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.