Implementing Zero Trust is no longer optional. It’s a strategic imperative. But with a flood of solutions and vendors all claiming to be the answer, navigating your options can be overwhelming. Whether you’re just starting your evaluation or finalizing a shortlist, asking the right questions is critical to finding a platform that scales, integrates, and actually delivers Zero Trust principles. 

Why Evaluating a Zero Trust Platform Matters 

Zero Trust architecture is not a single product—it’s a layered security strategy built around continuous verification, least privilege, and segmented access. An effective Zero Trust solution typically combines several core components: 

• Identity & Access Management (IAM) 

• Privileged Access Management (PAM) 

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) 

• Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP) 

• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) 

• Network Microsegmentation 

No single tool does it all, but a strong platform should consolidate, integrate, and orchestrate these many of these capabilities in a unified, policy-driven way that can be managed from one application. 

Must-Ask Questions for Any Zero Trust Solution Provider

Use the following questions to guide your Zero Trust evaluation and ensure the platform supports long-term security and operational efficiency. 

1. How does the platform enforce identity-based access controls? 

Look for support to integrate with your existing SSO, MFA, and context-aware access policies that span users, devices, and services. Identity should be a foundational element of access decisions. 

2. Is Privileged Access Management (PAM) included and fully integrated? 

PAM is essential for Zero Trust. Ensure the solution includes credential vaulting, session access controls, and granular policy management without relying on third-party add-ons. 

3. How is least privilege enforced and continuously maintained? 

Manual access reviews don’t scale. Prioritize platforms that support automated privilege enforcement, just in time access (JIT), and credential injection.   

4. What integrations are available with IAM, SIEM, EDR, and cloud platforms? 

A modern Zero Trust platform should offer pre-built integrations and open APIs for tools like AD, Okta, EntraID (Azure AD), AWS, VMWare, Google Workspace, and SIEM systems. 

5. Does the solution support hybrid, multi-cloud, and air-gapped environments? 

You need deployment flexibility and data sovereignty. Verify that the platform can operate across cloud, on-prem, and isolated networks without compromising visibility or control. 

6. How much visibility is provided into access behavior, assets, and user activity? 

Comprehensive video recording and audit logs are essential for enforcement, incident response, and compliance. 

7. Can access policies be centrally managed across environments? 

Centralized policy control simplifies administration. Choose platforms that offer a single pane of glass for defining and enforcing policies organization-wide. 

8. How is network segmentation or microsegmentation implemented? 

Microsegmentation should be a core capability, not a bolt-on. Ensure the solution offers dynamic segmentation tied to identity and context. 

9. Is this a unified Zero Trust platform or a collection of point solutions? 

Unified platforms reduce complexity. Look for consistent user interfaces, data models, and policy engines across the feature set. 

10. Can the platform scale to support thousands of users and endpoints? 

Scalability is critical. Ask about performance benchmarks, high-availability support, and real-world examples of large-scale deployments. 

11. What are the deployment options, and how long does it take to implement? 

Try the software and see how long it takes to install.  Check to see if you can deploy on your preferred OS, on-prem, hybrid, or all of the above. Bonus points for agentless deployment and a footprint that fits into your infrastructure. 

12. What are the built-in reporting and compliance features? 

Ensure the platform includes compliance-ready reports, audit logs, and integrations with governance tools. Also ask about customer support, update cadence, and product roadmap visibility. 

Consider the 12Port Zero Trust Platform 

The 12Port Zero Trust Platform is built to simplify and accelerate your Zero Trust journey. Whether you’re securing remote admin access, rotating privileged credentials, or segmenting your network, 12Port combines Privileged Access Management (PAM), credential vaulting, and microsegmentation into one unified solution. Its agentless architecture deploys in under 5 minutes, with full support for cloud, on-prem, hybrid environments. You can activate only the capabilities you need—PAM, segmentation, or both—and scale quickly without adding new tools. 

Designed for seamless integration, 12Port works with Active Directory, Entra ID, SSO, MFA, SIEM, and your preferred databases. It’s built with compliance in mind, capturing every session, credential use, and policy change, with exportable reports for audits and investigations. Smart automation features like asset tagging and dynamic policy generation simplify ongoing management across users, systems, and environments. 

Try 12Port today. 

The post 12 Questions to Ask a Zero Trust Solution Provider  appeared first on 12Port.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from 12Port authored by Peter Senescu. Read the original post at: https://www.12port.com/blog/12-questions-to-ask-a-zero-trust-solution-provider/