Zero Trust
10 Non-Obvious Facts That Will Change Your Approach to Cybersecurity
A few years ago, Zero Trust sounded like a bold concept for global enterprises.
Today, it’s no longer a buzzword — it’s a necessity for any organization that wants to protect its data, operations, and customers from modern cyber threats.
Yet despite growing popularity, Zero Trust is still surrounded by myths, confusion, and one persistent question:
“What does real Zero Trust actually mean?”
The model operates on a simple principle: “Never trust, always verify.”
But in practice, it’s far more nuanced — and those nuances define its real strength.
We’ve gathered 10 less-obvious facts about Zero Trust and discussed them with Dmytro Kushnir, Head of Engineering at ST&T, to break down the myths and show how it works in reality.
Zero Trust ≠ Absolute Security
No cybersecurity strategy can eliminate risk completely.
However, Zero Trust remains one of the most resilient and effective models — it reduces the attack surface and limits the impact of breaches.
If one system element is compromised, attackers can’t pivot across the entire infrastructure.«Zero Trust is not a product — it’s a security mindset. It asks: Who? When? Why? What for?
Access is granted only after verification and is segmented into micro-zones.
Individual tools can strengthen security, but only together they form a true Zero Trust ecosystem.»It’s Not About «Blocking Everything»
Unlike legacy security models, Zero Trust doesn’t paralyze users.
Access is granted dynamically, based on context — location, device, time, behavior, and the user’s digital twin of actions.
This keeps productivity high while maintaining protection.«A product alone won’t make your infrastructure Zero Trust.
You must redefine processes, policies, and data control.
At ST&T, we integrate solutions into a single, living security organism.»Access Control Is the Core
Zero Trust protects data, not just the network perimeter.
Its foundation: the principle of least privilege, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and granular access segmentation.«Without visibility and control, one weak link can expose entire datasets.
We deploy ARCON PAM and ThreatLocker to manage access flexibly — ensuring users work only with what they need, exactly as defined by policy.»Social Engineering Becomes Less Effective
Phishing, fake calls, and even deepfake attacks lose power under Zero Trust.
Even if credentials are stolen, multiple verification layers stop unauthorized access.«The principle of minimal privilege blocks all non-policy actions.
Even if an employee clicks a phishing link, Zero Trust systems minimize potential damage.»Implementation Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
Zero Trust requires phased deployment:
Start small — pilot policies on low-risk user groups, validate outcomes, and scale to critical assets.
Gradual rollout ensures business continuity and stability.«For most organizations, implementation takes 3–6 months.
We design it step by step to avoid downtime and maintain business productivity.»It’s Not Just the IT Department’s Job
Zero Trust demands organization-wide involvement — leadership, security, and employees.
Without policies and awareness, even advanced tech won’t deliver results.«Companies often start with tools instead of risk assessment.
At ST&T, we begin with an audit to identify critical assets — saving resources and closing the most dangerous attack vectors first.»It Integrates with What You Already Have
You don’t need to rebuild everything from scratch.
Zero Trust works perfectly with EDR, PAM, SIEM, and DLP systems.«Integration is faster, cheaper, and safer than full replacement.
We first analyze maturity — identity, network, data, logs — then connect existing tools into a unified Zero Trust architecture without painful migration.»Microsegmentation: The Third Line of Defense
Microsegmentation divides the environment into isolated zones where «everything is denied by default.»This blocks lateral movement, reduces exposure, and buys time to respond.
«Proper microsegmentation limits attacker movement and gives the SOC reaction time.
ST&T recommends a phased rollout — pilot, critical assets, then full expansion — tracking metrics like segmented service share and time to containment.»Transparency Builds Accountability
Every user and device action is logged, creating visibility and responsibility.
«Our audits aren’t about control — they’re about protection.
We identify ‘blind trust zones’ and convert them into ‘Zero Trust zones’ — ensuring maximum security for people, data, and operations.»The Cloud Belongs Under Zero Trust Too
The same rules apply: verify identity, device, and context before granting limited access to a specific service — not the whole network.
«We recommend replacing full VPNs with ZTNA, enforcing least-privilege IAM roles, and linking cloud audit logs to SIEM/XDR analytics. This significantly reduces the remote attack surface.»