Zero Trust (ZT) is often explained in technical terms or as e-Learn Cyber Security puts it, buzz words. In reality, it is a business imperative that comes down to securing three domains: People, Agents and Things or put simply, dealing with P.A.T.
Think of PAT as the easiest acronym to remember in cybersecurity and the most untrustworthy friend. PAT appears everywhere in the business, such as networks, workplaces, applications and devices. The challenge lies in applying ZT principles to PAT.
𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗟𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁
People include employees, partners, customers and contractors who interact across multiple security domains such as the workplace, collaboration platforms, SaaS and critical business applications. Achieving ZT here means strong identity and access, behavioural analytics and workplace controls. For the business, people are both the greatest asset and the largest attack surface. A trusted workforce is a productive workforce, but only when trust is continuously verified.
𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀-𝗢𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲
Agents include applications, services, bots, APIs and increasingly agentic AI systems operating across networks, data centers, clouds and edge environments. They never sleep or fatigue, which makes them powerful but also high-risk. Achieving ZT for agents means enforcing workload identity, API security and governance for AI and automation. Agents are the glue that keeps digital business running at machine speed. Without ZT they can be hijacked or manipulated, turning efficiency into exposure.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗴𝗲
Things span compute, IoT, OT, industrial controls, network gear, intelligent building systems, sensors and user devices. They permeate every business domain from the factory floor to the executive boardroom. Achieving ZT for things means device identity, network segmentation and lifecycle management. Things are the fastest-growing part of the attack surface. For example, a printer or HVAC system can easily become the pivot point for a major breach. Therefore, every device, sensor and system must be treated as untrusted until proven otherwise.
𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗔𝗧 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
ZT is no longer about defending the perimeter but about securing every interaction with PAT across all security domains. By operationalising ZT through PAT, leaders gain a clear and actionable model where People secure identity and the workplace, Agents secure applications, APIs and AI, and Things secure networks, devices and environments.
The next time cyber strategy is on the agenda, remember to ask "𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘈𝘛?" Because trust no one, not even PAT.
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗼 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗕𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱 – 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆! 🔐
In today’s threat landscape, traditional perimeter-based security is no longer enough. Zero Trust Access (ZTA) ensures:
1️⃣ No implicit trust – every user, device, and session is continuously verified.
2️⃣ Granular control – from network & cloud access to applications & data trust.
3️⃣ Resilience – minimizing attack surfaces and reducing breach impact.
Zero Trust isn’t about not trusting anyone – it’s about verifying everything.
Is your organization adopting a Zero Trust model yet?
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Cloud & Systems Administrator | IT Security & Compliance Specialist | GRC | ISO 27001 | Microsoft 365 | Linux/Windows Server
1mo100 % agreed Zero Trust isn’t just theory it works best when applied step by step: start with strong identity (MFA, least privilege), then add continuous monitoring & adaptive access. That’s how it becomes real security, not just a buzzword