The gap between zero trust aspirations and operational reality continues to challenge security leaders. 

Over the last few years, “zero trust” has become cybersecurity’s most discussed framework. VPN replacements, browser isolation tools, and cloud firewalls all incorporate zero trust principles as organizations seek to modernize their security architectures. According to CISA’s Zero Trust Maturity Model (ZTMM), zero trust isn’t about implementing individual security controls—it’s a holistic framework that fundamentally reshapes how organizations approach trust in digital systems. 

For cybersecurity leaders evaluating solutions, the question isn’t whether a tool supports “zero trust principles.” It’s whether their overall architecture addresses all five pillars and three cross-cutting capabilities that CISA defines as essential for comprehensive zero trust implementation. 

Let’s examine what CISA requires—and how organizations can think about addressing these requirements across their entire operational environment. 

CISA’s Five Pillars: The Full Zero Trust Spectrum 

1. 1. Identity

Zero trust begins with strong identity verification. Every user and service must be authenticated and authorized under the principle of least privilege. This foundation is critical but represents just the starting point. 

1. 2. Devices

Every device must be assessed for security posture before gaining access. This includes patch levels, certificates, endpoint protection, and compliance with enterprise policies. 

1. 3. Networks (Environment)

Networks must be micro-segmented, with no implicit trust based on location. Every transaction requires evaluation, not just the initial login event. 

1. 4. Applications & Workloads

Applications must be protected at runtime. Access is controlled at the service level, and workloads require continuous monitoring. 

1. 5. Data

Data must be classified, encrypted, monitored, and protected against exfiltration. The focus is on who accesses data, where it flows, and how it’s protected throughout its lifecycle. 

Cross-cutting capabilities that must span all five pillars: 

• Visibility & Analytics (continuous monitoring and insights) 

• Automation & Orchestration (policy-driven enforcement) 

• Governance (centralized compliance and auditability) 

The Implementation Challenge: Beyond Access Control 

Many zero trust implementations focus heavily on pillars 1 and 3—identity and network access. This approach addresses critical security needs and provides significant value. However, organizations often discover that once authenticated users begin working, new challenges emerge. 

Consider these common operational scenarios: 

• Malware analysis teams need to investigate threats without risking lateral movement across corporate networks 

• Full M&A lifecycle requires isolated evaluation and testing of target company technologies, systems, and integrations to enable safe evaluation and strategic decision-making without exposing acquiring organization networks or intellectual property.

• Threat intelligence researchers often resort to informal “burner” setups to access restricted sources safely 

• Development teams need to conduct AI experimentation and application development using cloud resources that often fall outside of IT control and governance without risking intellectual property exposure 

• Financial investigators need to access dark web sources without revealing organizational identity 

In each case, identity verification and network access control provide essential security, but the operational challenges occur where the actual work happens—beyond the traditional security perimeter. 

The Zero Trust Challenge 

Many organizations address high-risk operational needs through disconnected “burner” devices or shadow IT practices that operate with limited governance and oversight. This approach provides network isolation but introduces its own set of challenges: 

Operational Considerations: 

• Limited centralized management and policy enforcement 

• Inconsistent security configurations across devices 

• Difficulty sharing findings and collaborating across teams 

• Resource-intensive procurement and provisioning processes 

• Scaling challenges for larger investigations or initiatives 

Governance and Compliance Considerations: 

• Limited audit trails for sensitive investigations 

• Potential shadow IT proliferation as teams seek operational efficiency 

• Data handling challenges across unmanaged endpoints 

• Compliance complexity when regulated data touches unmanaged systems 

Operational Security Considerations: 

• Potential organizational metadata or behavioral pattern leakage 

• Challenges maintaining realistic, persistent digital personas 

• Hardware fingerprinting risks 

• Inconsistent operational security practices across users 

While burner devices address immediate network isolation needs, they present governance and operational challenges that modern enterprises must consider—particularly those operating under strict regulatory frameworks. 

