Redefining Zero Trust: “Near Zero Trust” | A Real-World Success Story Through Proactive Security | A Zero Trust World Conversation with Avi Solomon | On Location Coverage with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli

The latest episode of the On Location series, recorded at ThreatLocker's Zero Trust World 2025 in Orlando, brings forward a deep and practical conversation about implementing Zero Trust principles in real-world environments. Hosted by Marco Ciappelli and Sean Martin, this episode features Avi Solomon, CIO of a law firm with nearly 30 years in IT and a strong focus on cybersecurity.

The Journey to Proactive Security

Avi Solomon shares his experience transitioning from traditional security models to a proactive, preventive approach with ThreatLocker. With a background in engineering, consulting, and security (CISSP certified), Solomon outlines his initial concerns with reactive endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions. While EDR tools act as a secondary insurance policy, he emphasizes the need for a preventive layer to block threats before they manifest.

Solomon’s firm adopted ThreatLocker a year ago, replacing a legacy product to integrate its proactive security measures. He highlights the platform’s maturation, including network control, storage control, application whitelisting, and cloud integration. The shift was not only a technological change but also a cultural one, aligning with the broader philosophy of Zero Trust—approaching security with a mindset that nothing within or outside the network should be trusted by default.

Implementing Zero Trust with Ease

A standout moment in the episode is Solomon’s recount of his implementation process. His conservative approach included running ThreatLocker in observation mode for two months before transitioning fully to a secure mode. When the switch was finally flipped, the result was remarkable—zero disruptions, no pushback from users, and a smooth transition to a less risky security posture. Solomon attributes this success to ThreatLocker’s intuitive deployment and adaptive learning capabilities, which allowed the system to understand normal processes and minimize false positives.

Redefining Zero Trust: “Near Zero Trust”

Solomon introduces a pragmatic take on Zero Trust, coining the term “Near Zero Trust” (NZT). While achieving absolute Zero Trust is an ideal, Solomon argues that organizations should strive to get as close as possible by layering strategic solutions. He draws a clever analogy comparing Zero Trust to driving safely before relying on a seatbelt—proactive behavior backed by reactive safeguards.

Tune in to the full episode to explore more of Avi Solomon’s insights, hear stories from the conference floor, and learn practical approaches to embedding Zero Trust principles in your organization’s security strategy.

Guest: Avi Solomon, Chief Information Officer at Rumberger | Kirk | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aviesolomon/

Hosts:

Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast [@RedefiningCyber] | On ITSPmagazine:  https://www.itspmagazine.com/sean-martin

Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast & Audio Signals Podcast | On ITSPmagazine: https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli

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This Episode’s Sponsors

ThreatLocker: https://itspm.ag/threatlocker-r974

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Resources

Learn more and catch more stories from ZTW 2025 coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/zero-trust-world-2025-cybersecurity-and-zero-trust-event-coverage-orlando-florida

Register for Zero Trust World 2025: https://itspm.ag/threat5mu1

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Catch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverage

To see and hear more Redefining CyberSecurity content on ITSPmagazine, visit: https://www.itspmagazine.com/redefining-cybersecurity-podcast

To see and hear more Redefining Society stories on ITSPmagazine, visit:
https://www.itspmagazine.com/redefining-society-podcast

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