by Ade Makanjuola

In today’s digital landscape, traditional network security perimeters are insufficient to protect against sophisticated cyber threats. Zero Trust (ZT) security models, which assume no user, device, or system should be trusted whether inside or outside the network, are an essential strategy for implementing Segregation of Duties (SoD) and Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM).

SoD distributes critical tasks and responsibilities among different individuals to prevent fraud, error, and misuse. ZT enforces SoD by validating identities, access permissions, and user behaviors at each system or data interaction. Thus, no user can gain unchecked access across different roles or business processes.

Zero Trust enforces Segregation of Duties by validating identities, access permissions, and user behaviors at each system or data interaction.

ICAM focuses on identifying users, managing credentials, and defining access rights. ZT complements ICAM by reinforcing the “never trust, always verify” approach, continuously authenticating identities and enforcing least privilege access for every request. In a ZT model, ICAM is not a one-time gatekeeper dynamic. Rather, it is a context-aware system that adapts access levels based on user behavior, location, device health, and other factors. Thus, user access is limited to authorization rights, and permissions are continuously monitored and adjusted.

In a ZT model, Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) is a context-aware system that adapts access levels based on user behavior, location, device health, and other factors.

SoD and ICAM manage access and limit risks more effectively in a ZT environment. Together, they help ensure every access is authenticated and validated in real time; least privilege is enforced; continuous verification occurs; and, via separation of permissions and continuous identity verification, vulnerability to insider threats and credential compromise is reduced.