Unmanaged identities pose significant risks to your organization's security, compliance, and business operations. So, what's the best way to continuously uncover and secure them?
Unmanaged identities are those that are not tracked, governed, or protected by identity management systems in any way. This can happen unintentionally or can occur when gaps in your normal identity or security processes leave an identity stranded.
Unmanaged identities can be both human and non-human identities (NHIs). Here are the major identity types, as well as warnings on how leaving them unmanaged can present non-negotiable risks for your organization. Included are additional blog reading on each type if you’re interested:
This last category of machine and AI identities is gaining a lot of attention as organizations build out and deploy their AI systems and need to actively secure these elements.
Agentic agents are part of an AI system capable of making decisions, interacting with other agents, and completing tasks independently.
The ease of deploying and scaling AI agents has led to rapid proliferation, outpacing traditional management and oversight capabilities.
The risks are manifold and can be broken down into three broad categories:
Security risks:
Unmanaged identities significantly expand the attack surface, providing more entry points for attackers. They are prime targets for credential theft, which can lead to lateral movement within an organization's network. Forgotten or over-permissioned accounts can facilitate privilege escalation, allowing attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data. Real-world breaches have been linked to unmanaged identities, underscoring the critical need for effective identity management.
Compliance and regulatory risks:
Organizations are required to meet various compliance standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX. Unmanaged identities can lead to failures in meeting these requirements, resulting in audit challenges due to incomplete identity inventories. The potential for fines and reputational damage is significant if unmanaged identities lead to data breaches or non-compliance.
Operational risks:
Inefficient access management due to unmanaged identities increases IT overhead and complexity. Unauthorized access or accidental deletions can disrupt business operations, leading to breaches, financial losses, and diminished customer trust.
Several factors contribute to the difficulty in controlling unmanaged identities:
Organizational members, from the C-suite to IT, security, and identities teams on down, should be aware that a good percentage of their identities in their environment are unknown and therefore unmanaged. But modern forward-leaning identity solutions are helping to give visibility and control back. Here are some best practices to keep in mind:
Modern identity security solutions such as Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM), Privileged Access Management (PAM), and Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) play a crucial role in uncovering and remediating unmanaged identities. These tools provide organizations with the ability to reduce risk, improve compliance, and enhance operational efficiency by offering visibility and control over all identities.
Unmanaged identities present a clear danger to organizations. They increase the risk of security breaches, compliance failures, and operational disruptions. It is imperative for organizations to prioritize identity discovery and management as a core security practice.
In the age of digital transformation, visibility and control over all identities are non-negotiable. By implementing robust identity management practices and leveraging modern security solutions, organizations can safeguard their digital assets and ensure business continuity. Reach out to Delinea to discuss how we can help de-risk your identity sprawl and rein in your identities.