The term ZERO TRUST is becoming increasingly common in the field of cybersecurity. It represents a security mindset and architecture designed to help minimize risk to organizational systems.
Why Are Zero Trust People Solutions Important? Data shows that most data breaches are linked to stolen identities or passwords, proving that usernames and passwords alone are not enough to verify user identity. Every organization must implement additional authentication mechanisms to ensure that the person entering credentials is truly who they claim to be.
The core principle of Zero Trust is exactly what its name implies — zero trust. The organization no longer “trusts by default” but must verify continuously, not just during the initial login.
It verifies and monitors who connects to the organization or its apps (employees, vendors, customers).
It verifies and monitors what connects to the organization (devices and components).
It verifies and monitors who and what consume services and applications.
In a Zero Trust study by Forrester (September 24, 2020), Cisco was ranked as a leader in both the Strong Strategy and Strong Offering categories.
Cisco’s Zero Trust approach enables organizations to build and maintain trust across three key pillars:
Workforce — Securing Users and Identities
This layer covers users connecting to the organization from anywhere, at any time.
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Cisco Duo provides strong authentication for anyone trying to access corporate infrastructure or cloud services.
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After verifying user identity, Duo also checks the connecting device — ensuring it’s legitimate, secure, encrypted, and compliant with company policy.
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Duo offers users a secure SSO (Single Sign-On) portal, enabling simple, safe access only to authorized applications.
Workplace — Securing Devices and Network Access
This layer covers all devices connecting to the corporate network — printers, workstations, security cameras, phones, and more.
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Cisco ISE (Identity Services Engine) authenticates and evaluates devices requesting network access.
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Only verified devices are granted tailored access to network resources.
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ISE allows the organization to implement micro-segmentation, creating different access profiles to match business requirements.
Workload — Securing Applications and Services
This layer protects the organizational applications and services environment.
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Cisco Tetration performs trust checks on every application component and enforces granular access policies.
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It collects high-quality telemetry from infrastructure, servers, VMs, and containers to provide:
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100% visibility into applications, connections, and potential attack surfaces.
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Behavioral analysis down to the process level, with alerts on suspicious deviations.
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Automated mapping of application architecture and micro-segmentation across apps.
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Summary — Building Continuous Trust with Cisco Zero Trust
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Cisco enables organizations to verify users, devices, and applications before granting access.
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Cisco enforces minimal and tailored access to apps and network resources.
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Cisco ensures continuous trust validation — confirming that endpoints remain compliant, users remain authenticated, and traffic stays safe.
Consult with our experts today to learn how to implement a robust Zero Trust strategy and protect your organization.
