Zero Trust Architecture & Hardening

Design and implement a Microsoft-aligned Zero Trust programme across identity, devices, data, apps, network, and infrastructure.

Zero Trust is a security strategy based on three principles: verify explicitly, use least privilege access, and assume breach. Microsoft’s guidance frames Zero Trust as an end‑to‑end approach spanning identities, endpoints (devices), data, applications, infrastructure, and networks - supported by visibility, automation, and orchestration.
LW IT Solutions delivers Zero Trust as an implementable architecture and hardening programme - not a slide deck. We baseline your current posture, define the target policy model, and deliver controlled hardening across the relevant Microsoft workloads (Entra ID, Intune, Defender, Purview, Azure). The outcome is a measurable uplift in security posture with documented decisions, change control, and an operating cadence that keeps controls effective over time.

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Service Overview

Highlights

  • Zero Trust assessment: baseline across identity, devices, data, apps, infrastructure, and network using Microsoft-aligned guidance
  • Target architecture and policy model: define what good looks like for your organisation and risk profile
  • Identity hardening: MFA strategy, Conditional Access patterns, privileged access model, and access governance alignment
  • Device hardening: endpoint compliance policy model, secure configuration, device risk signals and access enforcement
  • Data protection: sensitivity labels, DLP, retention/records, and risk-led governance for high-value data
  • App and cloud controls: SaaS governance and access controls; cloud workload security and configuration hardening
  • Network/infrastructure hardening: segmentation and blast-radius reduction; Azure hardening aligned to Zero Trust guidance
  • Operationalisation: backlog, change control, runbooks, and a repeatable posture review cadence

Business Benefits

  • Reduce breach impact by limiting blast radius and improving detection and response readiness
  • Improve access decisions by verifying explicitly using identity, device, and risk signals
  • Reduce standing privilege through least-privilege and privileged access patterns
  • Create a defensible security programme with documented controls, decisions, and measurable posture uplift

Typical use cases

  • Organisations moving from perimeter-based security to cloud-first policy-driven controls
  • Post-incident hardening programmes or security uplift after major migrations
  • Regulated environments requiring evidence-led security architecture and control governance
  • M365/Azure tenants with inconsistent policies and unmanaged exceptions
  • Security leadership needing a credible roadmap and measurable outcomes (not just high-level diagrams)

Objectives & deliverables

What Success Looks Like

  • A Microsoft-aligned Zero Trust target architecture and policy model tailored to your organisation
  • A prioritised hardening backlog with phased rollout plan and change impact understood
  • Implemented controls for the agreed scope, with operational runbooks and governance cadence

What You Get

  • Zero Trust baseline report (current posture, key gaps, risk hotspots, and quick wins)
  • Target architecture and control model (identity, devices, data, apps, infrastructure, network)
  • Prioritised remediation backlog (risk, effort, dependencies, and sequencing)
  • Implemented hardening changes for agreed quick wins / pilot scope with validation evidence
  • Governance pack: change control guidance, exception model, operational runbooks, and review cadence

How It Works

  1. Discovery and baseline - agree scope and gather posture evidence across the Zero Trust pillars.
  2. Target design - define the desired policy model and control architecture aligned to your risk profile.
  3. Backlog and sequencing - prioritise changes by risk reduction and business impact; plan pilots and rollouts.
  4. Implement and validate - deliver staged hardening with change control, testing, and measurable outcomes.
  5. Operationalise - handover runbooks, define governance cadence, and support ongoing improvements.

Engagement Options

  • Zero Trust Assessment & Roadmap (baseline + target model + prioritised backlog)
  • Zero Trust Quick Wins Sprint (high-impact improvements delivered with change control)
  • Zero Trust Hardening Programme (phased rollout across identity, devices, data, and cloud controls)
  • Operate (monthly/quarterly posture reviews, backlog management, and continuous improvement delivery)

Additional Information

Prerequisites & licensing

Zero Trust is an architectural approach rather than a single product. Implementing the recommended controls depends on which Microsoft services you use and the licensing available in your tenant (for example: Entra, Intune, Defender, Purview). During discovery we confirm scope and feature availability, then design the programme accordingly.
  • We confirm the policy decision points (typically Microsoft Entra ID) and how device/risk signals will be evaluated.
  • We define an exception and break-glass model to avoid locking out administrators or disrupting critical operations.
  • We stage high-impact changes through pilots and phased enforcement to manage risk.

Common Bundles

Customers who use this service often bundle with these services

Secure Score Assessment & Remediation
Baseline Microsoft Secure Score, prioritise improvement actions, and deliver a staged remediation backlog that drives measurable security posture uplift.

Defender for Endpoint (EDR)
Deploy and operationalise Defender for Endpoint with phased onboarding, tuned policies, and clear triage workflows across managed device estates.

Microsoft 365 E3 + Microsoft Purview Suite Enablement
Enable Microsoft Purview Suite with Microsoft 365 E3 through scoped discovery, configuration, validation, and handover that embeds compliance controls into operations.

Sentinel Deployment & Integration
Deploy Microsoft Sentinel with structured data onboarding, workspace design, RBAC, and detection content so your SOC operates effectively and predictably.

SOAR Automation & Playbook Design
Design Microsoft Sentinel SOAR automation and playbooks that automate triage, enrichment and response, reducing analyst effort while improving incident consistency.

Legacy SIEM to Microsoft Sentinel Migration
Migrate legacy SIEM detections, workflows and data into Microsoft Sentinel with phased cutover that maintains monitoring continuity for security operations teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

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