Zero Trust, ZTNA, NAC, and 802.1X Explained - Network+ N10-009

Zero trust networking eliminates implicit trust and verifies every access request regardless of network location - and Network+ N10-009 Domain 4 tests it. This lesson covers the zero trust philosophy (never trust, always verify), NIST SP 800-207’s three core tenets (verify explicitly, least privilege, assume breach), microsegmentation and blast radius, network access control with 802.1X and RADIUS (supplicant, authenticator, authentication server), posture assessment, the Software Defined Perimeter, and ZTNA vs traditional VPN.

Topics covered:

• Zero trust origin: John Kindervag’s 2010 Forrester report
• NIST SP 800-207 architecture: PEP, PDP, and the three tenets
• Executive Order 14028 and federal zero trust mandates
• Microsegmentation and shrinking the blast radius
• NAC with 802.1X and RADIUS (RFC 2865, UDP port 1812)
• Posture assessment: OS patches, AV, encryption checks
• SDP/ZTNA vs VPN: per-application access vs broad network access
• Google BeyondCorp and Gartner’s 70% ZTNA forecast
• Continuous authentication and context-based session revocation

Our Security Plus series covers zero trust deeply in Sec Plus episode 1.3 and network segmentation in Sec Plus episode 3.2.

This lesson aligns with CompTIA Network+ N10-009 Domain 4 objectives. Watch the next video in the playlist: Wireless Security Hardening - Rogue APs, Evil Twins, and Deauth.

▶ Watch next: Rogue APs, Evil Twins, and Deauth Attacks Explained - Network+ N10-009 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxTFtxE6H7w