By completing this course, learners will:

• Understand core Zero Trust principles.

• Apply NIST Zero Trust Architecture framework.

• Design secure identity, device, and application layers.

• Implement least-privilege access controls.

• Integrate Zero Trust into enterprise security strategy.

• Monitor continuous authentication and network trust.

Course Syllabus

Module 1: Introduction to Zero Trust

• What is Zero Trust?

• Traditional security vs Zero Trust

• Core principles: never trust, always verify

Module 2: Frameworks & Standards

• NIST SP 800-207 overview

• Forrester’s ZTX model

• Gartner’s Continuous Adaptive Risk and Trust Assessment (CARTA)

Module 3: Identity-Centric Security

• Identity and access management (IAM)

• Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

• Adaptive access controls

Module 4: Network & Device Security

• Micro-segmentation and software-defined perimeters

• Device posture assessment

• Endpoint security

Module 5: Application & Data Protection

• Application-level Zero Trust

• Data classification and encryption

• Protecting APIs and microservices

Module 6: Continuous Monitoring & Analytics

• Security information and event management (SIEM)

• User and entity behavior analytics (UEBA)

• Threat detection and response

Module 7: Implementing Zero Trust in Enterprises

• Migration from perimeter to Zero Trust

• Integrating Zero Trust with hybrid/multi-cloud environments

• Policy enforcement and governance

Module 8: Tools & Technologies

• IAM solutions (Okta, Azure AD, Ping Identity)

• Micro-segmentation (Zscaler, Palo Alto, Illumio)

• Monitoring tools (Splunk, Elastic, CrowdStrike)

Module 9: Real-World Case Studies

• Google BeyondCorp

• Microsoft Zero Trust journey

• Banking and healthcare implementations

Module 10: Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Regulatory landscape (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS)

• Zero Trust for compliance frameworks

• Building a Zero Trust governance model

Module 11: Future of Zero Trust

• AI and machine learning in Zero Trust

• Zero Trust for IoT and edge computing

• Evolving threats and Zero Trust responses

Module 12: Capstone Project

• Designing a Zero Trust model for a mid-size enterprise

• Policy creation and risk assessment

• Presentation and peer review

Learners will receive a Certificate of Completion from Uplatz, validating their expertise in Zero Trust Architecture. This certificate demonstrates readiness for roles in cybersecurity engineering, IT security architecture, and enterprise risk management.

Zero Trust Architecture skills prepare learners for roles such as:

• Cybersecurity Architect

• Security Engineer

• Identity & Access Management Specialist

• Cloud Security Engineer

• Compliance & Risk Analyst

With growing adoption across enterprises, Zero Trust expertise is in high demand for building resilient, compliant, and secure infrastructures.

1. What is Zero Trust Architecture?
   It’s a security model that assumes no implicit trust and verifies every request continuously.

2. What are the key principles of Zero Trust?
   Identity verification, least-privilege access, and continuous monitoring.

3. What is NIST SP 800-207?
   A standard framework by NIST defining Zero Trust Architecture guidelines.

4. How does Zero Trust differ from perimeter security?
   Traditional models trust anything inside the perimeter, while Zero Trust requires verification at every step.

5. What is micro-segmentation?
   Dividing networks into secure segments to limit lateral movement of attackers.

6. What role does IAM play in Zero Trust?
   IAM ensures that only authenticated and authorized users/devices gain access.

7. How does Zero Trust apply to cloud environments?
   By applying continuous authentication, encryption, and monitoring across cloud workloads.

8. What are common tools for Zero Trust implementation?
   Okta, Azure AD, Zscaler, Illumio, CrowdStrike, and Splunk.

9. What are challenges in adopting Zero Trust?
   Cultural resistance, legacy systems, integration complexity, and cost.

10. Where is Zero Trust widely adopted?
    In enterprises, government agencies, finance, healthcare, and cloud-native companies.