The Identity Provider is the authoritative source of truth for user authentication in a Zero Trust architecture — issuing tokens, enforcing MFA, and serving as the control plane that ZTNA, CASB, and application gateways consult before granting access to any resource. Identity is the new perimeter: every Zero Trust framework from NIST 800-207 to the DoD ZT Strategy treats the IDP as the cornerstone control, and organisations without a mature identity fabric cannot achieve meaningful Zero Trust posture.
Related: MFA · Identity Governance & Admin · Privileged Access · Zero Trust ZTNA · CMMC 2.0