Marco Venuti | IAM Enablement & Acceleration Director
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Marco Venuti | IAM Enablement & Acceleration Director
More About This Author >
Imagine waking up one morning to find your digital identity compromised your accounts hijacked, your access revoked, and your data in someone else’s hands. In an era where identities extend beyond individuals to devices, applications, and AI-driven systems, managing them has never been more critical or complex.
That’s why Identity Management Day is an essential reminder that identity security is everyone’s responsibility. This year’s theme, “Existential Identity,” delves into the growing complexity of identity management. With the rise of AI-driven automation, machine identities, and the increasing blending of personal and professional digital footprints, the question is no longer just who we are but how we define, protect, and control our identities in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
The Identity Crisis
There’s no getting away from ‘Identity’. For many years now, it has been defined as the “new cybersecurity perimeter,” and the premise is simple: As businesses become increasingly dispersed in terms of services and serviced users, it's no longer applicable that all users, devices, and data are safely managed inside company networks. What was once protected behind secure walls is now out in the wild, widening the attack surface and opening up new risks.
It’s not just personal and corporate identities. Today’s businesses depend on networks of third-party partners, vendors, contractors and AI-powered agents, all of whom have identities. Partners must access business systems and apps to stay productive. At the same time, AI agents who handle tasks from data processing to decision-making also require identities that must be registered, authenticated, and authorized.
Adding to this complexity, malefactors leverage the power of AI to carry out smarter attacks. Deepfakes create hyper-realistic fake videos or voices that fool people, and identity theft helps attackers pretend to be someone else to steal data. AI-powered social engineering makes scams more convincing, while stolen passwords enable criminals to log into corporate networks and move laterally unnoticed.
Are We Sacrificing Safety for Simplicity?
The Thales Data Threat Report 2024 said that 43% of people who access an organization's internal systems or data are either customers, external vendors, or contractors, which is seeing effective identity management beyond employee identities emerge as one of the top security priorities.
However, all your users accessing business systems and data demand ease of access, but they also expect security and privacy. Organizations are quickly embracing technologies like passwordless logins and biometric authentication, making it simpler than ever to access accounts. But at what cost? Every convenience we embrace comes with a security trade-off.
Take biometrics, your fingerprint or face scan can unlock devices instantly. But unlike passwords, biometric data can’t be changed if stolen. If a hacker replicates your face (or voice), the breach is permanent. Deepfake technology can bypass facial recognition, and AI-generated synthetic identities are becoming nearly indistinguishable from real ones.
The challenge is finding the right balance. Striking a middle ground between frictionless access and strong security requires continuous authentication, adaptive risk analysis, and zero-trust identity frameworks. The future of identity security isn’t just about making access easier—it’s about making it smarter. Otherwise, bad identity management can quickly turn into an existential threat.
Who Owns ‘You’ in the Digital World?
It’s no secret that the digital economy relies on personal data, which begs the question: Who really owns your identity online, you or the corporations that collect it?
Every time you log in, shop, or interact online, businesses, data brokers, and advertisers store, analyze, and monetize fragments of your identity. Your name, preferences, and even biometric data often exist outside your control, locked behind vague terms of service. Meanwhile, cybercriminals exploit this system, stealing and selling identities on the dark web, proving that digital ownership is more fragile than we think.
As governments enforce stricter data regulations like eIDAS 2 and the Digital Markets Act, users demand more control. Concepts like Bring Your Own Identity (BYOI) and technologies like digital identity wallets aim to return digital ownership to individuals, allowing them to manage their credentials without relying on third parties. But are organizations ready to shift power back to users?
In the evolving digital landscape, owning identity may no longer be a given—it may be something we must fight for.
How Thales IAM Solutions Enable Existential Identity Protection
Thales has a range of tools to help secure digital identities and protect against modern threats. Advanced solutions such as FIDO2 passwordless authentication, passkeys, and a Passwordless 360 approach promise a secure and seamless login experience without depending on weak, conventional passwords.
These tools strengthen security and make it easier for staff and third parties to access what they need. By focusing on strong, simple, and modern identity protection, Thales helps entities build trust and stay ahead of evolving cyber risks.
Get started today—review your IAM strategy and strengthen your identity security with Thales.