NSA Publishes Enhanced Zero Trust Implementation Guidelines
The NSA released Phase One and Phase Two Zero Trust Implementation Guidelines, providing 152 structured activities across multiple maturity levels for federal and defense organizations.
The National Security Agency (NSA) published the first products in its Zero Trust Implementation Guidelines (ZIGs) series in January 2026, offering practical recommendations to help Department of Defense (DoD), Defense Industrial Base (DIB), and National Security Systems organizations implement Zero Trust architecture. The guidelines emphasize continuous authentication and authorization under the principle of "never trust, always verify."
Phased Maturity Approach
The ZIGs structure implementation across multiple phases, beginning with a Discovery Phase that helps organizations understand their operational landscape. Phase One establishes a secure baseline through 36 activities supporting 30 zero trust capabilities, helping organizations build foundational controls before deeper integration. Phase Two covers 41 activities supporting 34 capabilities, advancing organizations toward more mature Zero Trust implementations.
Framework Integration
The NSA developed the guidelines in coordination with the DoD CIO, organizing 152 Zero Trust activities into structured phases. The ZIGs leverage existing frameworks established under Executive Order 14028, including NIST Special Publication 800-207, CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model Version 2.0, and the DoD Zero Trust Reference Architecture. The guidelines focus on continuous verification of user/person entities, device/non-person entities, and applications across the enterprise.
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