Zero Trust

Zero Trust is a security strategy, not a product, built on three principles: verify explicitly (authenticate and authorize using all available signals such as identity, location, and device health), use least-privilege access (limit permissions with just-in-time and just-enough access through tools like Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management), and assume breach (segment access, encrypt in transit, and use analytics to detect threats). A common exam confusion is treating Zero Trust as synonymous with Conditional Access; Conditional Access is one Microsoft Entra ID enforcement mechanism that implements Zero Trust, while Zero Trust is the broader strategy spanning Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Purview, and Intune.