Many companies implementing Zero Trust eventually face the same question:
How do we verify that employee devices are secure before granting access to internal systems?
Identity verification alone is not enough.
A compromised laptop can still access production systems even if the user successfully authenticates.
This is why many security teams are adopting device security posture monitoring.
In this article we’ll explore:
- what device security posture monitoring is
- why it matters for Zero Trust
- tools that can help implement it Several modern tools help organizations monitor device security posture and enforce security requirements in Zero Trust environments. Below are some platforms commonly used for this purpose.
Lorika
Lorika focuses on continuous device security posture monitoring.
The platform evaluates endpoints using a large number of security checks, including:
disk encryption status
operating system updates
firewall configuration
installed software vulnerabilities
open ports and exposed services
These signals are used to calculate a device risk score, helping security teams determine whether a device meets security requirements.
In Zero Trust environments, device posture signals can be used to verify that endpoints are secure before allowing access to internal systems.
Lorika is particularly useful for organizations that want continuous endpoint security posture monitoring instead of periodic scans.
FleetDM
FleetDM is an open-source platform built around the osquery ecosystem.
It allows organizations to collect security data from endpoints, run queries against device configurations, and monitor system state across large fleets of devices.
FleetDM is especially attractive for teams that prefer open-source tooling and want flexibility in how security checks are implemented.
Because it integrates directly with osquery, security teams can create custom queries to inspect device configurations and detect potential issues.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a comprehensive enterprise endpoint security platform.
In addition to threat detection and response capabilities, Defender also provides:
vulnerability management
device configuration insights
security posture evaluation
For organizations already using the Microsoft ecosystem, Defender integrates deeply with identity systems such as Microsoft Entra ID and conditional access policies.
This allows device health signals to influence access decisions in Zero Trust architectures.
JumpCloud
JumpCloud combines identity management, device management, and access control into a unified platform.
It enables organizations to manage devices, enforce security policies, and verify device compliance before granting access to applications.
JumpCloud is often used by small and medium-sized companies that want a centralized platform for managing both user identities and endpoint devices.
Discussion
How does your team verify device security before granting access to internal systems?
Are you relying on EDR, device posture tools, or custom scripts?
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