In an extensive survey of cybersecurity leaders that Delinea just wrapped up (you can find the full report here or join the webinar on the topic on January 30), we uncovered several insightful take aways that we thought you’d be interested in. A few of the top nuggets are:
- 34% of respondents indicated that the biggest barrier to the necessary simplification of identity security architectures is the complexity of existing infrastructure
- 28% of organizations said detecting and managing nonhuman identities is a top concern for the coming year
- ~88% of surveyed cybersecurity leaders are contemplating vendor consolidation to simplify their identity strategy within the next year
[Aside - Secret Society members: Does your experience match up with the insights above, or is your organization facing different top challenges and demands? Please feel free to comment below and weigh in – Delinean’s and other Secret Society members would like to hear your points of view!]
In this day and age, it’s absolutely crucial for the elements of a cybersecurity and identity security architecture to be integrated and automated, to improve efficiency, reduce complexity, and reduce total cost of ownership. Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the context and considerations related to the survey and the results:
Context for the survey
Identity security has become a cornerstone of cybersecurity and operational efficiency. However, the growing cost and complexity of implementing identity tools and solutions is a challenge for organizations of all sizes. While substantial resources are being directed toward identity investments, the efficacy in reducing risk and maintaining visibility into account activity often remains questionable.
We just surveyed a group of cybersecurity leaders about their identity-related spending habits, pain points, and plans for the future, and below is a summary of what we uncovered – plus advice on how to navigate these challenges.
Pain Point 1: Complexity costs
Most identity infrastructures have evolved into a tangled web of technologies that many find costly and challenging to manage. As organizations embrace digital transformation, the proliferation of SaaS applications and cloud infrastructure necessitates a sophisticated approach to identity management. However, the results of our survey indicate a trend of overspending on isolated identity technologies that fail to integrate seamlessly. This lack of integration exacerbates the complexity.
The biggest stumbling block, as identified by 34% of survey respondents, is the complexity of existing infrastructure. This complexity is not just a byproduct of numerous technologies but also stems from a proliferation of security vendors and a myriad of identity-related definitions by analysts that can perplex even the most seasoned cybersecurity professionals. Unfortunately, this situation is often compounded by a shortage of skilled personnel and adequate technology, which are crucial for modernizing identity architectures.
Pain Point 2: Simplification roadblocks
Resistance from users and stakeholders, driven by the friction in login processes and convoluted architectures, was the second most significant obstacle highlighted. This resistance can derail efforts to streamline and optimize identity management. Additionally, the number of technologies and vendors makes it difficult for organizations to chart a clear path toward simplification.
The challenges are further magnified by the need to manage not only human identities but also nonhuman ones. The increasing reliance on machine-to-machine connections, APIs, and smart IoT connections adds layers of complexity that need careful handling. Detecting and managing these nonhuman identities is becoming a priority, with 28% of organizations considering it a top concern for the upcoming year.
A Common Goal: Consolidation and platformization
Despite the challenges above, there is a strong inclination among organizations to streamline their identity strategies by consolidating vendors. About 88% of surveyed cybersecurity leaders are contemplating vendor consolidation to simplify their identity strategy within the next year. This consolidation must be balanced with the need to enhance identity management capabilities to keep pace with the broader IT ecosystem's complexity.
Smart consolidation involves not merely reducing the number of vendors but choosing platforms that allow for broad interoperability and unified management. Such platforms should support a wide range of human users and roles, from employees to contractors and business partners, each requiring different access levels. This approach not only simplifies management but also ensures that key functionalities are not lost in the process.
Platformization offers a strategic solution, enabling organizations to leverage identity-as-a-service for effective management and support. It addresses resource and skill constraints for small to midsize companies while providing enterprises with the scalability, integration, and advanced capabilities needed to secure complex environments. A well-designed platform ensures adaptability to evolving threats and infrastructural changes without compromising identity security.
What’s next for Delinea customers?
Secret Society members and their teams already know that investing in identity security is crucial. The Delinea team knows you’ve heard from us a lot lately about the Delinea platform and the benefits of platformization. The results of this survey are interesting because they articulate the needs and benefits of consolidation and platformization from a different, more generalized point of view – and one that’s being articulated by many of your peers and colleagues in the Identity Security space.
If you’d like to learn more, please join us on January 30 as Phil Redfern - Director of Security Engineering at the University of Nebraska System, joins Delinea experts Joseph Carson and Frank Vukovits to further unpack the results and insights from the survey. In the meantime, if you’d like to read more, you can download the new report here. Also – as requested above, please do share your impressions and personal experiences with the Secret Society community, below! We’ll all look forward to hearing from you.