The Role of Network Segmentation in Zero Trust Architectures

A significant majority of recently surveyed IT and security professionals believe that Zero Trust principles comprise the path towards a robust cyber security posture. Microsegmentation is a critical control, which makes it part of the underpinning framework of Zero Trust, given that it aligns closely with the philosophy and principles of Zero Trust by enforcing granular access control and minimizing the attack surface. 

This view fits with NSA’s Zero Trust Maturity Model, which features “Network & Environment” as one of its pillars and microsegmentation at the “Advanced” maturity level therein. However, while forty percent of respondents are planning or considering microsegmentation, the technology has proven challenging to implement. 

This paper probes why this is the case, offering findings and insights about microsegmentation, obstacles to its realization, and how they can be overcome.