Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) is a security model that follows the philosophy of "never trust, always verify" and does not assume any implicit trust for any entity within or outside the network perimeter. ZTA is based on a set of core principles that guide its implementation and operation. According to the NIST SP 800-207, the three core principles of ZTA are:
A: Verify and authenticate. This principle emphasizes the importance of strong identification and authentication for all types of principals, including users, devices, and machines. ZTA requires continuous verification of identities and authentication status throughout a session, ideally on each request. It does not rely solely on traditional network location or controls. This includes implementing modern strong multi-factor authentication (MFA) and evaluating additional environmental and contextual signals during authentication processes.
D: Least privilege access. This principle involves granting principals the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks. By adopting the principle of least privilege access, organizations can enforce granular access controls, so that principals have access only to the resources necessary to fulfill their roles and responsibilities. This includes implementing just-in-time access provisioning, role-based access controls (RBAC), and regular access reviews to minimize the surface area and the risk of unauthorized access.
E: Assume breach. This principle assumes that the network is always compromised and that attackers can exploit any vulnerability or weakness. Therefore, ZTA adopts a proactive and defensive posture that aims to prevent, detect, and respond to threats in real-time. This includes implementing micro-segmentation, end-to-end encryption, and continuous monitoring and analytics to restrict unnecessary pathways, protect sensitive data, and identify anomalies and potential security events.
References :=
1: Understanding Zero Trust principles - AWS Prescriptive Guidance
2: Zero Trust Architecture - NIST

LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) authentication for ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) HTTPS access proxy is effectively implemented using a Form-based authentication scheme. This approach allows for a secure, interactive, and user-friendly means of capturing credentials. Form-based authentication presents a web form to the user, enabling them to enter their credentials (username and password), which are then processed for authentication against the LDAP directory. This method is widely used for web-based applications, making it a suitable choice for HTTPS access proxy setups in a ZTNA framework.References:FortiGate Security 7.2 Study Guide, LDAP Authentication configuration sections.

For on-fabric clients to access FortiAnalyzer using ZTNA tags, the following conditions must be met:
A: The on-fabric client should have FortiGate as its default gateway: This is essential to ensure that all client traffic is routed through FortiGate, where ZTNA policies can be enforced.
B: The ZTNA server must be configured on FortiGate: For ZTNA tags to be effectively used, the ZTNA server, which processes and enforces these tags, must be configured on the FortiGate appliance.
References :=
Configuring ZTNA tags and tagging rules
Synchronizing FortiClient ZTNA tags
FortiAnalyzer
Technical Tip: ZTNA Tags fail to synchronize between FortiClient and FortiGate

When FortiClient EMS is configured as an MDM connector on FortiNAC, it allows FortiNAC to obtain host information from FortiClient EMS and use it for network access control. FortiNAC polls FortiClient EMS periodically (every 5 minutes by default) to update already registered hosts in FortiNAC. This ensures that FortiNAC has the latest host data from FortiClient EMS, such as device type, OS, IP address, MAC address, hostname, and FortiClient version. FortiNAC can also use FortiClient EMS as an authentication source for devices that have FortiClient installed. FortiNAC does not send any data to FortiClient EMS or check for device vulnerabilities and compliance with FortiClient123. References := 1: MDM Service Connectors | FortiClient EMS Integration 2: FortiClient EMS Device Integration|FortiNAC 9.4.0 - Fortinet Documentation 3: Technical Tip: Integration with FortiClient EMS

Endpoint compliance is defined in the policy configuration stage of FortiNAC. Endpoint compliance policies specify which endpoint compliance configuration and user/host profile are applied to a host based on its location, user, and device type. Endpoint compliance configurations define whether a host is required to download an agent and undergo a scan, permitted access with no scan, or denied access. The scan parameters and security actions are also configured in the endpoint compliance configurations. Therefore, to define endpoint compliance, you need to create and assign endpoint compliance policies and configurations in the policy configuration stage of FortiNAC. References := https://docs.fortinet.com/document/fortinac/9.4.0/administration-guide/985922/endpoin
https://docs.fortinet.com/document/fortinac/9.4.0/fortinac-manager/161887/endpoint-compliance-configurations