How does Cisco ISE support a Zero Trust security model?

Cisco ISE fundamentally aligns with the principles of a Zero Trust security model by enforcing strict access controls and ongoing verification of both users and devices throughout their interactions on the network. In a Zero Trust framework, the assumption is that threats could come from any source, hence the necessity to continuously validate identities and the security posture of the devices accessing network resources.

Cisco ISE achieves this through a variety of mechanisms, including real-time authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) services. It evaluates the security status of endpoints, applies contextual policies based on user identity, device type, location, and the security posture ascertained from endpoint assessments. Moreover, with capabilities such as profiling, policy enforcement, and dynamic segmentation, Cisco ISE ensures that only trusted users and compliant devices are granted the access privileges necessary for their tasks, while regularly reassessing their security stance during their session.

In contrast, other options do not encompass the full scope of a Zero Trust model. Limiting access based solely on previous login successes or only granting access based on physical location lacks the dynamic verification aspect that is essential in Zero Trust. Additionally, automatically connecting devices to the network does not account for the necessary security assessments that should be performed before granting access. Thus, the comprehensive approach of ongoing