CISSP Communication and Network Security Practice Question
A security architect is designing a zero-trust network. Which principle is fundamental to a zero-trust architecture (ZTA) such as BeyondCorp?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse 'trust but verify' (a common security mantra) with zero-trust, but the key distinction is that zero-trust removes all implicit trust, including for internal users and devices.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Never trust, always verify
In a zero-trust architecture (ZTA) like Google's BeyondCorp, the foundational principle is 'never trust, always verify.' This means no entity—user, device, or network—is trusted by default, regardless of its location (inside or outside the corporate perimeter). Every access request must be authenticated, authorized, and continuously validated before granting access to resources, eliminating implicit trust based on network location.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Never trust, always verify
Why this is correct
This is the core principle of zero trust.
- ✗
Trust but verify
Why it's wrong here
Zero trust is 'never trust, always verify', not 'trust but verify'.
- ✗
Trust internal users implicitly
Why it's wrong here
Zero trust does not implicitly trust internal users.
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Trust network location as a primary factor
Why it's wrong here
Zero trust does not rely on network location for trust.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CISSP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CISSP exam.