👉 Identity Security ≠ Traditional IGA
In today’s threat landscape, attackers don’t hack systems — they exploit identities.
So, if you’re serious about securing your organization, you must truly understand identity security. Sometimes identity security is referred to as Identity Governance and Administration (IGA); however, identity security is much more than that—it extends beyond basic governance by combining intelligence, context, and continuous protection.
Let’s understand the key pillars of identity security in less than 5 minutes (الأخيرة ستدهشك):
⏺️ 𝐃𝐲𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞:
Access is no longer static or “set and forget.” It dynamically adapts based on role, risk level, location, device posture, behavior, and employee status (Joiner, Mover, Leaver).
Example: A new employee (Joiner) automatically gets basic access on day one. When promoted (Mover), their access expands without manual tickets. Once they leave (Leaver), all access is revoked instantly.
⏺️ 𝐀𝐈-𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Modern identity environments are too complex to manage manually. AI-driven data intelligence automates the discovery, management, and control of user access, making access decisions faster, more accurate, and far more reliable. By turning existing identity data into actionable insights, AI helps identity teams, business managers, and application owners build an always-adapting access model—one that evolves with the organization while enforcing least privilege.
Example: Instead of manually defining roles and reviewing thousands of entitlements, AI analyzes user access patterns, groups similar users into peer roles, identifies anomalies, and flags over-privileged accounts. It can even auto-generate entitlement descriptions for access reviews and compliance, allowing security teams to focus on high-risk access, while employees and contractors receive the right access from Day 1—and lose it automatically when it’s no longer needed.
⏺️ 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞:
Security policies must be applied consistently across cloud, SaaS, on-prem, and hybrid environments — without relying on manual effort. Automated enforcement ensures policies are followed everywhere, all the time.
Example: A company enforces a policy that no user can have both request and approve access. The system blocks violations automatically, even across hundreds of applications.
⏺️ 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫):
Continuous risk assessment transforms identity security from a periodic control into a living, real-time defense mechanism. Instead of relying on static access reviews or annual recertification campaigns, access risk is evaluated continuously based on behavior, context, and changes across identities, devices, and applications. This enables risk-based access control, where access decisions dynamically adjust according to the current risk level—not just a user’s role.
example: An employee who normally accesses finance systems during business hours suddenly logs in from an unmanaged device or a high-risk location. Even though their access was approved during the last recertification, the risk score increases immediately. As a result, access can be restricted, require step-up authentication, or be temporarily revoked—before a breach occurs, not after.
From a governance perspective, continuous risk assessment also optimizes access recertification. Instead of forcing managers to review thousands of low-risk entitlements, reviews become risk-driven, highlighting only anomalous or high-risk access. This improves decision quality, reduces reviewer fatigue, strengthens compliance, and ensures that access always aligns with business need. In short, continuous risk assessment ensures identities remain secure every day, not just on audit day.
Reference:
Modern Identity Security For Dummies®, SailPoint Special Edition
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