Traditional perimeter-based security models, which assume trust within network boundaries, have become increasingly ineffective against evolving and sophisticated cyber threats. This study examines how Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), based on the principle of "never trust, always verify," and micro-segmentation, which facilitates granular access control, can bolster network security. The research looks closely at the weaknesses of traditional security models, the ideas, and advantages of ZTA and micro-segmentation, the difficulties in using ZTA, the assessment of current Zero Trust frameworks, and the creation of a new combined framework. We conducted a systematic literature review to evaluate existing research, identify key themes, and pinpoint gaps in current knowledge. The findings indicate that significant challenges remain, while ZTA and micro-segmentation offer enhanced protection against insider threats and lateral movement. These include scalability issues in multi-cloud environments, difficulties integrating with legacy systems, interoperability problems, and a lack of standardised evaluation frameworks. The proposed framework aims to bridge existing gaps, fostering a more secure and adaptable approach to mitigating modern cybersecurity risks. The study concludes by emphasising the need for an integrated, scalable, and standards- compliant Zero Trust framework to overcome these limitations and strengthen network security effectively.
Wonor et al. (Wed,) studied this question.