Why IAM has become a strategic imperative for cybersecurity

The conclusion is clear:

• Attacks are more complex, faster and automated thanks to AI.
• Traditional methods no longer suffice.
• The identity lifecycle has become uncontrollable with the proliferation of accounts.

In this context, how can we better protect our identities, avoid access chaos and guarantee effective control? This conference explored concrete solutions, pitfalls to avoid and strategies to adopt. Here's what you need to remember.

1.identity : the new battleground for cyber attacks

Spine-chilling figures

The cyber threat is evolving and intensifying. Whereas in the past, attackers mainly targeted network infrastructures and applications, their priority is now elsewhere: identity.

According to ANSSI, 52% of attacks target identities. Why is this? Because today's information systems are no longer based on a clearly defined security perimeter. The rise of the cloud and SaaS services has led to an explosion in remote access, making every identity a potential entry point for a cybercriminal.

The most formidable attack vectors include :

• Advanced phishing, which can be used to retrieve credentials and gain access to critical systems.
• Deepfakes, used for president fraud and sophisticatedidentity theft.
• Attacks targeting SaaS accounts, which often serve as gateways to the entire IS. 40% of attacks pass through these services.

This new situation is accompanied by another worrying phenomenon: the proliferation of identities. Today, an employee has not just one business account, but dozens. In some sectors, there are more than 100 accounts per employee. This proliferation poses a major challenge: how to effectively manage these identities and their accesses without creating vulnerabilities?

👉 A new approach to cybersecurity is essential

Faced with these challenges, one thing is clear: protecting networks and applications is no longer enough. Companies need to rethink their strategy and make identity management a central pillar of their cybersecurity. This requires a more rigorous approach:

• Limit the attack surface by reducing unnecessary accounts and controlling their lifecycle.
• Reinforce authentication with appropriate solutions, such as MFA or Zero Trust.
• Automate identity management to avoid human error and ensure optimum responsiveness.

Companies that delay in adopting these practices expose themselves to a growing risk. Because in a world where identities have become the main playground for attackers, inaction is no longer an option.

2. IAM, IGA, Zero Trust... let's put an end to the confusion!

Identity and access management has become a strategic issue, but it suffers from a major problem: terminological vagueness. All too often, companies mix up concepts, confuse tools and think that a technical solution will be enough to solve all their problems. But securing identities requires a clear, structured approach.

Understanding key concepts

There are three concepts that come up time and time again when we talk about identity management: IAM, IGA and Zero Trust. However, they do not cover exactly the same realities.

• IAM (Identity & Access Management): This is the set of technologies and processes used to manage who accesses what in the information system. It is the technical backbone that authenticates users and assigns them access to the necessary resources.
• IGA (Identity Governance & Administration): Unlike IAM, which focuses on operational access, IGA takes a step back. It involves orchestrating and supervising identities, managing their lifecycle and ensuring that each user has the right rights at the right time. IGA meets the challenges of governance and compliance.
• Zero Trust: Not a tool, but a fundamental security principle. The idea is simple: never trust by default, and always check a user'sidentity and rights before granting access. Zero Trust is based on continuous, contextual checks that go far beyond a simple password or SSO.

The consequences of misunderstanding

Confusing these notions can have concrete repercussions. Too often, companies think that implementing SSO (Single Sign-On) is enough to guarantee access security. However, SSO is only an authentication mechanism: it facilitates user log-in, but does not manage identity governance or the ongoing verification of user access.

A striking example illustrates this problem. A customer was very surprised to discover that a user had logged on three days before an audit, even though he had left the company a month earlier. Yet his offboarding had been completed.

Problem: some mobile sessions remain active indefinitely and do not systematically require re-authentication via SSO. As a result, the user could still access the application, without anyone noticing.

This example illustrates a key point: it's not enough to deploy an SSO, you also need to monitor and manage ongoing sessions. Without a strict policy for revoking mobile sessions, a company may believe that an account is closed, when in reality it remains a gaping doorway for potential intrusions.

Towards a comprehensive, coherent approach

To truly secure identities, a comprehensive and coherent approach is required:

• Implement true identity governance (IGA), to ensure that every account is created, modified and deleted according to strict rules.
• Apply Zero Trust principles, requiring continuous verification and segmenting access.
• Don't rely solely on SSO, but ensure that sessions are revoked and rights adjusted in real time.

Effective identity management is more than just technical implementation. It requires continuous organization, supervision and adaptation, otherwise loopholes persist and threats proliferate.

The speakers backed up their words by explaining that IAM and account management are good for everyone:

"It's the only security issue that makes life easier for users."

3. Shadow IT: myth or reality?

Traditionally, Shadow IT refers to all software and services used by employees without validation from IT. Slack, Trello, Google Drive... These tools are often implemented by business teams to meet immediate needs, without waiting for official validation.

But today, the real threat comes from SaaS applications, which are well-known, widely used and yet poorly integrated into the corporate ecosystem.

Contrary to popular belief, it's becoming increasingly rare to have software installed on the sly; it's mainly legitimate tools that IT hasn 't bothered to supervise properly that are causing problems. All too often, IT teams have not made the effort to integrate these applications with identity management systems (IAM, SSO, IGA), creating invisible security breaches.

