From cybersecurity-skills
Designs and implements microsegmentation policies using NSX, Illumio, or Calico to enforce least-privilege workload access and prevent lateral movement in zero trust architectures.
How this skill is triggered — by the user, by Claude, or both
Slash command
/cybersecurity-skills:configuring-microsegmentation-for-zero-trustThe summary Claude sees in its skill listing — used to decide when to auto-load this skill
- Understanding of zero trust principles (NIST SP 800-207)
Microsegmentation divides a network into granular security zones, enforcing least-privilege access between workloads at the application layer rather than relying on traditional VLAN-based segmentation. In a zero trust architecture, microsegmentation eliminates implicit trust between workloads within the same network segment, preventing lateral movement even after an attacker gains initial access.
This skill covers designing microsegmentation policies using workload identity, implementing host-based and network-based enforcement, and validating segmentation effectiveness with tools like Illumio Core and VMware NSX.
Traditional Segmentation Microsegmentation
┌─────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────────┐
│ VLAN 10 │ │ Workload A ←policy→ │
│ ┌───┐ ┌───┐ │ │ Workload B ←policy→ │
│ │ A │ │ B │ │ │ Workload C ←policy→ │
│ └───┘ └───┘ │ │ Workload D ←policy→ │
│ (trust each │ │ (zero trust between │
│ other) │ │ every pair) │
└─────────────────┘ └──────────────────────┘
Before creating segmentation policies, discover actual communication flows between workloads using traffic telemetry. Tools like Illumio, Guardicore, and AppDynamics provide application dependency maps showing which workloads communicate, over which ports, and how frequently.
Draft policies in monitor/visibility mode before enforcement. This allows validation that proposed rules will not break legitimate traffic while identifying unnecessary or risky communication paths.
Modern microsegmentation uses labels (role, application, environment, location) instead of IP-based rules. Label-based policies are portable across environments and survive IP changes during migrations.
Isolate critical applications (PCI cardholder data environment, SWIFT financial systems, healthcare PHI) with strict allow-list policies that deny all traffic not explicitly permitted.
Deploy Visibility Agents
Build Application Dependency Map
Assign Labels
Define Segmentation Zones
Create Allow-List Policies
Model Policies in Test Mode
Enforce Incrementally
Validate Segmentation
npx claudepluginhub mukul975/anthropic-cybersecurity-skills --plugin cybersecurity-skillsDesigns and implements microsegmentation policies using NSX, Illumio, or Calico to enforce least-privilege workload access and prevent lateral movement in zero trust architectures.
Design microsegmentation policies for zero trust using NSX, Illumio, or Calico to block lateral movement between workloads.
Configure microsegmentation policies using VMware NSX, Illumio, Calico for zero trust architectures to enforce least-privilege workload access and prevent lateral movement.