Why Machine IAM Is Becoming the New Priority?

For years, cybersecurity was about defending the physical perimeter— like corporate office firewalls. But the game has changed. Digital transformation has made Identity the new perimeter. While organizations focus on securing Human Identities, Machine Identities—assigned to applications, IoT devices, cloud services, and more—are growing at an unprecedented rate, often unmanaged and vulnerable.

Machine Identity: A Growing Blind Spot

Gartner reports that 87% of IAM leaders claim responsibility for machine identities, yet fewer than 50% of IAM programs have dedicated functions to manage machine identities effectively.

That’s a problem. Every workload, API, container, and IoT device needs authentication, and when these identities aren’t properly managed, attackers can exploit them.

The Growing Risks of Unmanaged Machine Identities

• ‍Expanding Attack Surfaces – Machine identities are multiplying fast, but many organizations lack visibility into their creation, usage, and revocation. Unmanaged credentials create security risks of unauthorized access.‍
• Fragmented Machine IAM Practices – Machine identities operate across hybrid and multi-cloud environments, making centralized management difficult. Without a unified approach, access controls become inconsistent and security gaps widen.‍
• Lack of Clear Ownership – Who owns machine identity security? Which team is responsible for machine identity management? Without well-defined roles and policies, hardcoded credentials may persist, overprivileged accounts may remain active, and attackers find their way in.

Taking Back Control: Enhance Machine IAM Strategy

To effectively reduce risks and secure machine identities, organizations need to embrace a proactive and strategic Machine IAM solution. Here’s how to get started:

• ‍Gain Full Visibility
  Inventory machine identities—across APIs, containers, IoT devices, and service accounts. Identify unmanaged credentials, overly broad permissions, and abnormal usage patterns.‍
• Implement a Machine IAM Framework
  Adopt a purpose-built Machine IAM strategy that integrates with your existing IAM infrastructure. Automate lifecycle management, enforce least privilege access, and establish continuous monitoring to detect anomalies in real time.‍
• Foster Organizational Awareness
  Security isn’t just about tools—it’s also about people. Establish clear policies, assign ownership, and foster collaboration between security and business teams. Educate users about the importance of machine identity governance and ensure consistent adoption of best practices.

Ready to Enhance Your Machine IAM Strategy?‍

Whether you're just starting to assess your machine identity management or looking to upgrade your machine IAM framework, Paraview team is here to help.

Fill out our Contact Us form to speak with Paraview technical experts and discover how we can support your journey to smarter and safer identity management.