Replica’s Approach: Work-Centric Zero Trust 

Replica’s architecture was uniquely built to isolate all layers—from OS, hardware, network, applications, to data—to inherently satisfy zero-trust principles. Our isolated environments provide controlled access to corporate networks while ensuring no code reaches the host device, enabling users to access the tools they need and reach data that is typically hard to access—whether geo-fenced, restricted, or potentially dangerous. 

This creates a double safety net: environments maintain controlled connectivity with strict isolation principles, and no executable code ever touches user endpoints. Our approach extends protection to where work actually occurs. 

Rather than stopping at access control, we address zero trust requirements throughout the operational lifecycle: 

Identity: Enterprise SSO/MFA authentication provides access to pre-configured, purpose-built environments with role-based controls and least-privilege access to tools and data. 

Devices: When work is delivered as a pixel stream, endpoint security concerns are fundamentally addressed. No code executes on user devices, which helps resolve BYOD risks, supply chain vulnerabilities, and unmanaged device concerns. 

Networks: Each environment operates in complete micro-segmentation with policy-controlled data transfer. This design eliminates network pathways back to corporate systems, even under compromise conditions. 

Applications & Workloads: Untrusted code, experimental tools, malware samples, and third-party applications run within isolated environments. This containment approach prevents lateral movement even if individual workloads are compromised. 

Data: Replica’s proprietary system, Butler™, enforces strict file governance with chain-of-custody logging, controlled data egress, and forensic visibility. Data classification and protection policies are enforced at the environment level. 

Combined with enterprise-grade logging, automated deployment, and centralized governance, this approach extends zero trust protection across all five pillars throughout the operational lifecycle. 

Real-World Application: Operational Zero Trust 

Consider how this work-centric approach addresses enterprise operational requirements: 

Threat Intelligence Operations: Security analysts can investigate dark web forums and malware samples within isolated environments. Corporate networks and identities remain protected while maintaining complete audit trails for evidence integrity and regulatory compliance. 

Strategic Business Research: Investment teams can research acquisition targets using managed attribution techniques that prevent signal leakage. Sensitive documents can be shared in monitored workspaces with controlled data export capabilities, enabling external advisor collaboration without exposing corporate infrastructure. 

Innovation & Development Testing: Development teams can evaluate experimental tools, AI platforms, open-source code, and third-party integrations in isolated laboratories. This approach helps protect intellectual property while maintaining compliance and eliminating production system risk. 

Financial Crime Investigation: Fraud teams can access restricted financial platforms and conduct investigations with carefully managed digital personas. Investigators maintain operational anonymity while ensuring regulatory compliance and comprehensive audit capabilities. 

Implications for Security Architecture 

CISA’s guidance emphasizes that zero trust is not a product but an architecture. Achieving comprehensive zero trust requires addressing all five pillars simultaneously across the complete operational environment. 

Our isolated environment approach addresses operational realities by ensuring that: 

• Network trust assumptions are eliminated throughout the operational lifecycle, not just at authentication 

• Device security concerns are addressed through execution isolation rather than solely through endpoint management 

• Application and workload risks are contained within purpose-built, monitored environments 

• Data protection extends beyond access control to include comprehensive usage monitoring and egress control 

• Visibility and governance span the complete operational lifecycle with full audit capabilities 

For organizations conducting high-stakes digital operations—from cybersecurity investigations to strategic business initiatives—this architectural approach addresses operational realities that traditional access-focused zero trust cannot. 

Looking Forward 

Comprehensive zero trust architecture, as defined by CISA, requires protection across all five pillars where work occurs—not just at the authentication boundary. Organizations are discovering that securing the access point, while essential, may not address all risks that emerge during actual operations. 

As organizations evaluate their zero trust implementations, key considerations include: 

• Does our architecture address all five pillars where critical work happens?  

• Can we provide comprehensive security without creating operational constraints that drive users toward informal workarounds? 

The evolution from access-centric to work-centric security models represents a significant architectural shift. For organizations conducting sensitive digital operations, this comprehensive approach may be essential for meeting both security requirements and operational needs. 

The Replica platform was built on a foundation of zero-trust principles and extends comprehensive protection to the point of execution rather than stopping at access control. Learn more about the platform here.