As OT systems become increasingly connected to IT, cloud, and third-party ecosystems, the attack surface expands and traditional perimeter defenses become ineffective. Zero trust replaces implicit trust with continuous verification of users, devices, and connections. In OT, this requires a phased approach that balances security with uptime and safety requirements. Core principles include continuous verification, least privilege access, segmentation, and monitoring. Implementation must address legacy protocols, deterministic operations, and safety systems without disruption. When applied effectively, zero trust reduces operational risk, improves incident response, and strengthens alignment between IT, security, and engineering teams.

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