Implementing Zero Trust Security in Multi Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Environment: Ensuring a consistent Identity Verification, Micro Segmentation and Secure Inter Cloud Communication

Panichiyil, Abhai (2025) Implementing Zero Trust Security in Multi Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Environment: Ensuring a consistent Identity Verification, Micro Segmentation and Secure Inter Cloud Communication. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

This research presents a practical and resource-efficient implementation of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) for hybrid-cloud containerized environments, combining Kubernetes orchestration, Calico-based micro-segmentation, and VPN-secured federated identity. The framework was deployed in a Minikube-simulated hybrid network, with SAML-based authentication between Azure AD and AWS IAM providing centralized identity governance and Calico enforcing deny-by-default, workload-level network policies. Performance testing across four scenarios revealed that, post-policy enforcement, Web Backend traffic maintained 100% policy compliance with no packet loss (50/50 packets received) and only a marginal latency increase from 50-418 ms without VPN to 189-515 ms with VPN. In contrast, Web Blocked routes achieved a 90% block rate, reducing packet reception from 50 to 5 and eliminating measurable latency for denied traffic. These results confirm that robust Zero Trust controls—identity verification, least-privilege access, and micro-segmentation can be implemented effectively without sacrificing network performance. This work provides a validated, low-cost ZTA blueprint for academic research and enterprise adoption in hybrid-cloud security.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Supervisors:	Name Email Aleburu, Joel UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics > Electronic computers. Computer science T Technology > T Technology (General) > Information Technology > Electronic computers. Computer science T Technology > T Technology (General) > Information Technology > Cloud computing Q Science > QA Mathematics > Computer software > Computer Security T Technology > T Technology (General) > Information Technology > Computer software > Computer Security
Divisions:	School of Computing > Master of Science in Cyber Security
Depositing User:	Ciara O'Brien
Date Deposited:	16 Jun 2026 14:17
Last Modified:	16 Jun 2026 14:17
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/9368

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