Beyond Iam Silos: Why The Identity Security Fabric Is Essential For...
Identity security fabric (ISF) is a unified architectural framework that brings together disparate identity capabilities. Through ISF, identity governance and administration (IGA), access management (AM), privileged access management (PAM), and identity threat detection and response (ITDR) are all integrated into a single, cohesive control plane.
Building on Gartner's definition of "identity fabric," identity security fabric takes a more proactive approach, securing all identity types (human, machine, and AI agents) across on-prem, hybrid, multi-cloud, and complex IT environments.
As cyberattacks become more prevalent and sophisticated, traditional approaches characterized by siloed identity tools can't keep pace with evolving threats. Today's rapidly expanding attack surface is driven primarily by non-human identities (NHIs), including service accounts, API keys, and AI agents.
Fragmented point solutions weaken an organization's overall security posture, increase operational complexity, and elevate risk due to inconsistent configurations and limited threat visibility. This fragmentation leads to inefficiency as security and IT teams struggle with disjointed workflows.
The design principles of identity security fabric center on creating a seamless and secure UX, reducing complexity, ensuring compliance, and enabling AI-driven modernization by connecting people, processes, and technology through an identity-first approach.
The ten fundamental elements that guide an identity fabric architecture, according to Tech Republic's summary of Gartner's identity fabric principles.
ISF uses a multi-layer, vendor-neutral architecture that enables organizations to build upon cohesive identity and access management (IAM) capabilities, real-time risk-aware access controls, and seamless integration.
This layer extends beyond basic authentication to encompass all critical security functions for the identity lifecycle:
An effective identity security fabric protects before, during, and after authentication:
Orchestration is the critical layer that transforms disconnected IAM tools into a true fabric, enabling real-time threat prevention and response.
Source: The Hacker News
