This disclosure describes techniques that include assessing trust in a computer network. In one example, this disclosure describes a method that includes determining a level of trust that a first network entity has for a second network entity; determining a level of trust that the second network entity has for a third network entity; determining that the first network entity is separated from the third network entity by the second network entity; determining, based on the level of trust that the first network entity has for the second network entity and further based on the level of trust that the second network entity has for the third network entity, a level of trust that the first network entity has for the third network entity; and enabling, based on the level of trust that the first network entity has for the third network entity, the first network entity to perform an operation with the third network entity.