What is Zero Trust Security? — UK Software Development Guide
Direct Answer
Zero Trust is a security model based on the principle of "never trust, always verify." Unlike traditional perimeter security (which trusts everything inside a network boundary), Zero Trust assumes breach and verifies every request regardless of origin. Core principles: verify explicitly (authenticate and authorise every request), use least privilege access (minimum necessary permissions), and assume breach (minimise blast radius of security incidents).
Zero-trust in the UK
Zero Trust is increasingly important for UK regulated businesses. The NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) has published Zero Trust architecture guidance for UK organisations. UK GDPR Article 32 requires "appropriate technical measures" — Zero Trust architecture is a modern interpretation of this requirement. Cyber Essentials Plus technical verification aligns with Zero Trust principles: boundary firewalls, access controls, and multi-factor authentication are all Zero Trust controls. For NHS and government workloads, NCSC Zero Trust guidance is now considered best practice for cloud and hybrid environments.
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