Zero Trust Architecture in the Cloud: A Technical Overview

Abstract

Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) represents a paradigm shift in cloud security, moving from perimeter-based models to a principle of least privilege and continuous verification. This paper explores ZTA in the cloud, delving into key principles such as authentication, authorization, Identity Access Management (IAM), Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), and micro-segmentation. Threat detection, modeling, and incident management are analyzed to demonstrate ZTA’s proactive security capabilities. Strategies for protecting data, applications, and networks against bad actors are highlighted, supported by technical details, illustrative codes, and tables.