Identity security is more important than ever – here’s why

Identity security concept image showing a fingerprint placed on top of a digital interface.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Organizations are cottoning on to the importance of identity security with the arrival of AI agents, new research shows.

According to a survey from Okta, 85% now view Identity and Access Management (IAM) as important to their security posture, up from 79% last year.

Managing AI agent identity is different from managing human user identities, Okta noted.

They lack accountability, have short, dynamic lifespans requiring rapid provisioning and de-provisioning, and rely on various non-human authentication methods like API tokens and cryptographic certificates.

Similarly, they need very specific and granular permissions for limited periods and can access privileged information, while often lacking traceable ownership and consistent logging, complicating post-breach audits and remediation.

As a result, 78% of survey respondents said that controlling access and permissions for non-human identities (NHIs) was their main NHI-related security concern, with 69% similarly worried about lifecycle management, 57% about poor visibility and 53% about remediating risky NHI accounts.

“I’m most concerned about AI systems having too much access without proper controls,” said one Australian C-level executive in healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

"If not carefully managed, they can expose sensitive data or be exploited for attacks. Strong oversight and access control are essential to keep AI secure.”

However, the study found only 10% of organizations have a well-developed strategy for managing NHIs. Fewer than a third (32%) said they always treat digital labor forces with the same degree of governance as human workforces, and only 36% currently have a centralized governance model for AI.

“We are missing a roadmap and are not aligned on how we as a group should implement AI. Some of the team are working as silos, so we do not yet have a cohesive approach to adopting AI.” said one retail VP in France.

Identity security needs strict guardrails

In terms of governance, Okta recommends involving AI project leaders, including data officers, data scientists, and line-of-business leaders.

Security, including visibility, access controls through the entire lifecycle and the ability to detect and respond to threats should be deeply embedded.

Enterprises are also advised to implement a secure-by-design approach, including user authentication, API access controls, asynchronous workflows, and authorization for Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG).

"Treat your digital labor forces with the same degree of governance as human workforces,” Okta said.

“Just as contractors, consultants, vendors, partners, and other members of your extended workforce should be subject to the same strict IAM controls as your in-house workforce, so too should the NHIs operating within your IT environment."

The report comes as new research from Silverfort finds the use of NHIs is expected to grow by 29% over the next 12-to-18 months, with 87% of organizations planning to increase their spending on workforce identity security.

Two-thirds (67%) are either very concerned or concerned about the potential for damage relating to NHIs.

"The truth is, AI agents are not machines, nor are they human. They lie somewhere in between and therefore need to be treated as their own category of identity," said the firm.

"An AI agent security solution needs to address these concerns, so every AI agent is tied to a human and has the proper policies in place to prevent (and detect) improper activity."

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Emma Woollacott is a freelance journalist writing for publications including the BBC, Private Eye, Forbes, Raconteur and specialist technology titles.