December 20, 2025
Report

Zero Trust Cybersecurity: Concepts and Models for Application

Abstract

Zero Trust is a cybersecurity paradigm centered on the idea that a network breach is inevitable and so no user or asset should be implicitly trusted. Entities on the network are continuously monitored and access-granting decisions are based on dynamic risk assessment using multiple inputs. To limit the damage from an attack, privileges and lateral access are constrained by default. This report provides an overview of current models and constructs employed in building out these concepts into a zero trust architecture.

Published: December 20, 2025

Citation

Doehle J.R., I.M. Johnson, P.L. Russell, C.E. Eyre, M.D. Watson, and P.L. McKenzie. 2024. Zero Trust Cybersecurity: Concepts and Models for Application Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Research topics