Latest news with #IAM


Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Agentic AI: The Next Leap In Container-Based Threat Detection
Ranga Premsai - Technical fellow in Cybersecurity and identity management. As organizations race to adopt AI-powered applications, the cybersecurity threat landscape is evolving just as rapidly. At the intersection of innovation and risk lies a growing challenge: How do we secure containerized AI workloads that operate with dynamic access privileges and autonomy? Agentic AI systems capable of independent decision-making have emerged not only as a computational advancement, but also as a critical force multiplier in modern cybersecurity. By leveraging agentic AI for container-based threat detection, organizations can move from reactive security to proactive defense, especially within the realm of identity and access management (IAM). As a technical fellow focused on cybersecurity at Bellevue University, this is something I've been involved in for quite some time now, and I'd like to share my insights on the future of agentic AI with you in this article. In today's cloud-native environments, containerization accelerates deployment but complicates security. Each container may spin up with its own permissions, APIs and ephemeral lifespans, creating a perfect storm for lateral movement and privilege escalation attacks if not managed properly. Traditional IAM approaches involving static rules, manual approvals and periodic reviews are no longer sufficient. We need intelligent, real-time systems that adapt as containers launch, communicate and terminate. Unlike traditional AI models trained to recognize patterns within constrained datasets, agentic AI introduces the notion of context-aware autonomy. These agents operate within defined parameters but can make real-time decisions based on behavioral analysis, risk signals and continuous policy evaluation. Imagine a container running a machine learning job suddenly initiating outbound API calls to services outside its scope. An agentic AI engine can detect this behavior, cross-reference it with learned norms and automatically isolate the container—all without human intervention. Integrating agentic AI into a container security model enhances IAM at three critical layers: 1. Behavioral Access Intelligence: Agentic AI models learn normal patterns of access across containers, users and services. Deviations such as privilege creep or suspicious privilege elevation trigger adaptive response actions. 2. Autonomous Policy Enforcement: Instead of relying on static rules, agentic AI refines policies dynamically. For example, if a container suddenly accesses identity stores or credential vaults, the system can quarantine access and prompt step-up authentication. 3. Audit and Explainability: One often overlooked benefit of agentic systems is their ability to explain decisions. This is essential for IAM teams navigating compliance, audit trails and zero-trust initiatives. For security leaders, this isn't just about adopting another AI capability; it's about rethinking access governance in AI-native ecosystems. Agentic AI doesn't replace IAM teams; it empowers them with visibility, agility and control. However, implementation requires careful consideration. During my time in the industry, I've learned that guardrails must be clearly defined to avoid decision-making drift. Governance structures should include review cycles, simulation environments and risk tolerance thresholds. When done right, agentic AI acts not as a rogue decision-maker, but as a trusted security co-pilot. In a world where digital identities are increasingly interwoven with AI operations, agentic AI offers a path forward: secure, autonomous and intelligent IAM that can scale with innovation, agility and resilience. As enterprise infrastructures become more dynamic and AI systems gain greater autonomy, the need for adaptive security frameworks becomes not just important, but essential. Agentic AI can enable us to move beyond static controls and embrace a responsive, risk-aware model of identity governance. As someone deeply engaged in cybersecurity leadership and AI strategy, I believe this approach will define the next generation of intelligent, context-aware access governance will serve as a foundation for trust in tomorrow's cloud-native and AI-driven digital ecosystems. Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?


Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Strata Identity Launches ‘The Identity Heroes' to Spotlight Real-World IAM Journeys
BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Strata Identity, the Identity Orchestration company, today announced the launch of The Identity Heroes, a new video podcast (videocast) series that gives a voice to the people behind some of today's most challenging and impactful identity and access management (IAM) projects. Featuring candid, informal conversations, each episode of The Identity Heroes explores real-world stories, technical lessons, and personal reflections with CISOs, architects, and identity experts. Each 40-minute episode features a relaxed, unscripted conversation focused on each Identity Heroes' professional journey, career-defining projects, challenges and learnings, and their perspective on the road ahead. Share Hosted by Strata's identity experts—including Field CTO Aldo Pietropaolo, VP of Product and Standards Gerry Gebel, and Senior Director of Product Marketing Mark Callahan— The Identity Heroes delves into real-world experiences of some of the industry's leading practitioners and pioneers. The series aims to educate and inspire IAM professionals with actionable insights and perspectives on topics such as modernization, Zero Trust, policy, and resilience. 'No one goes to school for identity, which is why we created The Identity Heroes —to celebrate the real people solving tough problems behind the scenes,' said Aldo Pietropaolo, Field CTO of Strata Identity. 'This videocast isn't about promoting products—it's about surfacing the lessons, breakthroughs, and moments of truth that can help others in the IAM community grow their careers and navigate complex challenges.' Each 40-minute episode features a relaxed, unscripted conversation focused on each Identity Heroes' professional journey, career-defining projects, challenges and learnings, and their perspective on the road ahead. The first three episodes of Identity Heroes featuring Eve Maler, President and Founder of Venn Factory, Sebastian Rohr, CTO of GmbH and Sulohita Vaddadi, CISO of GE Corporate, are now live and available on YouTube, Spotify, and the Strata Identity website, with new episodes released every month. Watch now: About Strata Identity Strata Identity enables organizations to modernize identity providers without disrupting existing infrastructure while maintaining a frictionless user experience. By decoupling identity from applications, Strata's Maverics platform unifies SSO, supports multiple IDPs simultaneously, and ensures continuous access during outages via IDP failover. Led by CEO Eric Olden—co-author of the SAML standard— Strata also created the Identity Query Language (IDQL) and open-source Hexa project to help standardize multi-cloud identity management. Learn more at and follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube.


Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
IAM Maturity Lagging Across Most Organizations, GuidePoint Security Finds
HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new report released today by GuidePoint Security, in partnership with the Ponemon Institute, found that most organizations are falling short in their Identity and Access Management (IAM) strategy—leaving them vulnerable to identity-based threats. These findings should serve as a call to action—identity is a primary attack vector and needs to be prioritized. Although 75% of cyberattacks leveraged identity-based threats last year, GuidePoint Security's State of Identity and Access Management (IAM) Maturity Report has unveiled that IAM remains under-prioritized compared to other IT security investments, with most organizations still in the early to mid-stages of IAM maturity. Only half of respondents rate their IAM tools as effective, and even fewer (44%) express high confidence in their ability to prevent identity-based incidents. 'These findings should serve as a call to action—identity is a primary attack vector and needs to be prioritized,' said Kevin Converse, Vice President, Identity and Access Management at GuidePoint Security. 'Many organizations still rely on manual processes and outdated approaches, limiting their ability to manage risk. Achieving IAM maturity means understanding that IAM is more than just an IT function—it's a cornerstone of a robust and proactive security strategy.' The report also highlights significant gaps in IAM technology, expertise and resources—factors that are stalling programmatic maturity and making it more difficult for organizations to secure identities across today's complex environments. Key findings from The State of Identity and Access Management (IAM) Maturity Report include: IAM is underfunded and underdeveloped. Only 50% of respondents believe their IAM tools and investments are effective. Investments in IAM trail behind other security priorities. Manual processes and expertise gaps are barriers to maturity. A lack of appropriate technologies (54%), in-house expertise (52%) and resources (45%) are cited as top challenges to achieving IAM maturity. Many organizations still rely on spreadsheets, scripts and other manual efforts. IAM maturity is a path to enhanced security. A small group (23%) of organizations that have invested in automation and advanced IAM technologies report fewer security incidents and stronger identity controls. They lead in adopting biometric authentication, identity threat detection and integrated governance platforms. IAM implementation is misaligned with security goals. Surprisingly, 45% of respondents say the primary driver for IAM investments is to improve user experience—not security. There is a disconnect in program perception and reality. While most organizations report having policies in place or in development (83%), only 28% have these policies integrated into their IAM platforms. 'IAM touches every application, user and device across the network,' Converse added. 'By treating it as a strategic priority—and investing accordingly—organizations can confidently embrace emerging technologies like AI, minimize risk and accelerate business growth.' The State of Identity and Access Management Maturity Report is based on responses from a comprehensive survey of 625 U.S.-based IT and IT security professionals involved in their organizations' identity and access management program. For more information: About GuidePoint Security GuidePoint Security provides trusted cybersecurity expertise, solutions, and services that help organizations make better decisions that minimize risk. Our experts act as your trusted advisor to understand your business and challenges, helping you through an evaluation of your cybersecurity posture and ecosystem to expose risks, optimize resources and implement best-fit solutions. GuidePoint's unmatched expertise has enabled 40% of Fortune 500 companies and more than half of the U.S. government cabinet-level agencies to improve their security posture and reduce risk. Learn more at

