Sparked by recent discussions of Gartner’s NHI and Machine IAM Taxonomy, I wrote down my thoughts on identity security and how we can transform how we approach identity in cybersecurity.

Our fragmented approach to identity management—with separate systems for employees, customers, and machines—is creating dangerous security gaps and attack vectors.

In this article, I propose a unified identity framework based on first principles:
🎯One consistent approach for all entities (human and non-human)
🎯Elimination of shared secrets vulnerable to social engineering
🎯Implementation of zero trust and least privilege by default
🎯Ephemeral access that’s granted only when needed

The proof is in the results: Hyperscalers and platforms like Teleport that implement these principles experience significantly fewer successful attacks despite being prime targets.

As our digital ecosystems grow more complex, the old paradigm becomes increasingly dangerous. It’s time to rethink identity from the ground up.

Read the full article to learn how your organization can strengthen security while reducing complexity. Your thoughts?