Zero Trust Architecture: Implementing BeyondCorp Principles for Small Teams

Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) is no longer just for enterprises. This guide adapts Google's BeyondCorp model for startups and small engineering teams. We cover: identity-aware proxies with Pomerium and OAuth2, device trust attestation using hardware-backed keys, micro-segmentation with Cilium on Kubernetes, just-in-time access with Teleport, and audit logging with OpenTelemetry. Each component is evaluated for complexity, cost, and operational overhead. By the end, you will have a production-ready ZTA blueprint that works for teams under 50 people.