What this prompt does
This prompt designs a Zero Trust architecture for a [organization_type] with [employee_count] employees. It covers IAM via [iam_provider], device trust verification, network micro-segmentation across [network_zones], application-level auth (no VPN-based trust), least-privilege policies for [roles], continuous verification, data classification and DLP, mTLS between services, SIEM integration with [siem_tool], and incident-response automation. It includes a migration plan from [current_model], UX considerations, compliance mapping to [compliance_framework], and prioritized [priority_areas].
The structure works because Zero Trust is a migration, not a switch you flip. The hardest part isn't drawing the target diagram; it's sequencing the rollout off [current_model] without breaking people's daily work or your [compliance_framework] obligations. By forcing UX considerations and a phased plan alongside each control, the prompt keeps the design honest about the gap between the happy-path architecture and the messy reality of moving [employee_count] people onto identity-first access.
When to use it
- Moving a
[organization_type]off VPN-perimeter trust toward identity-first access. - Designing micro-segmentation across
[network_zones]like production, staging, and corporate. - Defining least-privilege policies for distinct
[roles]without grinding work to a halt. - Planning a phased migration from
[current_model]that won't break daily workflows. - Mapping the rollout to a
[compliance_framework]such as SOC 2 ahead of an audit. - Prioritizing
[priority_areas]like remote access or CI/CD pipeline security first.
Example output
You get a design and rollout plan: an IAM setup on [iam_provider], device-trust rules, a micro-segmentation scheme for [network_zones], app-level auth replacing VPN trust, least-privilege policies per role in [roles], continuous-verification and session-monitoring design, data-classification and DLP rules, mTLS guidance, [siem_tool] integration, incident-response automation, a phased migration from [current_model] with UX notes, compliance mapping to [compliance_framework], and a sequencing of [priority_areas].
Pro tips
- Treat the migration plan as the core deliverable; the target diagram is the easy part, the sequencing off
[current_model]is the hard part. - Roll out by
[priority_areas]in phases; trying to flip all[network_zones]at once breaks workflows and erodes buy-in. - Weight UX heavily; controls that make daily work painful get bypassed, which defeats Zero Trust entirely.
- Map each control to
[compliance_framework]as you design it, not after, so the audit trail builds itself. - Keep least-privilege policies for
[roles]tight but reviewable; over-restriction generates exception requests that erode the model. - Start continuous verification in monitor-only mode before enforcing, so you see the impact before it blocks anyone.
