on potential threats and engage them in the Zero Trust model so they actively report possible attacks
Adding Zero Trust to third-party vendor access
Every organization uses third-party vendors to streamline their operations. But, how do you apply your Zero Trust principles to third parties?
- Delete all third-party vendor access
- Add back in segmented third-party vendor access to necessary network areas
- Monitor their activity for abuse
A reported 98% of companies are connected to third-party data breaches, so watch the information you share with any third-party vendor. It’s best to limit access as much as possible. Then, grant it on an as-needed basis.
Network monitoring and analytics for Zero Trust
You’ll need to continuously monitor your network over time to see how successful your Zero Trust implementation and software is at maintaining the security posture of your company. Testing and validating zero trust architectures and trust architectures is essential to ensure effective threat mitigation and minimal disruption to user productivity.
To do this, it may be best to use device monitoring tools that help you keep track of:
- data access
- user behavior
- network devices
- other pieces of data you acquire
Then, create reports to summarize this information and look for anomalies that indicate you may have a problem.
Conclusion
Zero Trust architecture can work for organizations that want to step up their security. It functions on several foundational pillars that help Zero Trust teams effectively secure every part of a computer network.
- Identity and access management: This pillar ensures that user verification happens at every level before allowing resource access
- Network segmentation: This pillar breaks your network into small segments to isolate critical business operations from threats that have breached your system
- Device and endpoint security: This pillar fortifies devices from threats by locking them down after anomalies are detected as well as updating them with the latest spam and antivirus software
- Application protection: This pillar secures applications by limiting their access to the required resources to function
- Data protection: This pillar secures your data by limiting access, encrypting anything not in use, and constantly monitoring to look for threats
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to Zero Trust. You’ll need to customize your Zero Trust approach to meet your organization’s unique needs and ensure your workforce buys into the philosophy of the approach. Work with your Zero Trust team, stakeholders, and outside experts in the field to learn what you need in a secure Zero Trust environment in your industry. Then create a roadmap to get you there. When you use the five pillars of Zero Trust in tandem with device tracking software, you’ll create an environment that safeguards your network and your devices from cyber threats.
Prey offers tracking software that will help you monitor your device locations, track what happens on them, and manage the software on each device—all from one dashboard. Avoid losing information about your remote workforce using our persistent device tracking & security solution by signing up for a free trial today.
