What is Zero Trust?
A security model based on the principle 'never trust, always verify.' Every request is authenticated and authorized regardless of where it comes from — even inside your own network.
In plain English
Zero trust is like an office where every room requires a badge scan, even if you're already inside the building. Traditional security is like a castle with a moat — once you're past the moat, you can go anywhere. Zero trust puts a guard at every door.
How it works
In a zero trust architecture, no user, device, or service is inherently trusted. Every request must be authenticated and authorized, even between internal services. Access is granted on a least-privilege basis and continuously re-evaluated. Network location (being 'inside' the firewall) grants no implicit trust. Micro-segmentation, strong identity verification, and continuous monitoring are key pillars.
Why it matters for AI-built apps
AI-generated architectures often have flat trust models — once a user is authenticated, they have broad access. Modern applications with microservices, cloud deployments, and third-party integrations have many attack surfaces. Zero trust principles ensure that even if one component is compromised, the blast radius is limited.
Common issues
Internal APIs with no authentication (trusting anything on the network), service-to-service calls without mutual authentication, overly broad IAM roles in cloud environments, not validating tokens at every service boundary, and storing shared secrets that grant broad access.
Best practices
Authenticate every API request, even between internal services. Use short-lived tokens with minimal permissions. Implement network segmentation. Log and monitor all access. Apply least-privilege principles to cloud IAM roles. Use mutual TLS for service-to-service communication. Continuously validate that access is still appropriate — don't just check at login time.
Frequently asked questions
Is zero trust overkill for a small startup app?
Full zero trust architecture can be complex, but the principles scale down well. At minimum: authenticate every API endpoint, use least-privilege permissions, don't trust internal network location alone, and validate tokens on every request. These practices cost little to implement but pay huge dividends as you grow.
How do I start implementing zero trust?
Start with the basics: ensure every API endpoint requires authentication, implement proper authorization checks, use HTTPS everywhere, apply least-privilege IAM roles, and authenticate service-to-service calls. You don't need to buy expensive tools — zero trust is a mindset applied to how you design every interaction.
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