80%
Breaches via Credentials
99.9%
Attacks Blocked by MFA
$3.5M
Avg. Cost of IAM Breach
Zero
Trust Architecture
Identity is the New Perimeter
With 80% of breaches involving compromised credentials, identity has become the primary attack surface. Modern IAM is the foundation of zero trust security.
The Identity Risk
- 80% of breaches involve compromised credentials
- Passwords are insufficient - phishing, stuffing, brute force
- Privileged accounts are the ultimate target
Modern IAM Architecture
IAM Core Components
Phase 1
Identity
IdP, directories, federation
Phase 2
Authentication
MFA, passwordless, risk-based
Phase 3
Authorization
RBAC, ABAC, policies
Phase 4
Governance
IGA, certification, lifecycle
Authentication Evolution
- MFA: Something you know + have + are
- Passwordless: FIDO2, biometrics, magic links
- Risk-based: Context-aware step-up
Implementation Checklist
IAM Controls
Authentication
MFA everywhere
Passwordless options
Risk-based authentication
SSO integration
Privileged Access
Credential vaulting
Session recording
Just-in-time access
Least privilege
Governance
Joiner/mover/leaver
Access certification
Segregation of duties
Audit trails
Zero Trust
Continuous verification
Context-aware policies
Device trust
Micro-segmentation
Quick Win
MFA everywhere blocks 99.9% of account compromise attacks. Start here if you haven't already—it's the single most impactful control.
Conclusion
Modern IAM is the foundation of zero trust. Start with MFA and SSO, expand to PAM and IGA, and evolve toward passwordless, continuous authentication.
Tags
#IAM#Identity Management#Access Control#SSO#PAM#Zero Trust
A
Written by
Asfaleia Team
Security Consultant
Identity security architect with expertise in IAM implementation and zero trust design.