Zero Trust Security (ZTS) is a framework based on the principle of “never trust, always verify.” It originated in the cybersecurity world, but the concept has jumped to physical security and access control as the business world has reached a convergence of physical and digital processes.
A Zero Trust Security approach rejects the traditional model of only performing access control at a network and facility perimeter. The risk identified in this framework is that users and devices inside a corporate facility or network are trusted by default. Instead, Zero Trust assumes that threats may be present inside and outside your organization, so every access request must be evaluated.
In a ZTS model, every interaction with your organization, whether through physical infrastructure or network systems by an individual or device, requires authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA). Under ZTS, access control relies more heavily on multiple factors, such as physical tokens plus biometrics. Even once a device or user is verified, access is restricted to only the specific resources needed, following a “least privilege access” principle.
Continuous monitoring and re-authorization of personnel at different access control points ensure that you can instantly revoke access to specific internal resources if a user or device’s risk profile changes. For example, if a first-shift warehouse worker attempts to sign out physical keys to a research division during the second shift, a key management system will not only deny access but alert supervisors. Security hasn’t stopped at the perimeter. Your security protocols state that a worker from a different division does not have a reason to access the research facility. And the fact that they attempted to access it off-shift is a red flag in your system.
This more dynamic approach to security helps to reduce potential breaches and maintain a higher security standard.
Traditional network and physical security models based on the assumption that internal systems and users are inherently trustworthy are no longer effective. Bad actors on all sides are leveraging increasingly sophisticated methods to bypass perimeter defenses. That includes local and cyber criminals and, increasingly, insider threats.
Gartner Research shared in a recent report that security professionals worldwide have noticed this trend, which is why many are shifting to a Zero Trust model for their organizations. The shift to remote work, cloud computing, and increased reliance on external devices has also dissolved traditional security perimeters. Employees, partners, and vendors now access critical resources throughout your facility and across your network.
This has amplified the need for a security approach that protects assets wherever accessed, including through physical entry points like buildings and data centers. It also promotes cyber resilience, or the ability to recover from successful network-based attacks on your infrastructure.
By segmenting access to digital and physical resources, Zero Trust models help prevent high-risk internal movement within systems and restrict unauthorized entry to improve network and physical security.
Implementing a strategy based on Zero Trust principles requires a focus on three essential elements: sound security governance, visibility into your organization’s operations, and methods of automating converged security systems.
Effective security governance involves establishing and enforcing unified policies and procedures throughout your organization. This is the most important element of a Zero Trust model because it is where converged security lives or dies. Without consistent security practices across network and physical security domains, your organization will be at unnecessary risk and severely inefficient at best. Strong governance supports the agency's Zero Trust objectives, ensures alignment with regulatory requirements, and provides consistent threat mitigation across your systems.
For ZTS to be effective, security professionals need detailed insight into the activities recorded by your technology throughout your organization. Analyzing security data, specifically access control data, is critical for developing proper risk profiles for your organization, informing policy decisions, and proactively implementing new security measures. Security visibility helps organizations predict potential risks and enables faster, more informed responses to incidents before they occur.
Zero Trust heavily leverages automated tools to streamline security monitoring and response, such as electronic access control systems, key and smart asset management systems, and surveillance technology. Networked electronic monitoring systems can detect, respond, and contain immediate threats faster than security personnel can in many instances. They also help enforce consistency and reduce the chances of human error.
Today, modern physical security systems—like access control, key, and smart asset management systems—are much more likely to already be designed with Zero Trust principles in mind.
ZTS can help by focusing on better data management and integration. When data from high-security systems and facility controls are combined in real time, security teams can better view potential threats. Access controls integrated with HR and IT systems allow immediate action, and AI-driven analytics can track and analyze trends instantly, keeping teams more informed and proactive in identifying risks.
ZTS can help by focusing on better data management and integration. When data from high-security systems and facility controls are combined in real time, security teams can better view potential threats. Access controls integrated with HR and IT systems allow immediate action, and AI-driven analytics can track and analyze trends instantly, keeping teams more informed and proactive in identifying risks.
Key and smart asset management systems embody Zero Trust principles by enforcing strict access controls over your facility's critical assets, equipment, and sensitive areas. These systems are engineered to ensure that only authorized personnel can access specific keys, keycards, or essential items like laptops, radios, or firearms.
These solutions verify user identity through multiple methods, such as PIN codes, proximity cards, biometrics (fingerprint, facial or palm recognition), or even multi-factor authentication, creating layers of security that align with and reinforce Zero Trust’s "never trust, always verify" mindset. For example, a company could grant temporary access to a service technician, who would receive access only to relevant tools and areas for a specific time, blocking access once the work is completed. In this way, access can be segmented by role, ensuring personnel only enter areas or access items that align with their job function.
The management software embedded in these systems offers robust asset tracking and reporting capabilities, logging every access event and generating data-rich reports that reveal patterns in asset use. Alerts notify managers of suspicious behavior, such as an attempt to access unauthorized areas or remove unapproved items. This approach ensures that key control, smart lockers, and sensitive equipment remain under close surveillance, reducing risk and enhancing accountability.
Businesses can also use these systems to grant temporary or limited access to external personnel, like contractors. That ensures they can only access specific areas and items for set timeframes.
Companies enhance their overall security posture by providing controlled, verifiable access across keys, devices, and critical spaces, making Zero Trust a practical reality that scales with operational needs.
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To build a strong Zero Trust security framework, organizations must implement strategies that protect both their digital and physical assets, ensuring that all access is verified and monitored in real time. Here are five essential best practices to establish ZTS in an organization with convergent IT and physical security systems:
A successful Zero Trust model depends on consistent and coordinated security policies. It’s essential for IT and physical security teams to collaborate on policies that establish consistent standards for both digital and physical access. That includes defining roles, access permissions, and acceptable use policies, all reinforced through regular security awareness training and clear communication across the organization.
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Both Zero Trust and convergent methodologies thrive on data. A converged security model provides a holistic view by integrating physical and IT security system data. It allows security teams to identify patterns, spot anomalies, and gain insights into potential threats. Real-time data aggregation from physical access logs, video surveillance, and network events enables faster, more informed decision-making and strengthens an organization’s overall security posture.
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Robust surveillance, access control, and motion detection are crucial for securing areas that store sensitive data, intellectual property, or personally identifiable information (PII). By aligning these physical security controls with Zero Trust principles, organizations can ensure that physical access to restricted areas is only granted to authorized personnel, with all access attempts logged for real-time and historical asset tracking.
Zero Trust security requires continuous monitoring and real-time threat detection across both digital and physical environments. Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and actively monitor access events, system logs, and environmental changes to detect potential breaches quickly. Scheduled penetration testing can also reveal system weaknesses and ensure that security controls are ready to respond to emerging threats.
In a Zero Trust framework, “cyber hygiene” must be consistently applied to how internal teams and external vendors interact with your systems. Implementing practices like multi-factor authentication (MFA), least-privilege access models, and data encryption for stored and transmitted data reduces vulnerabilities and limits access. For effective Zero Trust security, ensure that external security providers follow the same rigorous standards to maintain a secure perimeter.
Learn everything you need to know on how to plan, design, implement, and test your physical security program.