A striking example: the forgotten Snowflake application

One of the most telling cases discussed during the conference was that of a Snowflake account used by a team for two years, without the knowledge of the IT department. This application was no secret: it was used on a daily basis, shared between employees, and yet it was off IT's radar.

In this new era of Shadow IT, the danger comes not just from unauthorized software, but also from poorly configured, unsupervised tools with unsecured access.

The problem isn't that these tools are difficult to integrate, but that IT teams don't see the process through. They hide behind technical excuses ("It's not compatible", "We don't have the time to manage everything") when solutions exist to identify and secure these applications.

How do you regain control?

In the face of this phenomenon, a proactive rather than reactive approach is essential. Fighting Shadow IT does not mean prohibiting employees from adopting new tools, but rather integrating them intelligently and supervising them properly. During the conference, it was pointed out that IT sometimes suffers from a real intellectual laziness on these subjects.

• Put an end to IT's defensive posture. It's not enough to say "it's not possible" or "it's too complicated". IT must work hand in hand with the business to map and integrate the applications used.
• Actively monitor SaaS applications. Today, there are tools that can automatically detect services connected to the IS, even when they have not been officially validated.
• Implement strict access governance. Once applications have been identified, they must be integrated into the IAM and subjected to the same security requirements as the rest of the IS.

Shadow IT is not inevitable. But as long as IT continues to turn a blind eye to certain practices, security gaps will remain wide open. It's not just a question of technology, but also of attitude and will.

4. How to implement an IAM project efficiently?

Deploying an identity and access management (IAM) solution can seem complex. Too many companies hesitate, put off or embark on sprawling projects that never come to fruition. At the conference, a clear message was hammered home: stop looking for excuses and move forward, step by step, with pragmatism.

The classic mistake in IAM projects is to try to secure everything immediately, hoping for a radical, instantaneous transformation. The result: projects that get bogged down and never come to fruition.

This gradual roll-out enables rapid gains in security, while improving the user experience. Because unlike other IT initiatives, IAM is one of the few cybersecurity topics that can actually simplify employees' lives by reducing access-related friction.

Stop with the excuses and false blockages

Too many companies delay their IAM project on the pretext that they need to "do a complete audit before embarking", or that they fear they "won't be able to integrate everything". These arguments are often excuses for doing nothing.

A key point underlined at the conference: no IAM solution will cover 100% of applications and scenarios from the outset. And that's okay.

Case in point: a prospect explained that he couldn't manage an application used by 10 employees. His reasoning? If this application couldn't be integrated immediately, then the whole IAM project had to be put on hold. Nonsense, given that 2,000 other users and 300 other applications could have been secured immediately.

Waiting for the perfect implementation means never doing anything.

Focusing on affordable, flexible solutions

Another common mistake is choosing complex solutions that require specialized skills or lock the company into a captive ecosystem.

The speakers used Microsoft Azure AD as an example. On the face of it, it's a complete IAM solution. But to benefit from advanced levels of security, you have to pay high additional costs (€9 per user per month) and accept a black box whose operation nobody really controls.

On the other hand, there are more flexible solutions that allow :

• Quick, autonomous implementation, without the need for an army of consultants.
• Fluid dialogue with business teams, to integrate IAM into work processes without friction.
• Harmonization between security and user experience, to prevent cybersecurity from becoming an obstacle to productivity.

The important thing is not to have the perfect solution, but one that adapts to the company's real needs and constraints.

At Youzer we've made this choice, to have a solution that integrates easily into our customers' landscape, avoiding friction and facilitating IT account management. To see Youzer in practice, click here.

Best practices for getting started

Conference speakers stressed a key point: don't get everything mixed up at launch.

Here are the five essential steps for a successful deployment:

1️⃣ Have the will to go for it. An IAM project is not just a technological choice, it's a strategic decision. If the impetus doesn't come from top management and IT teams, nothing will happen.

2️⃣ Establish a repository. The first step is to map existing identities, accesses, roles and critical applications. This step helps avoid chaotic management.

3️⃣ Implement identity federation via SSO, for example. SSO should not be the only solution, but it is a good starting point for improving the user experience and securing connections.

4️⃣ Automate access reviews. Permission audits must be recurrent and systematic to avoid the accumulation of phantom accounts or excessive rights.

5️⃣ Automate onboarding and offboarding. Every employee's entry and exit must be immediately synchronized with the IS to avoid oversights.

These steps help to structure the implementation of IAM and avoid dispersion.

The important thing is to act

All failed IAM projects have one thing in common: they never really got off the ground.

The greatest danger is not having an incomplete IAM integration in the first place, but continuing to do nothing because everything isn't perfect.

As the conference emphasized, making mistakes is part of the process. The important thing is to take a pragmatic approach, test, adjust and move on.

And above all, to stop hiding behind excuses to avoid taking action.

Conclusion

This InCyber conference highlighted an inescapable fact: identity and access management is no longer an option, but an absolute necessity. At a time when more than half of all attacks target identities, when companies are juggling hundreds of SaaS applications, and when threats are becoming automated thanks to AI, protecting access is tantamount to protecting the entire information system.

Far from being a mere technical constraint, IAM is a lever for security, compliance and operational efficiency. But to reap the full benefits, we need to abandon excuses, adopt a pragmatic approach and, above all, take action.

Inaction is no longer an option. Controlling your identities means controlling your security.

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