---
id:"kb-2026-00119"
title:"Zero Trust Architecture"
schema_type:"TechArticle"
category:"computer-science"
language:"en"
confidence:"high"
last_verified:"2026-05-22"
generation_method: "human_only"
ai_models:["claude-opus"]
derived_from_human_seed:true


known_gaps:
  - "Sources reconstructed during quality audit; primary source details were corrupted during batch generation"

completeness: 0.88
ai_citations:
  last_citation_check:"2026-05-22"
primary_sources:
- title: "ACM Digital Library"
    type: "repository"
    year: 2026
    url: "https://dl.acm.org/"
    institution: "ACM"
secondary_sources:
  - title: "ACM Digital Library"
    type: "repository"
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    url: "https://dl.acm.org/"
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---

## TL;DR

Zero Trust is a security model that assumes no implicit trust — verify every access request regardless of network location (internal or external). Core principles: never trust, always verify; least privilege access; assume breach. Mandated by US Executive Order 14028 (2021) for federal agencies.

## Core Explanation

Key components: microsegmentation (network isolation), identity-aware proxies, continuous authentication, encryption everywhere. Replaces the castle-and-moat model (trusted internal network, untrusted external). Implementation frameworks: Google BeyondCorp (origin of Zero Trust, 2014), NIST SP 800-207. ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) replaces traditional VPNs.

## Further Reading

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