Cloud-Native Security using Zero Trust Architecture

Abstract

Cloud-native applications are transforming enterprise IT landscapes by leveraging containerization, microservices, and orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes. However, the distributed and dynamic nature of these applications introduces significant security challenges. Traditional perimeter-based security models are inadequate to protect cloud-native environments. Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) proposes a security framework that assumes no implicit trust and enforces strict identity verification and access control at every layer. This paper reviews the principles of Zero Trust applied to cloud-native security, proposes an architecture integrating ZTA with Kubernetes, and evaluates its effectiveness in enhancing security posture while maintaining performance and scalability.