Three Trends to Watch on Identity Management Day

In 2022, we learned that when it comes to digital experiences, users have growing expectations for convenience but refuse to sacrifice their security to get it. At the same time, threat actors have become increasingly sophisticated. With enterprises facing competing demands to prevent and protect against threats, while still providing a seamless experience, a robust identity security strategy has never been more important. 

In recognition of Identity Management Day, we wanted to review trends shaping our industry in the present and acknowledge their implications for the future. Here are three trends we expect to unfold in 2023:

Flexible integration frameworks are the new frontier of identity security. These frameworks allow enterprises to easily create identity journeys with drag-and-drop visual flows. The simplicity of this format reduces dependency on developers, which speeds up deployment time and improves IT agility.

Identity orchestration allows enterprises to choose the vendors and integrations that fit into their existing identity tech stack. This is beneficial in two major ways. First, it enables enterprises to customize their user journey and optimize the balance between user experience and security. Second, it avoids vendor lock-in to proprietary systems that force enterprises to operate in silos and use custom coding. This year, we think companies will continue to demand simplified integrations—driving competition among vendors that provide no-code integration services.

We expect that zero trust will move further away from just a buzzword toward a true security strategy in 2023. In the customer identity access management (CIAM) context, zero trust often takes the form of continuous adaptive trust, where enterprises monitor users’ biometric, behavioral, and context-based data in real time to continuously confirm their identity.

Individual vendors offering zero trust and continuous adaptive trust have long claimed that their solutions are the answer, but Zero Trust is not a one-vendor solution. We expect to see cybersecurity companies come together around more aligned definitions of Zero Trust. Vendors have been trying to put definitions around such concepts for years, yet these definitions can still vary vendor by vendor. No-code orchestration is a tool that can help multiple vendors align to achieve Zero Trust and other broad identity-related concepts.

Enterprises need to consider what Zero Trust really means to them and then determine which services are required to achieve their goals. This will require services from more than just a single vendor. By integrating multiple vendors, no-code orchestration will become critical to securing identities in the future.

The large majority of our society worldwide verifies identity-related data through physical government-issued ID cards or arduous digital processes. We believe that in 2023 more and more businesses will begin to embrace decentralized identity—where individuals possess and control their own digital credentials and can share them whenever and however they see fit. These credentials are issued by authoritative bodies that verify a person’s real-world identity and provide digital proof of identity-related data for individuals to present online.

If users can present preauthorized digital credentials to perform a transaction online or in person, enterprises will no longer need to take on the role of storing and managing user data. With this burden alleviated, enterprises can save money and reduce the risk of reputational damage caused by breaches. Digital credentials also allow enterprises to provide better user experiences. Rather than requiring users to complete lengthy registration forms or applications, enterprises that embrace decentralized identity can have customers scan a QR code, for instance, to provide all of their needed identity information.

Decentralized identity is also favorable to users who value the ability to control their own personal information. Possessing digital credentials allows users to protect their personal information and share only what they want to provide. Additionally, since people usually have their phones within reach, they can conveniently carry around their verified data wherever they go.

As businesses revisit their security strategy for 2023 and beyond, we urge them to keep these trends in mind. Whether you’re ready to start the journey with low-code identity orchestration,  prioritize a Zero Trust approach, or simply explore the value behind decentralized identity, each area can offer efficiencies for your business and an improved user experience for years to come.