What is Zero Trust?
Zero trust is a security architecture that eliminates implicit trust based on network location and instead requires continuous verification of identity, device posture, and authorization for every access request to every resource.
Also known as: zero trust architecture, zero trust security, ZTA
Traditional network security follows a "castle and moat" model: everything inside the corporate network is trusted, everything outside is not. Zero trust rejects this assumption entirely. It treats every access request as potentially hostile, whether it originates from the corporate office, a VPN, or a coffee shop. The guiding principle is "never trust, always verify."
Zero trust architecture enforces several key practices: strong identity verification (typically MFA), least-privilege access to resources, microsegmentation of networks so lateral movement is restricted, continuous monitoring and validation of security posture, and encryption of all data in transit regardless of network location. No user or device gets a free pass just because they are "inside" the perimeter.
Adopting zero trust is a journey, not a switch. Organizations typically start by inventorying their assets and data flows, implementing strong identity management, and progressively restricting access based on identity rather than network topology. The shift is driven by modern realities: remote workforces, cloud infrastructure, and BYOD policies have dissolved the traditional network perimeter, making perimeter-based security increasingly ineffective.
How Vaulted uses Zero Trust
Vaulted aligns with zero trust principles by trusting no party — not even itself. The server has zero ability to decrypt the secrets it stores because encryption keys never leave the client. There are no privileged network positions that grant access to plaintext data. Even a fully compromised server, a rogue administrator, or an attacker with complete database access gains nothing usable. This is zero trust applied to data: the infrastructure is explicitly designed so that no infrastructure component needs to be trusted.