Zero Trust in Azure – What It Really Looks Like
The Buzzword Bingo Champion
Let’s be honest Zero Trust is one of those phrases that pops up so often it could win you a round of buzzword bingo in seconds. But behind the hype and LinkedIn posts, what does it actually mean?
In its simplest form: trust nothing, verify everything.
Every user, every device, every connection, all must prove themselves before being allowed in.
You might hear people say, “We’ve implemented Zero Trust in our product,” or, “Azure gives us Zero Trust out of the box.” Sadly, that’s not how it works. Zero Trust isn’t a feature you toggle on in the Azure portal it’s more like Agile or DevOps: a philosophy, a cultural shift, and a bit of a lifestyle choice (minus the yoga mats).
That said, if your entire operation runs in Azure, a large part of your Zero Trust journey will involve technical implementation. Think of it like a big security onion every layer counts, and yes, it might make your eyes water a bit.
Layer 1: Identity and Access Control – Where It All Begins
In Azure, identity is king or more accurately, the moat, the drawbridge, and the guards on the gate.
Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) is your trusty foundation here. It’s what ensures only the right people, using the right devices, get access to the right things.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and even better, passwordless login because let’s face it, no one needs another “Winter2024!” password.
Conditional Access Policies to decide who gets in and from where. If Bob logs in from a new device in Barbados at 2am, maybe that deserves a raised eyebrow.
Single Sign-On (SSO) to reduce password fatigue (and sticky notes).
Privileged Identity Management (PIM) for just-in-time and just-enough access — perfect for stopping “I forgot to remove admin rights” disasters.
And, of course, centralised monitoring of sign-ins and risks, because visibility is half the battle.
Layer 2: Network – No More “Safe Inside the Castle” Thinking
Gone are the days when everything inside your network was automatically trusted, just because someone had to be physically there to plug something in.
In Azure, your network is no longer your perimeter, it’s just another piece of the Zero Trust puzzle.
Here’s the modern approach:
Use Azure Firewall, Network Security Groups (NSGs) and Application Security Groups (ASGs) for proper segmentation.
Connect to PaaS services using Private Endpoints so nothing ever touches the public internet.
Enforce Azure Virtual Network Manager policies for consistent segmentation.
And for admin access? Azure Bastion all the way. No more open RDP/SSH ports — pair it with PIM and a Privileged Access Workstation (PAW) for maximum brownie points.
Layer 3: Device and Endpoint Trust – Because Laptops Lie
A Zero Trust setup that ignores endpoints is like locking your front door but leaving the window open.
Use Microsoft Intune and Defender for Endpoint to keep devices compliant and monitored.
Integrate device state into your Conditional Access rules; non-compliant device? No entry.
Add Defender for Cloud Apps (MCAS) to sniff out shadow IT and keep tabs on what SaaS tools are in play.
And yes, that means you can let personal devices in safely, company data stays protected, even if your devs are working from a café on a MacBook with far too many stickers.
Layer 4: The Application Layer – Trust No App
Applications are like people they should only have access to what they need, and they should prove who they are.
Use Managed Identities or App Registrations: no secrets hardcoded in configs, please.
Protect APIs with Azure API Management: enable JWT validation, rate limits, and identity checks.
Implement Zero Trust DevOps:
Sign your images.
Scan your code.
Build secure pipelines.
Ship containers without “curl” and friends inside. (Yes, that means no sneaky debugging in prod!)
And if you’re feeling fancy, integrate Microsoft Entra Verified ID for rock-solid identity proofing.
Layer 5: Data Protection – Guarding the Crown Jewels
Data is what everyone’s after, so protect it like it’s your nan’s secret recipe.
Classify and label everything with Microsoft Purview and Azure Information Protection (AIP).
Encrypt data at rest and in transit: use TLS 1.2+, Key Vault, and Disk Encryption.
Store secrets properly in Azure Key Vault not in YAML files or environment variables (you know who you are).
Layer 6: Visibility and Continuous Validation – Trust, but Keep Checking
You can’t secure what you can’t see. Zero Trust isn’t “set and forget”, it’s “set and continually verify.”
Defender for Cloud gives you posture management and threat protection in one.
Azure Monitor, Sentinel, and Log Analytics give you the eyes and ears of your operation.
Automate responses with Sentinel Playbooks (Logic Apps).
And above all, keep reauthenticating and reevaluating — trust is earned, and it’s temporary.
A Real-World Example: Zero Trust with AKS
Let’s pull it all together with a practical example:
You’ve got a microservices-based app running on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS), deployed via GitHub Actions.
Here’s what good Zero Trust looks like:
Identity:
AKS workloads use Managed Identities to access resources; no secrets or connection strings.
Cluster access controlled via Entra ID and Azure RBAC, with PIM for admin roles.
Developers authenticate to GitHub with MFA and Conditional Access.
Network:
The AKS cluster lives in a private subnet; no public IP exposure.
All service connections (SQL, Storage, Key Vault) happen via Private Link and Private Endpoints.
An Application Gateway WAF fronts the ingress controller, integrated with Entra ID for authentication.
Azure Firewall enforces outbound traffic policies.
Pipeline:
GitHub Actions uses OIDC federation to authenticate to Azure securely; no stored credentials.
Containers are scanned and signed before deployment.
Defender for Containers monitors runtime behaviour.
Production deploys require PIM elevation for approval.
Monitoring:
Logs from AKS, Entra ID, and the App Gateway feed into Sentinel.
Defender for Cloud continuously assesses security posture.
Logic Apps automatically quarantine compromised resources or accounts.
The result? Every identity, device, and service must prove itself. Every connection is deliberate. Every action is traceable.
Common Zero Trust Misconceptions (and Why They’re Wrong)
“Zero Trust means blocking everything!” → Nope. It means making smarter, contextual decisions.
“We’ve got MFA - we’re done!” → Cute, but no. MFA is just the first baby step.
“Azure Firewall = Zero Trust.” → Network ≠ trust boundary.
“Zero Trust kills productivity.” → Done right, it actually enables flexible, secure work.
Where to Start on Your Azure Zero Trust Journey
Assess where you are – check your Defender for Cloud Secure Score.
Start with identity – it’s always the foundation.
Map data flows – find the trust assumptions.
Adopt changes gradually – go layer by layer.
Automate enforcement – Azure Policy is your friend.
Keep validating – Zero Trust is a journey, not a destination.
Final Thoughts: It’s Not About Distrust
Zero Trust in Azure isn’t about being paranoid it’s about being pragmatic.
It’s about building intelligent, adaptive trust that responds to context.
So the next time someone says, “We’re doing Zero Trust,” you can smile knowingly and ask,
“That’s great, which layer of the onion are you on?”
Because in Azure, Zero Trust isn’t a single feature it’s a living, breathing security posture that evolves with you.