Identity Management Day 2025

• Apr 9, 2025
• 10-minute read

Introduction: A Day to Reflect on Identity

Every second Tuesday in April, the cybersecurity community takes a moment to recognise Identity Management Day, a reminder that safeguarding our digital selves is more than just a best practice; it’s a critical necessity. In today’s rapidly evolving threat landscape, identity is an ever-increasing target and successful cyberattacks increasingly start from stolen/phished credentials. Combined with permissions, identity is the very fabric of how we define “who does what” within an organisation.

But identity management isn’t just about protecting logins and passwords. It’s about understanding the entire lifecycle of an identity, human or machine and ensuring it’s properly authorised, audited, and managed. This blog post dives deep into the core concepts, best practices, and real-world implications of identity-first security.

1. Identity as the New Perimeter

Traditionally, cybersecurity revolved around securing the network perimeter: firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and endpoint protection. However, with the rise of remote work, cloud services, and an increasingly dispersed workforce, the lines of the traditional network have blurred. Attackers are no longer focusing on breaching “the edge” because the “edge” is everywhere.

Instead, cybercriminals realise that a single compromised identity; someone’s username and password, or even an API key for a service account can potentially unlock the entire network from within. This shift from network-centric to identity-centric security underscores why strong identity management is crucial. If identity is the new perimeter, then managing those identities effectively becomes the frontline defence.

2. Defining “Corporate Digital Identity”

When we talk about “corporate digital identity,” we generally refer to all the user and service accounts, privileges, and attributes that belong to or exist under an organisation’s umbrella. This includes:

• Human Identities: Employees, contractors, partners—any individual who logs into organisational systems.
• Non-Human Identities: Machines, bots, API keys, and other service accounts that also require authentication and authorisation. In many organisations, these non-human identities now exceed the number of actual user accounts.

A core challenge is that each of these identities could be a potential point of attack if not managed properly. Think of your own organisation: How many service accounts are quietly running in the background for automated tasks? How many employees have standing access to systems they haven’t used in months? Identity management, in essence, is the discipline that ensures each identity is recognised, properly provisioned, regularly reviewed, and securely de-provisioned when no longer needed.

3. The Rising Importance of Non-Human Identities

According to various industry reports, the majority of identity-based attacks (or at least a growing proportion) now target non-human identities. Why? Because these identities often have elevated privileges, remain active 24/7, and are rarely monitored with the same scrutiny as human user accounts.

For example, a DevOps pipeline might include an automation account with permissions to deploy resources across hundreds of cloud servers. If an attacker gains access to that account, they can effectively bypass many of the typical “human-centric” security checks. Robust privileged access management (PAM) and secrets management solutions are expanding to meet this new challenge, but organisations must first recognise that non-human identities demand the same (if not more) attention as human accounts.

4. What Does Identity Management Mean to You?

When I asked around a few teammates, “What does Identity Management mean to you?” the responses were similar:

“It’s the processes, procedures, and tools to create, maintain, and protect the accounts used by people — and also by machines.”

“It’s about managing anything that relates to an identity, from roles and permissions to passwords and MFA.”

What we can take away from this is the following themes:

1. Lifecycle Management: Creating, maintaining, and removing user accounts (human or non-human) throughout their lifecycle in the organization.

2. Roles, Permissions, and Access Control: Defining the scope of what each identity can do, whether it’s controlling file access, admin privileges, or APIs.

3. Security Controls: Applying protections like strong passwords, multifactor authentication (MFA), or passwordless solutions.

4. Audit & Compliance: Keeping track of who did what, when, and ensuring the organization meets relevant regulatory or industry standards.

A well-rounded identity management framework recognises that there’s no universal blueprint for every business. Instead, each organisation must tailor its approach based on its specific risk profile, industry regulations, and business priorities.

5. Core Components and Best Practices

Identity management is a multi-faceted discipline. The following core components often appear at the top of any identity security priority list:

1. Single Sign-On (SSO)

   SSO streamlines user access across multiple applications, reducing password fatigue and minimizing the attack surfaces caused by various logins. By authenticating once, users gain secure access to all approved applications.

2. Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

   MFA adds a crucial second layer of security. Even if an attacker steals or cracks a password, they cannot access an account without the second factor (e.g., a text message code, hardware token, or biometric scan). With password spraying and phishing attacks on the rise, MFA is one of the most cost-effective and high-impact measures you can deploy.

3. User Provisioning

   Automating the creation, updating, and removal of user accounts ensures that employees get the right access upon hire—and that you swiftly revoke it when they leave. Tools like HR-driven provisioning or identity governance solutions can drastically cut down on orphaned accounts and reduce insider threats.

4. Access Control & Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

   RBAC assigns permissions based on predefined roles (e.g., “HR Manager,” “Sales Rep,” “Finance Admin”), making it simpler to enforce the principle of least privilege. By granting only the minimal rights needed to perform a job, organisations limit the damage that can be done by a compromised account.

5. Password Management

   Poor password hygiene remains a top security weakness. Implementing solutions like enterprise password managers, encouraging passphrase policies, or going passwordless are all ways to reduce the inherent risks of static passwords.

6. Audit & Compliance

   Regularly reviewing user logs, permissions, and access histories helps you identify suspicious activities and maintain compliance with regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS). Automated tools and dashboards can help surface anomalies quickly.

