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Technical Vocabularynoun · /ˈzɪroʊ trʌst/

zero trust

In simple English

Zero trust is a modern cybersecurity framework that challenges the traditional 'perimeter-based' security model where everything inside the company network was assumed safe. Instead, zero trust requires continuous verification of all users and devices, regardless of their location or network. This means implementing strong authentication (like multi-factor authentication), encrypting data in transit and at rest, and monitoring all network activity constantly. In tech companies, zero trust has become essential because employees work remotely, use personal devices, and access cloud services from multiple locations, making the old 'trust but verify' approach insufficient. Security teams and DevOps engineers now design systems with zero trust principles to prevent data breaches and unauthorized access.

What is zero trust security and why do tech companies use it?

At a glanceCEFR C1
Commonness4/5
Versatility4/5
FormalityCasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ WrittenSpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ DiplomaticDirectDiplomaticDirect
RegionUS and UK
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Say it like this

✓We are adopting a zero trust model for our cloud infrastructure.
✓Zero trust requires verification at every step.
✓Our zero trust policy means no implicit trust for any network request.

Real examples

in a standup

"The security team reminded us that our zero trust policy means all API requests must be authenticated, even internal ones."

in a code review

"This microservice should validate credentials on every request—we follow zero trust principles here."

in a team meeting

"Moving to zero trust will require us to implement multi-factor authentication and better logging across all systems."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Zero trust is a security philosophy, not a tool or product—do not use it as a verb like 'to zero trust something.' It describes an approach, not an action.

✕We need to zero trust this data.
✓We need to apply zero trust principles to secure this data.— Zero trust is a noun (a philosophy), not a verb. You do not 'zero trust' something; you implement or apply zero trust.
✕Zero trust means we trust no one in the company.
✓Zero trust means we verify the identity of all users, regardless of whether they are inside or outside the company.— Zero trust is not about distrust—it is about continuous verification. You still allow access, but only after authentication and authorization checks.
✕We installed a zero trust tool last week.
✓We are implementing zero trust architecture across our infrastructure.— Zero trust is a design philosophy and strategy, not a single tool or product. It involves multiple technologies and practices working together.

Other forms

noun

zero trust

"Zero trust is becoming the standard in enterprise security."

adjective

zero trust (used as modifier)

"Our zero trust strategy includes MFA and continuous monitoring."

Often used with

zero trust architectureThe system design built on zero trust principles
zero trust modelA framework or approach to implementing zero trust
zero trust policyFormal rules and guidelines enforcing zero trust in an organization
implement zero trustTo put zero trust principles into practice
adopt zero trustTo officially begin using zero trust in your organization

Similar words

zero trust securityMore explicit version emphasizing the security aspect
never trust, always verifyThe underlying principle of zero trust, though less formal

Opposites

perimeter securityimplicit trusttrust but verify

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Spot the mistake

1. Which sentence uses 'zero trust' incorrectly?

Complete the sentence

2. Our security team is designing a _______ _______ strategy that requires multi-factor authentication for all users.

Pick the most natural phrasing

3. How would you naturally express this in tech English?

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this using 'zero trust': 'We need to check that all users are really who they say they are, even if they work inside the company.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "zero trust" in a standup this week?

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