UC Santa Barbara Wins Zero Trust Champion Award for Cybersecurity Innovation

On June 25, 2026, UC Santa Barbara was awarded the first-ever Zero Trust Champion Award at the Zscaler Public Sector Summit. This recognition is for their Secure UCSB initiative, which modernizes cybersecurity in higher education. The initiative demonstrates that a robust security model can support a thriving research ecosystem. The project was launched in response to a 2024 mandate from the UC Office of the President for comprehensive network segmentation and vulnerability management. The IT team implemented agentless device segmentation and zero trust application connectivity to protect over 125,000 connected devices across more than 400 buildings. This approach allows faculty, staff, and students to access necessary systems and data securely, regardless of their location. The award reflects UCSB's commitment to cybersecurity leadership within the educational sector.

Key Points: • UC Santa Barbara is the first university to receive the Zero Trust Champion Award. • The Secure UCSB initiative enhances cybersecurity while supporting research activities. • The project addresses the challenges of a BYOD environment with over 125,000 connected devices.