Top Trends in Zero Trust Security Solutions in 2025
As we shift into 2025, one truth becomes increasingly evident: Zero Trust (ZT) is no longer just a buzzword in the cybersecurity community; it's the foundation upon which a strong and resilient security program is built.
Not all organizations are on the right track when it comes to ZT implementation, however. For example, Gartner predicts that 75 percent of U.S. Federal Agencies will fail to implement their ZT security policies by 2026.
So what can organizations do to get back on track and achieve their ZT goals? Many are turning to their peers for indications of what is working and where they can make course corrections.
At Zentera, we are closely monitoring these developments, and our experts have compiled a list of the top five trends in Zero Trust solutions that are helping customers achieve their security goals.
5 Zero Trust Security Solutions to Watch in 2025
Take a look at our list below, and let us know if there’s one you think we missed:
1. Integration
For years, network segmentation—facilitated by firewalls and other network routing devices—was the tool of choice for adding defense in depth and controlling user access.
However, as Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) gains prominence, teams are left struggling to join the two approaches. While ZTNA enables broad, secure network access to an authenticated user, segmentation is about dividing up network spaces with defined boundaries.
With the right platform, ZTNA and segmentation can be complementary technologies that together form interdependent pieces of a unified security framework: ZTNA defines who can access what resources, while microsegmentation creates narrow network enclaves that can be reached once authenticated.
When these systems operate in isolation, organizations expose themselves to significant security vulnerabilities and operational inefficiencies. Weaving these approaches together can enhance security controls and threat containment while reducing attack surface. In response, organizations should turn toward solutions that deliver ZTNA, enable microsegmentation, and work harmoniously together to provide a more cohesive and effective security framework.
2. Going Small
It’s common for organizations to go big with their technology initiatives, and microsegmentation is no different. However, many quickly find that the complexity and resource requirements outweigh the potential benefits.
As a result, there's a growing trend toward smaller, more targeted implementations of ZT principles. In other words, rather than trying to implement ZT on a large scale all at once, organizations are focusing on implementing ZT solutions against their most critical assets to provide more immediate and tangible value.
This approach allows for quicker ROI realization and easier resource management while also helping teams to learn and “fail fast” as they refine their implementations over time.
3. Bringing in Contractors First
The rise of the gig economy and increased reliance on specialized contractors is driving a significant shift in how organizations approach their ZT architecture.
Instead of treating contractors as exceptions to the rule, companies are now designing their ZT frameworks with contractors in mind from the outset. This means moving away from dedicated virtual private networks and contractor-specific networks toward more flexible, identity-based access systems.
These new systems allow for precise scoping and automatic expiration of access rights, enabling contractors to be productive immediately while maintaining strict security boundaries.
4. Bringing in Trusted Partners
Implementing cutting-edge ZT solutions requires expertise that many organizations simply don't possess.
To bridge this knowledge gap, there's an increasing trend toward partnering with trusted external advisors, such as value-added resellers and system integrators.
These partners bring proven, specialized experience in implementing ZT solutions across various industries and can provide insights, accelerators, and best practices that organizations can use to enhance their own implementation. As a result, companies can ensure they're implementing the most effective ZT strategies available on the market.
5. Leveraging Identity
One of the most significant pain points when managing firewall policies stems from the fact that they're often based on network addresses and ports rather than direct identity attributes.
This approach can lead to a complex web of policies and rules that change frequently and require constant updates and tweaks to enable traffic flow.
Organizations are increasingly realizing the power of ZT solutions’ ability to address this issue by developing policies based on who or what is accessing the network rather than where they're connecting from.
This level of control leads to more stable security policies, promoting policy reuse to reduce administrative overhead and improving overall security posture.
Looking Ahead
The only thing constant in the cybersecurity field is change.
However, as we look ahead to 2025, it’s clear that there are some common themes that are shaping the ZT landscape—namely, a focus on integrated, focused, flexible, partner-driven, and identity-centric solutions.
For organizations, this means having more robust, resilient, efficient, and adaptable security architectures that are capable of protecting against tomorrow's threats without compromising operational agility.
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