A global enterprise sunsets a massive software implementation. The project spanned years, involved multiple teams, and cost millions.  

But the software never got deployed. It sat idle.

That’s shelfware, and in cybersecurity, it’s a dangerous liability.

Over the last few years, I’ve seen how fatigue around software deployments is growing. Not because the tools aren’t needed, but because the outcomes are missing. Security teams buy technology for their Zero Trust strategy but never get it off the ground.

Purchasing Zero Trust tools isn’t enough. They must get implemented quickly and correctly. Otherwise, they’re just sitting around letting your network collect trust.

Shelfware is about follow-through

When you buy a Cisco 2900-series switch, you rack it, wire it, and it works. There’s a clear-cut process for getting hardware implemented, and you see value immediately.

Software isn’t as straightforward.

The software itself may not be the problem. It’s the rollout. Without clear boundaries and project ownership from the start, security teams are left scrambling to answer basic but critical questions:

• Who owns the rollout?
• Is there a project plan?
• Who’s accountable?

Too often, the answers are murky. Implementation gets delayed until it’s forgotten.

The result is that organizations lose out on better security while paying for tools that never deliver.

Zero Trust can’t live on the shelf

In today’s threat landscape, Zero Trust is non-negotiable. But if your Zero Trust strategy lives in a slide deck or a shelfware SKU, you’re just adding to your security risk.

Zero Trust needs visibility, continuous verification, segmentation, and breach containment. That requires tools that are actually deployed, tested, and used.

It also requires alignment between vendors, partners, and customers. Everyone must commit to delivering outcomes.

That’s why the conversation must shift from what we buy to how we implement.

How to make sure Zero Trust tools get implemented

John Kindervag, the creator of Zero Trust, outlined five steps that help organizations cut through complexity and operationalize Zero Trust in the real world.  

Applied to the shelfware problem, they serve as a playbook for moving from purchase to protection:

1. Define your protect surface. Start by identifying the most critical data, applications, assets, and services you need to protect. This keeps your Zero Trust rollout focused and achievable. ‍
2. Map the transaction flows. Understand how traffic moves across your environment. This visibility helps you design policies that support, rather than disrupt, legitimate business processes. ‍
3. Build a Zero Trust architecture. With the right data in hand, design your Zero Trust environment. This is where tools you’ve purchased need to be deployed with clear objectives tied back to the protect surface. ‍
4. Create Zero Trust policies. Translate your architecture into enforceable policies. This ensures your investments actually do the job of reducing trust, limiting lateral movement, and containing breaches. ‍
5. Monitor and maintain. Your Zero Trust strategy isn’t a one-time deployment. Regularly review telemetry, validate policies, and adjust as your environment evolves. This ensures your tools stay active, useful, and never drift into shelfware.

By following these steps, organizations give themselves a repeatable process to ensure Zero Trust is a living, breathing practice embedded in daily operations.

The call to cybersecurity leaders

Shelfware is as much a waste of budget as it is a breach waiting to happen.

If the tools you rely on for Zero Trust aren’t fully deployed, you’re exposed, over-purchased, and under-protected. You’ve invested in security you’re not actually getting.

It’s time for security leaders to ask tough questions:

• Are we buying tech we can actually implement?
• Are our vendors equipped to help us realize value?
• Are we favoring vendor consolidation over cybersecurity outcomes?
• Are we prioritizing speed to value in our Zero Trust journey?

Shelfware is the symptom, but implementation is the cure. And Zero Trust when done right is the roadmap for getting there.