Zero Trust is unlikely to completely replace traditional networking, but it is reshaping how networks are designed and secured. Traditional models rely heavily on perimeter defenses, assuming that everything inside the network is trustworthy. This approach is increasingly ineffective in modern, distributed environments.

Zero Trust shifts the focus from network boundaries to identity and access control. As organizations adopt cloud services and remote work, the concept of a fixed perimeter becomes less relevant. Instead, security is applied at the user, device, and application level.

However, underlying network infrastructure is still necessary. Routing, switching, and connectivity remain essential components of IT environments. Zero Trust overlays these systems with more granular security controls rather than replacing them entirely.

In practice, many organizations are moving toward hybrid models that combine traditional networking with Zero Trust principles. Technologies such as SASE integrate networking and security into a unified framework.

Therefore, Zero Trust represents an evolution rather than a replacement. It changes the security paradigm while still relying on foundational networking technologies to deliver connectivity.