Identity Security: Your First and Last Line of Defense

Identity security is framed as the new security perimeter, with the article arguing that the central question for CISOs is who or what has access to critical systems and whether that access can be secured and proven. It cites the 2025–2026 SailPoint Horizons of Identity Security report to back its claims, noting that identity management has evolved from a back‑office control to mission‑critical for the modern enterprise.

The piece highlights that fewer than 4 in 10 AI agents are governed by identity security policies, leaving organisations exposed to risk. It also reveals a growing divide: 63% of organisations are stuck in early‑stage identity security maturity (Horizons 1 or 2), with capability regression linked to lower adoption of AI agent identity management.

Conversely, the report shows organisations with mature identity programs achieving higher returns, with Identity and Access Management ranked as the top‑ROI security investment at twice the rate of other categories and four times more likely to include AI‑enabled capabilities such as Identity Threat Detection and Response. The article concludes by urging a proactive readiness assessment for deploying AI agents and automated systems within secure, governed identity frameworks.