What role does the policy engine play in a zero-trust environment?

In a zero-trust environment, the policy engine is integral to maintaining a security-first approach. Its primary function is to grant access to resources based on predefined policies that take into account various factors, such as user identity, device health, and behavior patterns, as well as input from security systems. This means that instead of simply assuming that users or devices within the network are trustworthy, the policy engine continuously evaluates trust levels and decides access accordingly.

By relying on data from various security systems, the policy engine ensures that only users and devices that meet specific security standards can access sensitive information or resources. This dynamic and context-aware access control model helps minimize the risk of unauthorized access, aligning perfectly with zero-trust principles, which emphasize "never trust, always verify."

Other roles mentioned, such as training users or monitoring network traffic, while important to security practices, do not directly relate to the function of the policy engine in a zero-trust framework. Similarly, encrypting data in transit is essential for protecting information, but it is not the primary responsibility of the policy engine within this security model.