Gartner Identity and RSA are two of the most highly-regarded conferences in the technology industry, bringing together industry leaders to discuss the latest trends and innovations. Every year, we attend the events and we always look forward to meeting with our clients, connecting with new clients, and learning more about the latest trends in cybersecurity. This year was no exception. Here’s a quick recap of some of the trending topics from this year’s events.

1. Identity management and device trust

One of the key elements of identity management is device trust, and both were hot topics at Gartner and RSA. 

Identity management is crucial for any organization. Most employees connect to the network with multiple devices, and collaborating with outside vendors significantly increases cyber risk. Add in remote work and cloud adoption, and you have a surge of identities, making traditional multi-factor authentication (MFA) methods ineffective.

Since cyberattacks often result from stolen credentials, identity management is no longer optional. Secure authentication is your first line of defense and helps you enact zero trust security, which ensures users have the least amount of data access needed to do their jobs.

Device trust is another critical component of identity management, particularly in today's mobile and remote work environments. As the number of devices and endpoints continues to grow, it will be increasingly important to have robust device trust solutions in place to ensure the security of sensitive data and resources.

Beyond Identity binds identity to a device at enrollment, creating an unbreakable link between device and identity using public-private keys. This ensures the identity of both the device and the user are verifiable, securing your data and resources with phishing-resistant factors.

2. Zero trust architecture

Another major trend emerging from both Gartner Identity and RSA is the shift toward zero trust architectures. Traditional security models rely on a perimeter defense, assuming that anyone inside the network is trustworthy. Zero trust assumes no one is trustworthy, and requires continuous authentication and authorization for every user and device that attempts to access the network. This approach provides a more comprehensive and effective security solution.

If you’re ready to build your zero trust architecture, you should consider addressing authentication very early in the process. A Zero Trust Authentication solution focuses on seven requirements that ensure your organization is well-equipped for modern threats and risks. Your authentication process must:

• Be passwordless 
• Be phishing-resistant
• Cryptographically validate the user device
• Evaluate device security posture
• Incorporate many types of risk signals 
• Offer continuous authentication 
• Integrate with your existing security infrastructure 

3. Passwordless authentication

Both Gartner Identity and RSA highlighted the importance of biometrics and multi-factor authentication in identity and access management. Getting rid of passwords was a big part of that conversation.

Passwords are a primary source of weakness in the authentication process. Password fatigue and reuse make it easier for cyber-criminals to gain access to multiple accounts, and phishing attacks often lead to users sharing credentials. In addition, password databases are another point of weakness. Passwords are also susceptible to dictionary attacks, brute force attacks, or rainbow table attacks

Biometric authentication, such as fingerprint and facial recognition, provides a more secure and convenient way to verify a user's identity. With the rise of remote work and mobile devices, these technologies are becoming increasingly important for ensuring the security of digital identities.

Cryptographic authentication, like that provided by Beyond Identity, allows you to confirm that the user accessing your resources is who they say they are by verifying their possession of a cryptographic credential embedded on their device and secondary verification uses biometric authentication. This combination of passwordless authentication and a phishing-resistant second factor bound to the device is the future of authentication.

The rise of zero trust

The trends discussed at Gartner Identity and RSA demonstrate exciting developments on the horizon. Technology is reshaping the way we think about identity management, cybersecurity, and authentication.

Interested in learning more about all three topics? In “The Rise of Zero Trust Authentication,” industry analyst Jon Friedman discusses how these elements all work together to help you secure your resources. Download your copy now.