Zero Trust used to be something organisations planned for. A future-state model. A long-term security aspiration.
In 2026, it’s neither future-facing nor optional.
Zero Trust is now the minimum standard for protecting identities, access and data — driven by the rise of identity-based attacks, hybrid working, cloud-first environments and AI woven into everyday business tools.
This guide is about what Zero Trust actually looks like in practice today, why it matters more than ever, and how organisations can apply it without overcomplicating their security estate.
Why Zero Trust matters now
The majority of modern security incidents start with identity.
Compromised credentials, phishing, token abuse and over-privileged accounts remain the easiest way into an organisation. Once an attacker has a legitimate identity, traditional perimeter defences offer little resistance.
At the same time, access has expanded dramatically. People work from anywhere. Applications talk to each other constantly. AI tools, automation and service accounts now interact with sensitive data at scale.
The result is a simple reality: implicit trust no longer works.
Zero Trust addresses this by removing assumptions. Every access request is verified. Every identity is treated as potentially compromised. Trust is temporary, contextual and continuously reassessed.
What’s changed in 2026
Zero Trust itself isn’t new — but how it’s being applied has shifted.
In 2026, Zero Trust is less about frameworks and more about enforcement. Static access policies are giving way to adaptive, risk-based decisions. One-off checks are being replaced by continuous verification.
Microsoft’s latest guidance on AI-powered identity and network access security reflects this change. Identity, access and risk signals are increasingly evaluated together, in real time, across cloud and hybrid environments.
AI plays a role on both sides. It enables better detection and faster response, but it also accelerates phishing, impersonation and automated attacks. That’s why access decisions now need to adapt dynamically as risk changes.
Zero Trust goes beyond users
One of the most important developments in recent years is that identity is no longer just about people.
Applications, service accounts, APIs, automation and AI agents all authenticate, request access and interact with business data. In many cases, they operate continuously and at scale.
In a Zero Trust model, these non-human identities need the same controls as users:
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clear ownership
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least-privilege access
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strong authentication
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monitoring and auditability
Uncontrolled machine identities are fast becoming one of the biggest blind spots in modern environments.
What Zero Trust looks like in practice
For most organisations, Zero Trust in 2026 isn’t about starting again. It’s about tightening what already exists.
That typically starts with identity and access controls.
Conditional access policies should reflect how people actually work today, not how policies were designed years ago. Device health, sign-in behaviour, location and risk signals should all influence access decisions.
Least-privilege access needs to be actively maintained. Privileged roles, service accounts and inherited permissions should be reviewed regularly, not left in place because they’ve “always worked”.
Zero Trust also needs to be applied consistently. Gaps between cloud, hybrid and on-prem systems are exactly where attackers look for weaknesses.
How Fordway helps organisations apply Zero Trust
This is where many organisations need support — not understanding what Zero Trust is, but making it operational.
At Fordway, our Zero Trust services focus on turning principles into practical controls that work in real environments. We help organisations assess their current identity and access posture, identify unnecessary exposure, and implement improvements that strengthen security without disrupting productivity.
That typically includes:
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reviewing identity and access configurations
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tightening conditional access and privilege management
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reducing over-permissioned users and service accounts
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extending Zero Trust principles across Microsoft environments
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embedding continuous review rather than one-off projects
The goal isn’t to add complexity. It’s to reduce risk in a way that’s measurable, maintainable and aligned with how the organisation actually operates.
The takeaway
Zero Trust in 2026 isn’t a destination you reach — it’s an operating model you maintain.
Organisations that treat it as an ongoing discipline, rather than a finished project, are far better placed to manage identity-based threats and AI-driven risk.
If access policies haven’t been reviewed recently, now is the right time to take another look. And if Zero Trust still feels abstract, the right approach can make it practical, achievable and effective.
Because today, Zero Trust isn’t about getting ahead of attackers. It’s about not giving them an easy way in.
