{"id":10958,"date":"2026-07-14T15:22:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T14:22:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/?post_type=news&#038;p=10958"},"modified":"2026-07-14T16:29:51","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T15:29:51","slug":"identity-first-security-why-iam-sits-at-the-core-of-modern-cyber-resilience","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/news\/identity-first-security-why-iam-sits-at-the-core-of-modern-cyber-resilience\/","title":{"rendered":"Identity First Security: Why IAM Sits at the Core of Modern Cyber Resilience\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"background-color:#eeeeee\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:260px\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized aligncenter is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"440\" height=\"552\" src=\"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2025\/01\/dean-watson-pic.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6115\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:200px;height:200px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2025\/01\/dean-watson-pic.png 440w, https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/23\/2025\/01\/dean-watson-pic-239x300.png 239w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 440px) 100vw, 440px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<h3 id=\"h-dean-watson\" class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block-heading\">Dean Watson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-large-body wp-block-paragraph\">UK Solutions Manager, Infinigate UK&amp;I<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Identity has become the new security perimeter. Attackers no longer need sophisticated exploits &#8211; they simply log in. That shift makes Identity Access Management (IAM) one of the most critical components of any modern cybersecurity strategy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since 2020, identity-driven breaches have surged. High-profile incidents across retail, finance, and government show that even well-resourced organisations struggle to defend against identity-based attacks. The takeaway is clear: if identity isn\u2019t secured, nothing else is.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-should-a-modern-iam-strategy-deliver\" class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block-heading\">What should a modern IAM strategy deliver?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">IAM isn\u2019t a single tool; it\u2019s a coordinated set of capabilities:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Complete visibility:<\/strong>&nbsp;Integrate across cloud, on-prem, and legacy systems to create a single source of truth.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Real-time detection:<\/strong>&nbsp;Continuously&nbsp;analyse&nbsp;identity&nbsp;behavior&nbsp;to spot anomalies early.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Actionable insight:<\/strong>&nbsp;Deliver clear, prioritised alerts that enable fast response.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Detection is the real differentiator. The faster you identify abnormal&nbsp;behaviour, the faster you can contain risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-does-suspicious-identity-activity-look-like\" class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block-heading\">What does suspicious identity activity look like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Focus on anomalies, not signatures. Common indicators include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cImpossible travel\u201d between login locations&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sudden changes in IP address or device&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Activity outside normal working hours&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unusual spikes in service account&nbsp;behaviour<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These signals often expose compromised credentials before a full breach unfolds.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-do-you-strengthen-security-without-adding-friction\" class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block-heading\">How do you strengthen security without adding friction?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Risk-Based Authentication (RBA) provides a practical answer. It adapts security controls based on context and risk:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>UEBA (User and Entity Behaviour Analytics):<\/strong>&nbsp;Builds&nbsp;behavioral&nbsp;baselines and flags deviations&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Conditional Access:<\/strong>&nbsp;Triggers step-up authentication when risk thresholds are exceeded&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>FIDO2 passkeys:<\/strong>&nbsp;Replace passwords with phishing-resistant authentication&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together, these approaches reduce noise, improve user experience, and significantly cut attack success rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-what-does-iam-as-a-service-look-like-in-practice-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block-heading\">What does IAM-as-a-service look like in practice?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-\">As organisations face skills shortages and rising threats, demand for managed IAM services continues to grow. A strong offering should include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>MFA or&nbsp;passwordless&nbsp;authentication (FIDO2)&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Policy-driven access control&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identity coverage for both users and machine identities&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AI-driven risk analysis&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Workflow automation and lifecycle management&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-\">Continuous optimisation is essential to stay ahead of evolving threats.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-should-organisations-and-partners-approach-implementation-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block-heading\">How should organisations and partners approach implementation?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-what-does-iam-as-a-service-look-like-in-practice-start-by-securing-your-own-environment-in-a-world-of-supply-chain-attacks-your-security-posture-directly-impacts-your-customers\">Start by securing your own environment. In a world of supply chain attacks, your security posture directly impacts your customers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, standardise your identity stack. Many organisations consolidate around platforms like Microsoft Entra ID, supported by complementary technologies.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, prioritise onboarding. A structured, low-disruption rollout ensures business continuity and builds long-term trust.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-bottom-line-nbsp\" class=\"wp-block-heading wp-block-heading\">The bottom line&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">IAM is no longer just a control layer, it\u2019s the foundation of modern cybersecurity. Organisations that adopt an identity-first approach will lead in resilience, reduce risk, and stay ahead of today\u2019s most effective attack methods.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Identity has become the new security perimeter. Attackers no longer need sophisticated exploits &#8211; they simply log in<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":10959,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"technologies":[7],"news-type":[160],"class_list":["post-10958","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","technologies-cybersecurity","news-type-blog"],"acf":[],"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Infinigate | United Kingdom","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/10958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/114"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/10958\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10973,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/10958\/revisions\/10973"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"technologies","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/technologies?post=10958"},{"taxonomy":"news-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.infinigate.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-type?post=10958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}