Zero Trust.
A security architecture model that assumes no implicit trust based on network location and verifies every request against identity, device posture, and policy — "never trust, always verify."
The honest take: "Zero Trust" has become so overused as a marketing label that it conveys very little specific information. The architectural shift is real (continuous verification, microsegmentation, identity-based access) but every vendor pitch claims it. When evaluating Zero Trust claims, ask what specifically the product verifies, on what cadence, against what policy — those concrete capabilities matter more than the label.
Common questions
What is NIST SP 800-207?
Does Zero Trust mean no passwords?
Is Zero Trust just marketing?
Related terms
In the guides
Account Takeover Defense: A Layered Approach for 2026
ATO is the single largest CIAM threat in 2026. The defense stack is layered, credential stuffing protection, MFA, session management, and recovery design, each addressing a different attack class.
API Authorization Patterns: A 2026 Practitioner's Guide
How to authorize API requests in modern CIAM. Bearer tokens, scopes, OAuth 2.1 client patterns, machine-to-machine, and where the architectural lines fall.