NSA Publishes Phase One and Phase Two of Zero Trust Implementation Guidelines
NSA Publishes Phase One and Phase Two of Zero Trust Implementation Guidelines
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nsa-publishes-phase-one-two-zero-trust-implementation-r33ze
Publish Date: 2026-01-31 10:00:00
Source Domain: www.linkedin.com
The National Security Agency (NSA) has released Phase One and Phase Two of its Zero Trust Implementation Guidelines (ZIGs), marking a significant step forward in supporting organizations across the Department of War (DoW) in achieving Target-level Zero Trust (ZT) maturity as defined by DoW leadership.
These newly released phases are designed to provide a structured, actionable roadmap for organizations transitioning from early-stage discovery efforts to a fully realized Zero Trust architecture. By clearly defining the required activities, dependencies, prerequisites, and follow-on actions, the guidelines help translate Zero Trust principles into practical, implementable steps aligned with operational realities.
Purpose and Structure of the Phased Approach
Phase One and Phase Two collectively focus on moving organizations from a Discovery state—where assets, users, data, and workflows are identified—toward Target-level Zero Trust implementation, where security controls are fully integrated, continuously enforced, and centrally governed.
The ZIGs adopt a phased, modular design, enabling a high degree of flexibility and customization. Organizations can implement activities incrementally based on mission needs, technical maturity, resource availability, and risk tolerance. This approach allows both foundational and advanced Zero Trust capabilities to be deployed strategically rather than through a rigid, one-size-fits-all model.
Phase One: Establishing a Secure Zero Trust Foundation
Phase One outlines 36 discrete…
