Ecological security (ES) is a crucial indicator for assessing the sustainable development of a region. Currently, most studies on ES primarily focus on process analysis, and the integration of environmental variability into the development of tailored control strategies for regions with varying ecological quality is overlooked. Therefore, in this study, we identified regional ES change processes, employed an optimized system to calculate the ecological security index (ESI), and identified ecological corridors (ECs) through the Minimum Constrained Resource (MCR) model to determine zoning strategies for typical arid regions, using the Ningxia region in the Yellow River Basin of China as an example. The findings showed that (1) from 2006 to 2020, the ESI values of most regions were between 0.2 and 0.4, with small but consistent increases in the ESI values over the years. (2) The proportion of regions with high ES ratings increased by 9.08 % across all districts and counties, and the center of gravity of ES shifted in a north–south and east–west direction. (3) The ESI exhibited a strong positive spatial correlation, characterized by spatial diffusion and spillover effects in most regions. (4) The ECs were predominantly distributed in a north–south direction, involving a total of 20 districts and counties. Based on the principles of sustainable development, we developed a model for the dynamic identification and zoning control of regional ES, aiming to provide a practical framework for effective ecological restoration and protection measures. Additionally, the strategies and methodologies presented in this study serve as important references for similar regions worldwide to facilitate the zoning control of ES, highlighting the broader significance and applicability of the study. Display omitted •It developed a point-to-surface ecological security change model to track and analyze the evolution of ecological security.•It identified ecological corridors and their orientations to provide channels for biological exchanges.•It explored the relationship between geographic location and ecological security to reveal potential regional correlations.•It proposed an ecological zoning control (EZC) strategy for the phenomenon of inconsistent regional ecological levels.•It provided feasible methods and effective basis for the sustainable development and greening process of the region.