In the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, identity has emerged as a critical battleground. As Adrian Sanabria, host of the Enterprise Security Weekly podcast, and Hed Kovetz, CEO and co-founder of Silverfort, discussed in this webcast, identity is at the center of most data breaches and cyber incidents.
The threats in the identity security landscape are not entirely new, as Kovetz explained. Many of the current attack techniques, such as stealing Active Directory accounts using legacy protocols like NTLM, LDAP, and Kerberos, have been around for decades. However, the methods used by attackers to initially obtain credentials are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with the use of AI and deep fakes to trick employees into providing their login information.
Legacy systems and protocols
One of the key challenges in addressing these threats is the complexity of legacy systems and protocols. Kovetz emphasized that securing legacy systems, which were not built with modern authentication methods in mind, is a significant challenge.
Attackers often target these weak points, as they provide an easy entry point into the network. Even when organizations have implemented security measures like multi-factor authentication (MFA), attackers have found ways to bypass them, such as by stealing OAuth keys or API tokens.
Sanabria and Kovetz discussed the importance of adopting a more comprehensive approach to identity security, one that addresses both legacy and modern systems.
Kovetz explained that organizations are finally recognizing the need for a unified solution that can secure all types of identities, whether they are human, machine, privileged, or non-privileged, across on-premises and cloud environments. The conversation also touched on the challenges of implementing least privilege and zero trust principles.
Kovetz shared an example of a telecom company where a single admin credential provided access to 150,000 pieces of network infrastructure, highlighting the need for better access control and the ability to limit the damage caused by compromised credentials.
A challenging future
Looking to the future, Kovetz discussed the emerging challenges posed by agentic AI, where AI agents require credentials to connect to various systems. This new paradigm creates unique security challenges, as the traditional approaches to identity security may not be sufficient.
Kovetz emphasized the need for innovative solutions that can protect the identities and access of these AI agents, as the pressure to adopt agentic AI will only increase as businesses seek to gain a competitive edge.
Throughout the webcast, Sanabria and Kovetz shared success stories of how Silverfort's solutions have helped organizations prevent and contain cyber attacks, including a case where they were able to block the lateral movement of a ransomware attack within a large insurance company. As the identity security landscape continues to evolve, it is clear that a comprehensive and proactive approach is necessary to protect against the ever-changing threats.
By addressing the complexities of legacy systems, leveraging innovative technologies, and adopting a holistic view of identity security, organizations can better secure their attack surface and stay ahead of the curve.
