A Zero-Trust Framework for Continuous Authentication of BYOD

Authors

Michael Mathebula, North-West University, South Africa

Marijke Coetzee, North-West University, South Africa

Published in

IST-Africa 2026 Conference Proceedings

ISSN: 2576-8581

ISBN: 978-1-905824-76-2

DOI: https://doi.org/10.67725/IST-Africa.2026.CYKK9161

Publisher

IST-Africa Institute and IIMC International Information Management Corporation Ltd

Published in Ireland

Abstract

The increase in cyber-attacks raises concern regarding the safety and privacy of devices and networks. Some universities currently rely on traditional perimeter models with little emphasis on protecting networks from the user's end, creating a vulnerability that can have detrimental consequences if exploited. The growing adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) devices necessitates improved security measures. The study proposes implementing a framework that simulates device telemetry and utilises a Spring Boot engine for continuous authentication, along with an artefact to authenticate and continuously monitor devices within a network. Following a positivist paradigm and Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, the artefact underwent iterative refinement during its development. The resulting system successfully distinguished healthy from compromised devices using telemetry. Quarantining devices with a trust score below 70% demonstrate a proactive approach to identifying potentially risky devices, supported by a trust score calculation that enhances security.

Keywords

Zero Trust Model, Continuous authentication, Internet of Things, Trust Scores, Spring Boot

Cite this paper

M. Mathebula and M. Coetzee (2026) "A Zero-Trust Framework for Continuous Authentication of BYOD", IST-Africa 2026 Conference Proceedings, Miriam Cunningham and Paul Cunningham (Eds), IST-Africa Institute and IIMC, 2026, ISSN: 2576-8581, ISBN: 978-1-905824-76-2, https://doi.org/10.67725/IST-Africa.2026.CYKK9161

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