Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In theory, a zero trust initiative seems straightforward: you just need the right tools and maybe some whiteboard sessions to work out the architecture. In practice, our guests note that zero trust "unfolds inside organizations filled with legacy systems, political friction, budget constraints, and competing priorities." Without accounting for those complications, a zero trust project is likely to go nowhere.
On today's Packet Protector we talk with two of the authors of the book Zero Trust Done Right. The book is a practical guide to enabling zero trust based on the authors' own experience with successful security projects---and some failures. They draw on their hard-won experiences to offer a strategic, workable approach to zero trust.
We discuss how to get a zero trust project off the ground, the difficult (but essential) work of gathering stakeholders and convincing them of the value of the effort, building an effective pilot program, where to look for quick wins (maybe start with privileged accounts or VPN replacement), the technological pillars of zero trust, and more.
Our guests are John Spiegel and Jaye Tillson. They are both executives at a major infrastructure vendor, but this book isn’t affiliated with their day jobs and this is not a sponsored episode.
Links:
John Spiegel on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/john-spiegel-2011543
Jaye Tillson on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/jaye-tillson
Zero Trust Done Right - Amazon - amazon.com/Zero-Trust-Done-Right-Practitioners-ebook/dp/B0GQCFMRLR
Zero Trust Forum - zerotrustforum.net
Zero Trust Podcast - zerotrustforum.net/podcast
Packet Protector is part of the Packet Pushers network. Visit our website to find more great networking and technology podcasts, along with tutorial videos, the Human Infrastructure newsletter, and loads more resources for building your IT career. packetpushers.net
In theory, a zero trust initiative seems straightforward: you just need the right tools and maybe some whiteboard sessions to work out the architecture. In practice, our guests note that zero trust "unfolds inside organizations filled with legacy systems, political friction, budget constraints, and competing priorities." Without accounting for those complications, a zero trust project is likely to go nowhere.
On today's Packet Protector we talk with two of the authors of the book Zero Trust Done Right. The book is a practical guide to enabling zero trust based on the authors' own experience with successful security projects---and some failures. They draw on their hard-won experiences to offer a strategic, workable approach to zero trust.
We discuss how to get a zero trust project off the ground, the difficult (but essential) work of gathering stakeholders and convincing them of the value of the effort, building an effective pilot program, where to look for quick wins (maybe start with privileged accounts or VPN replacement), the technological pillars of zero trust, and more.
Our guests are John Spiegel and Jaye Tillson. They are both executives at a major infrastructure vendor, but this book isn’t affiliated with their day jobs and this is not a sponsored episode.
Links:
John Spiegel on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/john-spiegel-2011543
Jaye Tillson on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/jaye-tillson
Zero Trust Done Right - Amazon - amazon.com/Zero-Trust-Done-Right-Practitioners-ebook/dp/B0GQCFMRLR
Zero Trust Forum - zerotrustforum.net
Zero Trust Podcast - zerotrustforum.net/podcast
Packet Protector is part of the Packet Pushers network. Visit our website to find more great networking and technology podcasts, along with tutorial videos, the Human Infrastructure newsletter, and loads more resources for building your IT career. packetpushers.net
