Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Certified Cybersecurity Entry-level Technician (PCCET) Practice Exam

What does Zero Trust mean?

1. Systems never trust the information they get from other systems

2. Systems don't trust each other implicitly.

3. Systems don't trust each other explicitly.

4. Systems only trust each other within the same data center.

The correct answer is: Systems don't trust each other implicitly.

Zero Trust is a security framework based on the principle that systems should not implicitly trust any user, device, or network, regardless of whether they are inside or outside the network perimeter. By adopting a Zero Trust model, organizations assume that threats could be both external and internal. Thus, they enforce strict verification processes for every access request, ensuring that each user and device is authenticated and authorized before allowing access to resources. The choice that describes that systems do not trust each other implicitly aligns with the core concept of Zero Trust, which focuses on continuous verification and the least privilege principle. In practice, this means that every access request is treated as if it originates from an open network, regardless of the user's location within the infrastructure. Additionally, the Zero Trust model emphasizes that trust must be earned, not assumed, further highlighting the necessity of granular validation. The other choices either undermine this principle or misrepresent the core ideas of Zero Trust. For example, stating that systems don't trust each other explicitly could imply that there is a reliance on some form of blanket trust which contradicts the core ethos of Zero Trust. Similarly, confining trust to only systems within the same data center does not align with the broader concept that Zero Trust applies across all environments, including cloud and remote