Zero Trust Starts with Identity: How to Assess Readiness Before You Deploy Controls

Most Zero Trust conversations begin with network segmentation. But if segmentation defines where traffic can flow, identity defines who and what can access it — and that's where many strategies fail.

The numbers tell a sobering story: the global Zero Trust security market reached $36.96 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at 16.6% annually through 2030, yet only 29% of organizations use identity-based access as their primary model. Even more concerning, 90% of organizations experienced at least one identity-related incident in the past year, with 84% suffering direct business impact.

Before you roll out a single enforcement control, you need a clear understanding of your identity ecosystem: Who are your users? What devices are on your network? How are they authenticated, authorized, and continuously verified?

1. Start with Discovery

Map every identity source — from Active Directory to cloud SSO and endpoint certificates. You can't secure what you don't see, and most enterprises find shadow identity stores hidden across business units.

The scale of this challenge is staggering. Recent research reveals that non-human identities (NHIs) now outnumber human accounts by 144:1 — a 56% increase from just a year ago. Organizations maintain an average of 15,000+ service accounts (92% orphaned), 25,000+ API keys (67% never rotated), and 50,000+ certificates (40% self-signed).

Tip: Include both user and non-human identities (service accounts, IoT devices, workloads). These are often the weakest link. In fact, 68% of breaches exploit non-human credentials, and with shadow IT accounting for over 50% of total enterprise tech spend, the hidden identity problem is more critical than ever.

2. Evaluate Integration Points

The key to Zero Trust maturity is how well your identity layer integrates with your network control plane — switches, wireless controllers, firewalls, and NAC systems.

A good assessment answers:

• Can my network dynamically enforce policies based on identity attributes? Currently, only 56% of companies grant access based on role or need, and 46% via groups or teams — a clear gap in identity-driven enforcement.
• Are context signals (device posture, location, risk score) being shared in real time? This capability is essential, yet only 15% of organizations feel highly confident in preventing non-human identity attacks, while 69% express serious concerns.
• Is policy enforcement consistent across on-prem and cloud? The hybrid reality is challenging: 28% of organizations struggle to use the same tools across cloud and on-premises environments, creating policy drift and security blind spots.

The impact of poor integration is measurable. According to industry data, identity-based attacks now account for approximately 38% of security incidents, making them the leading cause of data breaches in 2024.

3. Measure Readiness Across Three Dimensions

The business case for improvement is compelling: organizations implementing modern microsegmentation report 90% reduction in potential breach impact, 76% cost reduction over legacy architectures, and 95% faster implementation times. With the average data breach now costing $4.88 million, the ROI of proper identity integration is clear.

4. Operationalize with Confidence

Once gaps are visible, you need a structured approach to move from assessment to enforcement without disrupting operations. This is where proven methodologies become critical.

The S.I.M.P.L.E. Framework for Zero Trust Deployment

BTA's S.I.M.P.L.E. methodology provides a battle-tested approach that has delivered over 500 projects with a zero-failure rate, helping 100+ customers enforce Zero Trust policies across 450+ applications. The framework ensures you don't progress until readiness criteria at each phase are met:

S - Start: Kickoff meeting with stakeholders (CISO, SecOps, App Teams, Network) to establish common vocabulary and objectives. Define clear scope and resource assignments.

I - Immerse: Conduct design workshops to define use cases and success criteria. Exit only when you have a mutually agreed-upon High Level Design that accounts for your identity ecosystem, integration points, and enforcement requirements.

M - Map: Create detailed, low-level designs including configuration activities. Nothing proceeds that doesn't map to previously defined use cases — preventing scope creep while ensuring your identity data integrates properly with control systems.

P - Prove: Validate that the solution meets defined use cases and business objectives. This is where tools like Policy Automation Engine™ enforce dynamic policies safely, and Architect Explorer™ simulates impact before production rollout.

L - Launch: Hand off to operations with comprehensive runbooks, build automation, and final as-built documentation. Ensure teams understand how identity-driven policies operate in production.

E - Evolve: Review lessons learned, obtain final sign-off, and plan next phases of iteration based on ongoing identity discovery and emerging threats.

This structured approach bridges strategy and execution: identity-driven, automated, and auditable at every phase.

The urgency is real. A recent survey found that only 1% of organizations report satisfaction with their current access and connectivity setup, and 42% believe their current systems won't meet their needs within two years. Meanwhile, Gartner predicts that by 2027, 75% of employees will use technology outside of IT oversight, further complicating identity management.

The good news: the Identity and Access Management (IAM) market is expected to grow from $12.3 billion in 2020 to $24.1 billion by 2025, with 90% of organizations increasing their IAM budgets. This investment reflects growing recognition that identity is the cornerstone of Zero Trust security.

Final Thought

Zero Trust is a posture built on trust in your data and your integrations.

Start with identity, assess where you stand, and let automation carry it across your ecosystem. The statistics show that while over 30% of organizations have implemented a Zero Trust strategy, the majority are still in early stages, with identity management remaining the most critical and often overlooked component.

The path forward is clear: organizations that prioritize identity discovery, consistent integration, and automated enforcement will not only reduce their attack surface but also position themselves ahead of the 42% of IT professionals who believe current solutions will become obsolete within two years.

The question isn't whether to start with identity — it's how quickly you can close the gap between your current state and Zero Trust maturity.