Towards Autonomous Threat Containment: A Multi-Layered Zero Trust Defense Architecture for SDN Environments

Abstract

Software-Defined Networking01 (SDN) has revolutionized network management by offering centralized control, programmability, and dynamic scalability. However, the same features that enable operational efficiency also introduce systemic vulnerabilities, making SDN environments prime targets for advanced cyber threats. Traditional perimeter-based defense mechanisms have proven insufficient in handling the adaptive nature of attacks in modern, distributed infrastructures. Zero Trust Security (ZTS) has emerged as a transformative paradigm, enforcing continuous verification, least-privilege access, and dynamic policy enforcement. This paper proposes a multi-layered Zero Trust defense architecture for SDN environments with a specific focus on autonomous threat containment. The architecture integrates dynamic trust evaluation, behavioral analytics, AI-driven anomaly detection, and automated policy orchestration to proactively detect and isolate malicious entities before significant damage occurs. By leveraging the programmability of SDN controllers and distributed policy enforcement mechanisms, the proposed framework emphasizes defense-in-depth while minimizing operational disruptions. The paper explores technical design, scalability considerations, and implementation challenges while outlining future research directions in achieving fully autonomous, resilient, and adaptive security for SDN ecosystems.