The rise of non-human identities and the future of PAM

Non-human identities (NHIs) are becoming a major focus in cybersecurity, reshaping how security teams approach identity management and challenging the adaptability of Identity and Access Management (IAM), Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), and Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions. As discussed during a conversation between Shashwat Sehgal and Lalit Choda, and echoed at the Black Hat conference, the proliferation of NHIs, particularly in multi-cloud and hybrid environments, is creating significant security gaps that existing solutions struggle to address. Executives are faced with the dilemma of either renewing existing vendor contracts or adopting additional solutions to bridge these gaps, with the main concern being the access pathways NHIs create to sensitive systems. While the cybersecurity industry often focuses on fear-based metrics, the real issue lies in managing risk rather than sheer volume, and the future of identity security will continue to depend on the three established pillars of IAM, IGA, and PAM. These platforms need to evolve to effectively manage both human and non-human identities, ensuring secure privileged access across various technological environments to prevent potential security threats.