Integrating software defined perimeter and zero trust in platform engineering: A security framework for modern infrastructure

This scholarly article explores the integration of Software Defined Perimeter (SDP) and Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) within platform engineering environments. The traditional perimeter-based security models are increasingly inadequate in addressing modern cybersecurity challenges posed by cloud adoption, microservices architectures, and distributed computing. This article examines how Zero Trust's "never trust, always verify" philosophy, combined with SDP's ability to cloak infrastructure, provides comprehensive security for modern, decentralized environments. It discusses the theoretical foundations of Zero Trust, the technical implementation of SDP, integration frameworks within platform engineering, implementation challenges, and future research directions. By integrating these security frameworks, organizations can maintain a strong security posture while supporting the agility and developer experience that platform engineering emphasizes, striking an effective balance between security and development velocity.