Yes. You can use Zero Trust in a hybrid or fully cloud-led environment, although hosting an application in the cloud is now more cost-effective than a data center. However, these cloud environments are not part of an organization’s network, so the same type of network controls do not apply. This means that data is spread out across multiple sites, and visibility of who is accessing which data (and on what devices) is more difficult to follow.
To address these issues, modern companies are using several access technologies — depending on where their resources and data are located:
**Data centers** — When storing data on-premises, remote network access or business VPNs are utilized.
**Private applications** — A Software-defined perimeter (SDP) is used for data kept within company apps.
**Public cloud** — An inbound proxy or virtual firewall is used to protect resources in the cloud.
**SaaS applications** — For securing data within software-as-a-service (SaaS) apps, companies will opt for a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB).