Cybersecurity
Intermediate
Zero Trust Network Architecture
Implement 'never trust, always verify' security perimeters with microsegmentation and identity-aware proxies.
Course Overview
Design identity-centric access control, dynamic device health verification, and encrypted network tunnels to secure remote workforces against lateral intrusion.
What You Will Learn
Implement 'Never Trust, Always Verify' principles across corporate networks
Design identity-aware proxies (IAP) to replace legacy VPN perimeters
Enforce microsegmentation policies between backend microservices
Verify device posture health dynamically before granting resource access
Implement mTLS (Mutual TLS) authentication for inter-service communication
Tools & Technologies Used
WireGuard
Envoy Proxy
Smallstep CA
Python 3.11
Docker
Structured Curriculum
2 Modules · 4 Lessons · 165 Minutes Total
Module 1
Module 1: Zero Trust Core Principles & Identity Proxies
2 lessons
Module 1: Zero Trust Core Principles & Identity Proxies
Deconstruct perimeter defenses and deploy Identity-Aware Proxies.
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Perimeter Security Failures vs. Zero Trust Architecture
Analyze why internal networks can no longer be assumed trustworthy.
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Identity-Aware Proxy Configuration
Route HTTP requests through identity verification proxies with JWT assertion headers.
Module 2
Module 2: Microsegmentation & Mutual TLS (mTLS)
2 lessons
Module 2: Microsegmentation & Mutual TLS (mTLS)
Encrypt and authenticate service-to-service communication.
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Service Microsegmentation & Policy Guards
Enforce strict network isolation rules between database instances and app servers.
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Configuring Automatic mTLS with Envoy
Issue ephemeral X.509 client certificates to establish mutual TLS between microservices.
Practical Project & Capstone Outcome
🚀 Capstone Project
Zero Trust Private Application Access Gateway
Build an identity-authenticated gateway service that verifies user identity, checks device posture tokens, and opens mTLS tunnels to internal web applications.
Prerequisites
- Networking basics (IPs, Subnets, TLS/SSL)
- Basic understanding of authentication
Intended Audience
- Network Security Engineers modernizing perimeter security
- Systems Engineers securing remote employee access and microservices
Instructor Information
S
Sarah Jenkins
Course Author & Industry Expert
Sarah Jenkins is a Senior Cybersecurity Consultant specializing in Zero Trust network transformations for distributed remote engineering organizations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set up the mTLS hands-on lab locally using Docker?
Yes! All mTLS and proxy labs run locally using Docker containers and Smallstep PKI tools.