Straits Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Actress Joe Chen goes for surgery soon after appendicitis diagnosis
Taiwanese actress Joe Chen went for a surgery in Malaysia after she was diagnosed with appendicitis. PHOTO: IAM_JOECHEN/INSTAGRAM Actress Joe Chen goes for surgery soon after appendicitis diagnosis Taiwanese actress Joe Chen was thinking about her work even when she was unwell. The 46-year-old disclosed on Instagram Stories on May 28 that she had been suffering from diarrhoea and stomachache in the previous few days and was diagnosed with appendicitis after a health screening. Chen, who is married to Malaysian artist Alan Chen, decided to go for an operation on the same day she learnt about her condition, so that her upcoming work commitments will not be affected. 'The doctor told me not to worry, as it was only a minimally invasive surgery,' she wrote in Chinese on Instagram Stories. Joe Chen said she stayed in the hospital for only one night after the operation and was recovering well. The actress, who is known for starring in Taiwanese idol dramas such as The Prince Who Turns Into A Frog (2005) and Fated To Love You (2008), tagged Johor Bahru's Kempas Medical Centre in her post. 'Thank you to the doctors and nurses for their care, and thank you for preparing a fruit basket for me,' she wrote. 'I can be discharged from the hospital today, and the doctor said that I can eat whatever I want to eat.' The actress also shared a hilarious text conversation between her and her mother. Sharing a photo of her appendix after the surgery, Chen explained to her mother that the minimally invasive surgery, also known as keyhole surgery, was done with three small incisions in her abdomen. Her mother replied that the actress' appendix looked like chicken and duck intestines. Chen was in Singapore last week to attend American singer Lady Gaga's concert at the National Stadium. She shared on Instagram on May 20 videos and photos of herself at the event, including one of her pretending to be a monster, in reference to 'Little Monsters', as Lady Gaga's fans are affectionately called. Chen was also recently featured in the June issue of the Chinese edition of the Harper's Bazaar magazine. She previously disclosed on social media in January 2023 that she suffered from sleep apnoea and went for an operation to fix her condition. Her agency has so far not said if it will make any changes to her post-operation work schedule . Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.


Techday NZ
4 days ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
Radiant Logic launches AI tool for identity visibility
Radiant Logic has launched the full suite of its Identity Observability feature for the RadiantOne platform, offering real-time monitoring and risk management capabilities for identity and access management ecosystems. The latest release from Radiant Logic aims to provide organisations with enhanced visibility into their identity management systems and processes, which can help identify, prioritise, and address security risks before they are exploited. The RadiantOne platform now incorporates features such as continuous real-time discovery and observability across identity systems, a unified graph-based model of identity data from sources including Active Directory, LDAP, on-premise applications, Entra Identity, and SaaS platforms, and dynamic risk scoring using heuristics and pattern recognition. The platform also includes an AI Data Assistant (AIDA) that analyses intricate identity relationships, recommends corrective measures, and facilitates collaboration between line managers and resource owners to resolve identity issues. Additional features include dashboards that provide real-time monitoring of identity hygiene, comprehensive reporting, and maturity assessments designed to support policy enforcement and compliance requirements. According to Radiant Logic, the platform is designed to fit into existing enterprise environments as a SaaS or self-managed solution, supporting security initiatives such as Identity and Access Management (IAM), Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), and Zero Trust models. Dr. John Pritchard, Chief Executive Officer at Radiant Logic, commented on the release, "Identity sprawl, hybrid complexity and unmanaged access create blind spots that leave organisations vulnerable to cyber threats. With the RadiantOne platform, we're illuminating every human and non-human identity across the environment—giving security and IAM teams complete visibility into who has access to what, whether it's legitimate and how to mitigate risks, before attackers find the gaps." The platform's enhancements are aligned with guidance from research and advisory firms' recommendations, such as those from Gartner. In its 2025 Guidance for Comprehensive IAM Architecture Strategy, Gartner recommends that organisations "Invest in a centralised identity and access data platform that integrates discovery tools across all IAM layers to aggregate, correlate and reconcile identity and access data. Implement emerging artificial intelligence (AI)-driven identity and access intelligence solutions to enhance observability and automation to quickly remedy vulnerabilities or facilitate a response to identity threats." Industry stakeholders outside Radiant Logic have also commented on the significance of providing robust visibility across identity data. John Horn, Head of the Cybersecurity Practice at Datos Insights, said, "Security defences at many firms operate with incomplete views of identity data and risk across their organisation. A robust identity fabric, centred upon rich, AI-enabled identity visibility for every aspect of the business, is the new operational foundation." "Radiant Logic's Identity Observability is an exciting capability that enables enterprise-wide views of identity data and risk, combined with automated resolutions to many common security problems. As we enter the age of Agentic AI and greater cyber risk, powerful identity observability and remediation will become central capabilities for the business." Early adopters of RadiantOne's new features have reported benefits in managing identity vulnerabilities and improving oversight. A Head of IAM in the insurance sector stated, "It's truly one of the few solutions that delivers so many valuable features right out of the box. This product's real-time data visibility and intuitive interface make it an outstanding tool for monitoring identity vulnerabilities and quickly understanding the health of our company's access management." A Head of Cybersecurity in the transportation industry shared a similar sentiment, saying, "With real-time data visibility and centralised reporting, this tool makes monitoring identity and access management effortless huge improvement over our previous solutions." The RadiantOne platform's combination of real-time monitoring, unified visualisation, and AI-driven remediation is designed to support organisations in addressing the increasing complexities and threats related to identity and access management across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.