Zero ____. It is one of this week’s New York Times crossword clues. (Don’t tell me the answer. I have not solved the puzzle yet!) Being a cybersecurity geek, I keep wanting to write Zero Trust as the answer. But the answer has four letters, so “trust” is not the answer. This week I wanted to pull together the Zero Trust resources we have shared already in case you wanted to know more about the topic.

Zero Trust is About Layers

Zero Trust is about layers of security with tools and techniques appropriate to each layer. Microsoft published a good Zero Trust resource (see here) that introduces the concept and explains each layer.

And what are the Zero Trust layers? Here they are.

• Identity: who are you? What can you do and see?
• Endpoints: what devices are connecting to the network?
• Data: what content do you have? Where?
• Apps: what applications are running on the network?
• Infrastructure: what are the piece parts that deliver network services?
• Network: how is the network deployed and managed?

Here are the Zero Trust Resources

I have written about Zero Trust at each of these layers. Rather than make you search through our blog to find the posts, I have linked to them below.

• Start with an action plan. Move on to identity.
• Next up: manage those endpoints!
• Locate your confidential and sensitive data. Now, protect it where it lives.
• Look at the applications running on your network. Have they earned your trust?
• If you have started anywhere, it is probably with your infrastructure. Are you doing enough here?
• How is the network composed? How does it monitor for threats and defend itself?

Y’all Come Back Now

Bookmark this post. Put it in your OneNote notebook. Save it one way or another. Each of the Zero Trust resources will be enough to get you exposed to the concept and help you learn more. And if you need additional help, let me know. By then I should have solved the NYT Zero ____ crossword clue.