7. Zero Trust Architecture

   Zero Trust principles mandate continuous verification of identities and strict segmentation of resources. Instead of assuming that someone inside the network is “trusted,” Zero Trust treats every identity and request as potentially hostile until proven otherwise. Solutions like conditional access policies in Entra ID exemplify how to implement Zero Trust for identity.

6. Ranking Identity Controls: There Is No One-Size-Fits-All

A common exercise is to rank core identity management components like SSO, MFA, user provisioning, access control, password management, audit & compliance and RBAC. Interestingly, different professionals will prioritize these differently. One organisation might put MFA above all else if it’s dealing with repeated phishing attacks, while another might focus on audit & compliance if it’s under strict regulatory requirements.

The reality is: all these elements play a role in a robust identity management strategy. The exact order of priority will depend on your threat model, regulatory environment and business needs. The key is not to neglect any single pillar. Instead, aim for a layered approach that collectively raises the bar for attackers.

7. Current Trends: Passwordless, Entra ID, and More

• Passwordless

  Passwordless authentication methods—like Windows Hello or FIDO2 security keys—are becoming more mainstream, offering a significantly more secure and user-friendly alternative to traditional passwords. While passwords are still deeply ingrained in many systems, the shift to passwordless is accelerating.

• Entra ID

  Microsoft’s Entra ID is one of the leading identity platforms for cloud-based directory and access management. Beyond simple user provisioning, it offers advanced capabilities like conditional access policies, identity protection scoring, and integration with third-party applications. It’s a cornerstone for many organizations adopting Zero Trust principles.

• Zero Trust Everywhere

  Organisations are looking to implement Zero Trust principles not just at the network layer, but at the identity layer as well. This means continually verifying every user, device, and service account, and granting “just-in-time” privileges that expire when no longer needed.

• Automated Identity Governance

  With the explosion in the number of identities, manual processes can’t keep up. New tools focus on automated identity governance, using machine learning to detect anomalous access patterns and automatically revoke unnecessary privileges.

8. Steps for Implementing Identity-First Security

1. Evaluate Your Current State

   Conduct an identity risk assessment. Identify all existing (and potential) identities—human and non-human. Determine whether you have clear, documented processes for provisioning, de-provisioning, password policies, and privilege escalation.

2. Prioritize Quick Wins

   • Enable MFA for all critical accounts (administrator, finance, privileged roles).

   • Implement a password rotation policy or move toward a passwordless pilot.

   • Set up SSO for core applications to reduce password sprawl.

3. Plan for the Long Haul

   • Adopt (or refine) a Zero Trust approach.

   • Invest in identity governance tools that automate reviews, approvals, and logging.

   • Segment your network and resources so that each identity’s reach is limited.

4. Include Non-Human Identities

   • Inventory all service accounts, API keys, and machine identities.

   • Rotate secrets frequently or adopt solutions like managed identities and secure key vaults.

   • Monitor usage patterns and enforce the principle of least privilege.

5. Ongoing Monitoring and Auditing

   • Implement continuous monitoring solutions that detect unusual login attempts, access patterns, or privilege escalations.

   • Conduct periodic access reviews to remove stale roles and permissions.

   • Maintain detailed logs that help with forensic investigations in case of breaches.

6. Training and Culture

   • Engage employees with regular security training, emphasizing the importance of strong passwords (if still in use) and the dangers of phishing.

   • Encourage a security-first mindset. Employees should feel empowered to speak up about potential identity risks or suspicious activity.

9. Personal Identity vs. Corporate Identity

While this blog focuses on enterprise-level identity management, it’s worth noting that our personal digital identities are at risk, too. Identity Management Day also extends awareness to individual users. Encourage your employees (and yourself) to use secure methods like MFA on personal email accounts, social media, and banking. By helping your workforce stay cyber-aware in their personal lives, you also reduce the likelihood that they bring compromised credentials or unsafe habits into the workplace.

10. Looking Ahead: The Future of Identity Management

Identity management will only become more complex as organisations adopt emerging technologies like IoT, AI-driven bots, and cloud-native microservices. Here are a few trends likely to shape the next few years:

1. Decentralized Identity: Systems like blockchain-based identity could allow users to own and control their credentials, rather than relying solely on corporate or government-issued identifiers.

2. Contextual and Adaptive Access: Beyond static rules, adaptive policies will grant access based on contexts like device health, user behaviour patterns, and real-time risk scoring.

3. Biometrics and Beyond: As passwordless grows, biometric authentication (fingerprints, facial recognition) will become more common, but it also brings new privacy and security challenges.

4. Greater Regulatory Oversight: As data breaches continue to rise, expect more stringent identity and access management requirements from government and industry bodies.

Conclusion: Embrace Identity-First Security

Identity Management Day is more than a date on the calendar; it’s a call to action. By prioritising robust identity practices, from basic MFA to advanced Zero Trust architectures, organisations can significantly reduce their risk of breaches and insider threats. Ultimately, it’s about knowing “who has access to what,” managing that access responsibly and staying vigilant against an ever-changing threat landscape.

In a world where identity truly is the new perimeter, the question isn’t if you should adopt strong identity management it’s how quickly you can. Whether it’s human or non-human accounts, make sure every identity is accounted for, every password (or passwordless credential) is secured, and every privilege is earned and temporary.

Next Steps

• Reflect on the maturity of your current identity management framework.

• Pinpoint where your organization could improve (MFA, SSO, RBAC, or beyond).

• Commit to building an identity-centric security culture that adapts to evolving threats.

Embrace identity management as the cornerstone of your security strategy because in the end, it’s not just about what you protect; it’s about who.

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