ChaptersEventsBlog
How is your organization adopting AI technologies? Take this short survey to help us identify key trends and risks across FSI →

Download Publication

Defining the Zero Trust Protect Surface
Defining the Zero Trust Protect Surface
Who it's for:
  • Zero Trust Architects and Implementation Teams
  • CISOs and other CxOs
  • Information Security Managers and Analysts
  • Privacy and Compliance Officers
  • IT Auditors and Assessors
  • Software Developers
  • Network Security Engineers

Defining the Zero Trust Protect Surface

Release Date: 03/05/2024

Working Group: Zero Trust

Enterprise adoption and implementation of Zero Trust is broad and growing. Venture Beat reports that 90% of organizations moving to the cloud are adopting a Zero Trust strategy, while Gartner predicts that 10% of large enterprises will have a mature and measurable Zero Trust security program in place by 2026. How is a mature Zero Trust program achieved? The NSTAC Report to the President on Zero Trust and Trusted Identity Management outlines a five-step process. 

This publication by the CSA Zero Trust Working Group provides guidance on iteratively executing the first step of the Zero Trust implementation process, “Defining the Protect Surface.” Defining the protect surface entails identifying, categorizing, and assessing an organization's data, applications, assets, and services (DAAS); business risk; and current security maturity. In this document, readers will find valuable guidance that starts their Zero Trust security journey on the right path.

Key Takeaways: 
  • The definition of Zero Trust and the Zero Trust protect surface
  • How to initiate the Zero Trust implementation process by defining, analyzing, and prioritizing the organization’s protect surfaces
  • How to identify the DAAS elements to be protected
  • The risks and potential impacts of protect surface compromises
  • The difference between the attack surface and the protect surface
Download this Resource

Bookmark
Share
Related resources
The State of Non-Human Identity and AI Security
The State of Non-Human Identity and AI Security
SCC WG 2026 Charter
SCC WG 2026 Charter
Managing Privileged Access in a Cloud-First World
Managing Privileged Access in a Cloud-First World
Zero Trust in the Cloud: Designing Security Assurance at the Control Plane
Zero Trust in the Cloud: Designing Security Assurance at the Contro...
Published: 01/30/2026
Why SaaS and AI Security Will Look Very Different in 2026
Why SaaS and AI Security Will Look Very Different in 2026
Published: 01/29/2026
The Breach That Did Not Need a Hacker: How Ordinary Identity Gaps Create Extraordinary Damage
The Breach That Did Not Need a Hacker: How Ordinary Identity Gaps C...
Published: 01/27/2026
From Security to Proof of AI Trust
From Security to Proof of AI Trust
Published: 01/22/2026

Interested in helping develop research with CSA?

Related Certificates & Training