What is 'zero trust' security?

The concept of 'zero trust' security is fundamentally about addressing the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats by operating under the assumption that no one—regardless of whether they are inside or outside the network—should be trusted by default. In this model, every request for access to resources is thoroughly verified, authenticated, and authorized, which helps to significantly reduce the risk of breaches and other security incidents.

This approach recognizes that traditional security models often rely heavily on perimeter defenses, which can be inadequate against modern threats, as attackers can easily exploit insider access or find ways to breach the network. By adopting a zero trust framework, organizations can enforce stringent access controls, ensuring that even internal users are only granted the minimum necessary privileges for their roles.

The other choices do not accurately encapsulate the essence of zero trust. Unrestricted access within the network undermines the core principle of zero trust, which is to restrict access as much as possible. Focusing solely on external threats neglects the reality that many attacks originate from inside an organization. Limiting user access based on location is just one aspect of identity and access management and does not capture the comprehensive approach that zero trust represents. Thus, option A accurately reflects the foundational aspect of zero trust security.